Yacht
The original Yahtzee. Roll five dice for poker-style combinations. Public domain classic.
What You'll Need
About This Game
The original Yahtzee. Roll five dice for poker-style combinations. Public domain classic.
How to Play
Setup
- Each player needs a score sheet with 12 categories
- Use 5 standard dice
Gameplay
- On your turn, roll all 5 dice
- You may set aside any dice and re-roll the rest (up to 2 re-rolls)
- After your rolls, choose ONE category to score
Scoring Categories
- Ones through Sixes: Sum of that number only
- Full House: Three of a kind + pair = 25 points
- Four of a Kind: Sum of all dice
- Little Straight (1-2-3-4-5): 30 points
- Big Straight (2-3-4-5-6): 30 points
- Choice: Sum of all dice (like Yahtzee's Chance)
- Yacht: Five of a kind = 50 points
Rules
- Each category can only be used once
- If you can't score, you must enter 0 in a category
Winning
- After 12 rounds, highest total score wins
History & Background
Yacht is the original version of what became Yahtzee. The game was played on yachts by wealthy Americans in the early 20th century, where it earned its name.
The scoring categories and mechanics of Yacht predate commercial versions by decades. It was a public domain game passed down through families and social groups, with slight rule variations from household to household.
In 1954, a Canadian couple approached game entrepreneur Edwin Lowe about making copies of "The Yacht Game" as gifts for friends. Lowe saw commercial potential, bought the rights, renamed it "Yahtzee," and the rest is gaming history.
Yacht remains popular among traditionalists who prefer the original rules. The key differences from Yahtzee include a "Big Straight" and "Little Straight" distinction, and slightly different scoring values. Yacht is considered by some to have more strategic depth than its commercial descendant.