Photo: clement proust on Unsplash
How Yacht dice scoring works
Yacht dice is the classic five-dice game with a 13-box score sheet, played in France under the name Yams. Each player takes turns with five dice. You get three rolls at most: between rolls, you keep the dice you like and reroll the others. Then you write your result in one box on your sheet.
The sheet has 13 boxes. Each one is filled only once, and you fill exactly one box per turn, no more, no less.
The upper section has six boxes, Ones through Sixes. In each one, you count only the dice showing that number: three 4s make 12 in the Fours box. The other dice don’t count.
The bonus: when the total of the six upper boxes reaches 63, you get 35 extra points. 63 is what you get with three dice of each number (3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18). At 62, no bonus; at 63 or more, it’s yours.
The lower section has seven boxes:
- Three of a kind: three matching dice. You score the total of those 3 dice only.
- Four of a kind: four matching dice. You score the total of those 4 dice.
- Full house: three of a kind plus a pair. 25 points, whatever the numbers.
- Small straight: four dice in a row, for example 2-3-4-5. 30 points.
- Large straight: five dice in a row, 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6. 40 points.
- Yacht: five of a kind. 50 points.
- Chance: any dice. You score the total of all five.
When nothing works, you cross out a box of your choice: it’s worth 0 and stays crossed out until the end.
Worked examples, turn by turn
One turn, several choices. With 6-5-4-4-1, you can take 8 in the Fours box (just the two 4s) or 20 in Chance (6 + 5 + 4 + 4 + 1).
What each box is worth. Here are a few final rolls and their value:
| Your dice at the end of the turn | Box chosen | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 5-5-5-2-1 | Three of a kind | 15 |
| 3-3-3-3-6 | Four of a kind | 12 |
| 2-2-6-6-6 | Full house | 25 |
| 1-2-3-4-6 | Small straight | 30 |
| 2-3-4-5-6 | Large straight | 40 |
| 4-4-4-4-4 | Yacht | 50 |
| 6-5-4-4-1 | Chance | 20 |
Look closely at three of a kind: 5-5-5-2-1 is worth 15, the three 5s, not 18. Same for four of a kind: 3-3-3-3-6 is worth 12, not 18. That’s the French rule our counter uses; many American score sheets add up all five dice in those two boxes instead (see Variations below).
The bonus that changes everything. Grace and Liam are finishing their game. Here are their two sheets:
| Box | Grace | Liam |
|---|---|---|
| Ones | 3 | 2 |
| Twos | 6 | 4 |
| Threes | 9 | 12 |
| Fours | 12 | 16 |
| Fives | 15 | 10 |
| Sixes | 18 | 18 |
| Upper total | 63 | 62 |
| Bonus (at 63) | 35 | 0 |
| Three of a kind | 15 | 18 |
| Four of a kind | 12 | 20 |
| Full house | 25 | 25 |
| Small straight | 30 | 30 |
| Large straight | 0 (crossed out) | 40 |
| Yacht | 50 | 0 (crossed out) |
| Chance | 20 | 23 |
| Total | 250 | 218 |
Liam did better in the lower section: 156 against 152. But he’s one point short in the upper section, so no bonus. Grace has exactly 63: her 35 bonus points take her from 215 to 250. Without that bonus, Liam would have won, 218 to 215.
With the Buzzloo score counter
At the top of this page, type the players' names and create the game. You get a link to send on WhatsApp, by text message, or to copy. Everyone opens it on their phone and sees the same scoreboard, updated live.
Each player’s sheet is shown, and the site tells you whose turn it is. Only one person keeps score: whoever created the game. Players call out their dice, and the scorekeeper taps an empty box and picks the result: the number of dice for an upper box, the number on the dice for three or four of a kind, the total for Chance, or cross it out. The 35-point bonus is added on its own. The calculation appears before you confirm, and you can undo the last entry or fix a name.
The scorekeeper can hand over the pen to someone else with a separate link, and take it back whenever they like.
At the end, the winner appears in big letters, with the ranking. You can share the result or start a new game with the same group. Your group keeps its game history: who wins most often, how many wins for each name.
It’s free, nothing to install, no account and no email address: first names are enough. A game is deleted 30 days after its last entry, a group’s history 6 months after its last game. The same score counter also works for Skyjo or French tarot.
Common mistakes
- Counting all five dice for three or four of a kind when your table plays the French rule. Only the matching dice count.
- Giving the bonus at 62. You need at least 63 in the upper section.
- Mixing up the straights. Four dice in a row make a small straight (30), five make a large one (40).
- Filling two boxes in one turn, or redoing a box that’s already filled.
- Rolling a fourth time. Three rolls at most, even when the Yacht is one die away.
Variations
Many American tables count all five dice for three of a kind and four of a kind: 5-5-5-2-1 is then worth 18. Others only accept two specific straights, 1-2-3-4-5 for the small one and 2-3-4-5-6 for the large one. You’ll also see a bonus for a second Yacht, extra points for a combination rolled on the first try, or sheets with several columns to fill in order.
Our counter follows the rules described above: three and four of a kind count only the matching dice, and there’s no bonus for a second Yacht. If your table counts all five dice, or plays another house rule, the score sheet lets you type the points yourself.
The end of the game
The game ends when every sheet is full, which means 13 turns for each player. For each player, you then add up the upper section, the bonus if they earned it, and the lower section. The highest total wins.
To decide who rolls first, draw a random order. For a big night in, read how to plan a game night with a quiz, and end it with the quiz buzzer. You’ll also find all the Buzzloo tools.