The Yahtzee Manifesto

Yahtzee is oftentimes a game of tough decisions with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other, each whispering sweet temptations directly into your cerebral cortex. In this post we will examine one of the most well-known dilemmas in Yahtzee strategy, the Joker's Gambit. Consider the following situation and decide for yourself. Only two turns are left in your game, with the Yahtzee and Fives boxes still open. The 35-point Upper Section bonus appears to be out of reach as you would need to roll five Fives* to surpass the 63-point threshold. Things aren't looking too great but being a serious Yahtzeeist you never give up hope. On your penultimate turn you roll a couple of Fives, then a couple more - and, yes, it's a Yahtzee in Fives! Welcome to the Joker's Gambit. Instinctively, your pencil is drawn to the Lower Section of your Yahtzee scorecard to mark 50 big ones in the empty Yahtzee box. But after a moment's reflection you realize that scorin...

  Archaeological evidence suggests that an early form of Yahtzee has been played on the Tibetan steppes and throughout the wider Himalayan region for thousands of years. The most well-preserved artifact from these early days is a set of five yak bone dice nestled inside a leather pouch. Historians believe that the game gradually transitioned from a popular pastime that the general population enjoyed into one that was used primarily by a small group of elites during sacred rituals or religious rites. As a consequence, Yahtzee’s popularity as an everyday activity declined. Yahtzee’s modern day resurrection is due to a wealthy Canadian couple who rediscovered the games ancient origins while on a tour of Tibet in the early twentieth century. They were immediately won over by the game’s complex simplicity and began playing it regularly as they cruised around the world on their private yacht. Unfortunately the game’s original name has been lost to history so the couple refe...

Hi Rollers, Rick here. I’m riding a Yahtzee high right now that has me giddy with enthusiasm. I just got back from participating in “Yahtzee the 16th”, an annual Yahtzee tournament held this year in the bustling town of Wilmington, Delaware. Since all proceeds go to a worthy charity, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend. When I entered the conference space the gaiety was palpable. There was definitely something special in the air. Very special indeed, as people from as far away as Nevada fly in for this yearly celebration of all things awesome, which obviously has Yahtzee at its heart. Tony, the man behind the scenes, has put a drinking spin on this timeless classic. And if you are a lover of Yahtzee and imbibing the great gift of beer, then you might want to check out the site to get the skinny on how he has masterfully interwoven the two. A scotch and water man myself, it took me awhile to adjust to the free flowing pale ale (sadly it was perhaps a bit too “free flowing”, as...

Big news in the board game community as Monopoly officially changes its lineup of playing tokens with a kitty cat replacing the iron. The removal of the iron token, long considered a symbol of female subordination, has been hailed as a step in the right direction. This is not the first, and will certainly not be the last, time that that a board game has shuffled its playing piece selection. Clue, for example, has updated its repertoire of weapon pieces over the years. Generally, such moves are gimmicky marketing ploys to drive game sales. With interest temporarily fixated on a new playing piece, public attention is pulled away from the fact that these games are simply base representations of greed and murder. But in this day and age, when board games are controlled by international conglomerates, profit is the sole driving force in the decision-making process. Rest assured, fellow Yahtzeeists, Yahtzee will never mix up its playing pieces. While its current corporate overlords would und...

Today, millions of American Yahtzee fans will celebrate the harvest holiday of Thanksgiving with one-too-many helpings of turkey and a lot of hot dice action. It’s a time of coming together with family and friends to show appreciation for the blessings in our lives. It can also, however, result in a rehashing of past familial arguments or other types of uncomfortable conflict. What could go wrong when your overstuffed, perhaps tipsy, extended family members sit down to a competitive Yahtzee game? But before we get to the drama-fueled dessert, let’s dig into the main dish and take a look at some fun dice games that you can enjoy this Thanksgiving. Turkey Dice Games A good ol’ Yahtzee party is a terrific way to celebrate Thanksgiving. The idea of the Yahtzee party originated with the E.S. Lowe Company in the 1950s as a way to popularize their new dice game . It was an instant success. The formula was simple - people invited their friends over for dinner and Yahtzee , resu...

Dear Yahtzee Manifesto, I was playing Yahtzee last week with my son and the ended up as a tie – 234 to 234! There is nothing in the instruction book that covers this type of situation. What the proper way to determine the winner? Thank you for your time. Jim Jakowski Kanata, Ontario Dear Jim,  There is no “proper” way to determine the winner in the case of a draw. It all depends on the circumstances of the game in question and, most importantly, the “house rules” that the players have agreed upon prior to the start of play. Of course there is no answer to be found in the corporate instruction booklet – you need to look beyond the walls that are blocking your view of the truth. In most cases if the game ends in a draw, no winner is declared and you settle for the tie. Remember, Yahtzee is not only about conquering your opponents in an eruption of points. If that is your only conception of the game, then there is much more you have yet to discover. If, however, the sister-kissing gam...

My Dear Readers,  As many of you may know, the World Yahtzee Institute is well-known for its longstanding practice of granting each of its employees a 30 day sabbatical every calendar year. The WYI encourages that the time be used in retreat from the modern world, allowing a state of seclusion to stimulate your Yahtzee unconscious. In June, I began my 2012 sabbatical in the lowlands of Ecuador. Years ago I made a promise to a shaman that I would celebrate my birthday with him and his tribe, and this was the year. My hosts took every effort to make sure that my birthday was wonderful. It turns out my spirit animal is an armadillo. But a few days after the festivities I began to develop sores on my arms and legs. I didn’t think much of it at first, but they soon became excruciating. I was forced to leave the tribal village and my friends. Their healing waters were good, but I needed access to more modern forms of medicine. The diagnosis by a doctor in Quito – Hansen’s disease, better...