Yahztee in the Bathtub

Yahtzee in the Bathtub

 

Dear Yahtzee Manifesto,

I recently came across an Instagram post from Geraldine Kemper, a Dutch TV personality, who claimed she had spent the whole weekend playing Yahtzee in the bathtub. Have you ever heard of such a thing?

Jaap Lips - Leeuwarden, the Netherlands


Dear Jaap,

I personally think that sounds like a great way to spend the weekend and playing Yahtzee around the water is certainly not without precedent. The modern iteration of the game was developed on a yacht at sea so the addition of water to a game of Yahztee has a long history. Sanctioned tournaments have been held on a multitude of other watercraft over the years, including paddleboats, canoes, cruiseliners, and inflatable pool floats.

However, bathtime Yahtzee does pose some unique challenges, such as the need for a level playing surface upon which to roll the dice. It appears that Ms. Kemper has found an ideal solution by fitting a portable table right over the sides of the tub. Because the danger of rolling a die into the bath is quite high with this type of setup, players should set rules prior to the start of the game on how to deal with errant throws into the water hazard. Another area of concern is the scorecard situation when playing near water. Kemper’s own scoresheet is at risk of smudged ink or even disintegration as it sits perilously close to the water’s edge. Using a laminated Yahtzee scoresheet is a great solution to this problem.

And it should go without saying that adding machines or other electronic devices should not be used in this scenario due to the risk of electrocution. The last thing anyone wants is a repeat of the Great Yahtzee Disaster of 1987. A more common bane of long soaks in the tub is the ever-present danger of developing prune fingers. Combined with slick hands from water and suds, this could easily interfere with a player's rolling technique. If the other players are outside of the bathtub during gameplay then a handicap may be considered to address pruniness concerns of the waterlogged participant.

Rub-a-dub-dub,

The Yahtzee Manifesto

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