Yahtzee vs Yatzy
Yahtzee and Yatzy descend from the same dice game — but the American Yahtzee (1956) and the Scandinavian Yatzy diverged enough that the scorecards aren't interchangeable. Here's exactly how they differ.
Open the Yahtzee scorecard
Open the Yatzy scorecard
Side by side
| Axis | Yahtzee | Yatzy |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | USA, 1956 (Milton Bradley) | Scandinavia, 1950s (Yatzy AB) |
| Categories | 13 (6 upper + 7 lower) | 15 (6 upper + 9 lower) |
| Upper-section bonus | +35 if upper ≥ 63 | +50 if upper ≥ 63 (some house rules) |
| Has 'One Pair' / 'Two Pairs'? | No | Yes — One Pair, Two Pairs are standard |
| Has 'Chance'? | Yes — sum of all five dice, no requirement | Yes — same rule |
| Yahtzee/Yatzy value | 50 points | 50 points |
| Multiple Yahtzees / Yatzys | Joker rule + 100-point bonus per extra | No joker rule — just 50 each in Yatzy column |
Which should you play?
Pick Yahtzee if you grew up with the American game or your group is more familiar with it. The joker rule keeps multi-Yahtzee hands exciting late in the game.
Pick Yatzy if you want more category variety (One Pair / Two Pairs add small early-game scoring moments) and a less swingy game. The lack of joker rule means a hot dice run can't dominate.
Common questions
Are Yahtzee and Yatzy scorecards interchangeable?+
No. Yatzy has 15 categories vs Yahtzee's 13. The two extra categories (One Pair, Two Pairs) and slightly different bonus thresholds mean you can't just use one scorecard for the other game. Our calculator has both as separate scorecards.
Which came first?+
The Scandinavian Yatzy dates from the early 1950s, slightly before Milton Bradley's Yahtzee (1956). Yahtzee borrowed heavily from a Latin American dice game called 'Generala' too — there's a genealogy of dice games here, not a single origin.
Can I play either with regular six-sided dice?+
Yes — both only require 5 standard d6s. You don't need the branded equipment to play either game.