Put on your best poker face, and get ready to roll. This game combines roll-and- score Yahtzee action with the strategy of Texas Hold'em poker. To keep the game simple, fast and fun, some of the Hold'em complexities have been modified.
However, if you're a poker purist, feel free to make up your own "house rules" to include as much Texas Hold'em flavor as you want!
Components
- 20 dice in four "suits" (red, black, white and yellow)
- draw bag
- 6 dice cups
- 90 poker chips (10s, 50s and 100s)
- Instructions
Object of the Game
In each hand, win poker chips by having the best five-dice combination. (To win the game, be the last player remaining).
Game Play
A game is made up of several hands. To begin a hand, all players get two "pocket" dice that they keep hidden under their dice cups.
The Dealer then rolls the Flop, Turn and River community dice (a total of five dice). As the dice are rolled, players try for the best possible five-dice hand,
placing chips in the pot or folding their hands in four betting rounds. In the Showdown, players who didn't fold compare their hands. The player with the highest- ranking hand wins the pot. Then a new hand is played, and the game continues until only one player (the winner) remains.
Starting a Game
To begin a game, choose a Dealer for the first hand. The Dealer is the player who has the added duties of "dealing" the pocket dice and the community dice. For each hand, the role of the Dealer passes to the left.
The first Dealer divides all chips evenly among the players, placing any extra chips out of the game. The Dealer then puts all 20 dice inside the dice bag, gives the bag a shake, and gets ready to roll!
To play each hand, follow Steps 1 through 5.These steps are explained in detail below.
1. The Open
Ante up! Each player places one 10-point chip into the "pot" (the center of the table).
Dealing the pocket dice. Starting with the player to his/her left, the Dealer blindly removes two dice from the bag, places them in a cup, and gives the cup to the player. The Dealer takes his/her two pocket dice last, and places them in a cup.
All players shake the dice in their cups, then set their cups upside-down on the table with their pocket dice inside. During the hand, you can lift your cup at any time to peek at your dice. Just don't let the other players see them! Only you can use your pocket dice.
The betting begins. Now each player, starting to the left of the Dealer, may check, bet, or fold. Once a bet is posted, each player in turn may call, call and raise, or fold. (See Betting Options, on the next page).
Betting limit: In the Open and Flop betting rounds, the opening
bet can be no higher than 10, and each raise can be no higher than 10. No more than three raises are allowed.
Ending the round: The betting continues until all players in the hand have placed an equal amount in the pot, and no one raises the current bet.
2. The Flop
The Dealer gives the bag a shake, then blindly removes three dice and rolls them on the table. These are the first three of five community dice that the Dealer will roll.
All players look at the Flop dice to see how they measure up with their pocket dice. Each player now has five available dice: their two pocket dice, and three community dice.
Only two more community dice will be rolled (one Turn die, and one River die); so players must decide whether to fold their hands or stay in the betting, depending on what combinations they may be able to make.
The betting begins. Now the betting takes place as it did in the Open, with this exception: if all players check, the Dealer rerolls the Flop dice.
Betting Options
In every round of betting, you must decide how much (if anything) you want to wager on the dice.
Keep in mind that the dice are in four "suits"(colors), so you can get a "flush" hand with 5 dice of the same color. Betting is always done in clockwise order, beginning with the player to the left of the Dealer.
-
Check: If no bets have been posted yet, you may check. This means that you're still in the hand, but not ready to fold or commit to a bet.
-
Bet: In any round, the first player to put chips into the pot makes a bet. After a bet is posted, players can no longer check; each player must now call the bet, call and the bet, or fold.
-
Call: When you call, you're matching the current bet. For example, to call a 10 bet, you place a 10-point chip in the pot. Note: Players who previously opened or called a bet put in only the amount that the bet was raised. See the Game Examples on pages 6-8.
-
Call and Raise: When you call and raise, you're matching the current bet, then adding more to it. For example, if the current bet is at 10, you may call it by putting in 10, then raise it by putting in additional 10 in the pot.
The bet is now at 20, and any players who call must put in 20. (Players who previously bet 10 put in only 10, to match the raise).
-
Fold: When you fold, you're out of the hand. Folding saves you from wasting chips if you have little chance of winning the hand. When you fold, place a chip on top of your upside- down cup, to remind everyone that you're out.
-
All-in: If you don't have enough chips to call, you may go all-in by placing all of your chips in the pot. Any additional chips put in by the other players are placed in a "side pot", separate from the main pot.
If you win the hand, you get only the chips in the main pot; the second- place winner takes the side pot. If you don't win the hand, the winner gets both pots, and you're out of the game!
3. the Turn
Leaving the three Flop dice on the table, the Dealer now gives the bag a shake, then blindly removes one die and rolls it on the table. This is the 4th of five community dice that the Dealer will roll.
Now each player has six available dice: his/her two pocket dice, and four community dice. As in the Flop, players assess how their hands are shaping up, and decide if they should stay in, and how much they're willing to bet.
Betting limit (the stakes get higher): Starting with the Turn (otherwise known as Fourth Street), the betting limit doubles: players may bet up to 20, and may raise up to 20. The raise limit remains at no more than three.
The betting begins. Betting now takes place as in the previous rounds. (The Turn die cannot be rerolled). When the betting ends, the Turn is over.
4. the River
The River (also called Fifth Street) is the final round. The Dealer gives the bag a shake, removes one last die, then rolls it onto the table with the other four community dice.
With all dice now on the table, players remaining in the hand determine the best five-dice hand they can make.
Note: If the five community dice make up your best hand, you may use those dice only and ignore your pocket dice. The final betting round begins.
Players now bet as in previous rounds. (The River die is not rerolled). The betting limit (up to 20 for call and raise) is the same as in the Turn.
5. The Showdown
All players who haven't folded now reveal their pocket dice and declare their best hand. The player with the highest ranking hand takes all of the chips in the pot!
Winning Hands Reference Chart
The winning hands are shown from the highest rank to the lowest.
Yahtzee Flush
Five dice of the same number and suit.
Straight Flush
Sequence of five dice in the same suit.
Yahtzee
Five dice of the same number in different suits.
Flush
Five dice of the same suit.
Four of a Kind
Four dice of the same number.
Straight
Sequence of five dice in different suits (1 through 5 or 2 through 6).
Full House
Three dice of the same number and two dice of a different number.
Three of a Kind
Three dice of the same number.
Two Pair
Two dice of the same number and two dice of another number.
Breaking a tie
If two or more players tie for the same winning hand, the player with the highest die or dice in that hand wins. For example, if two players have a full house, the player with 4s over 3s (three 4s and two 3s) beats the player with 2s over 6s.
If the players are still tied, the player with the most dice of the same color wins. If the players still tie, they split the pot.
Running out of chips
This rule is simple: if you're out of chips at the end of a hand, you're out of the game!
Special Yahtzee Flush rule
This incredibly rare hand takes Yahtzee to a whole new dimension! Not only must your five dice be of the same number- they must all be in the same suit.
Any player lucky enough to score a Yahtzee Flush is automatically the hands-down, show-stopping, take-all game-winner! The game ends immediately, and the winner takes the pot!
Starting a new hand
After the Showdown, the hand is over. Players keep their chips in front of them. The new Dealer (the player to the left of the previous Dealer) starts the new hand by placing all 20 dice back in the bag and collecting the dice cups. Players then follow Steps 1 through 5.
End of the Game
Keep playing hands until only one player remains in the game. That player is the winner!
Game Examples
The Open
In this 3-player game, Players A, B and C have these pocket dice:
In the Open, the players form the pot by placing their initial bets. Player A has weak pocket dice, but the community dice may improve her hand. Players B and C are off to a better start.
Player A checks. Player B opens the betting with 10. Player C calls the 10 and raises 10, placing 20 in the pot. Player A calls the 20, putting in 20. Player B calls, putting in only 10, because she already put in 10 on her previous bet. The round is over.
The Flop
After the Flop is rolled, here's what the three players have:
Player A has two pairs (4s over 2s) and a chance for a full house or a straight; she opens with 10. Player B has only a pair of 4s; he reluctantly calls the 10.
Player C has 2 pairs (4s over Is) and a chance for a full house, a straight, or even a straight flush. He boldly calls the 10 and raises 10, putting in 20. Player A calls the 20, putting in 10 because she already put in 10.
Player B decides to fold, since one pair is not a winning hand, and with only 2 dice to go, a straight is a fairly long shot. The round is over.
The Turn
After the Turn die is rolled, here's what the two remaining players have:
Player A has 2 pairs, and still has a shot at a full house or a straight; she bets 20. Player C now has a full house (three Is over two 4s). He calls the 20 and raises 10. Player A calls the raise, putting in 10. The round is over.
The River
After the River die is rolled, here's what the two remaining players have:
The River was a lucky roll for Player A; she now has a 1-through- 5 straight! She only bets 10, hoping that Player C will "sweeten the pot" by betting more. Player C, with a full house, calls her bet. The round is over.
The Showdown
All five community dice have been rolled, and the players have made their final bets. Now they reveal their pocket dice and declare their best hands. Which one ranks higher for the win?
Player As straight beats Player C's full house. Player A, the winner, takes all of the chips in the pot. The hand is over.
Continue Reading
