Yahtzee

Thirteen boxes to fill and a small ledger of regret to fill them with.

Five dice, a cup, and a scoresheet that has not needed redesigning since 1956. You roll three times a turn, keeping what you want and rerolling the rest, then commit the result to one of thirteen categories. That commitment is the game — every box you fill is a box you cannot use later, and the sheet slowly closes in around you.

The cruelty is in the top half. Score sixty-three or more across the number categories and you take a thirty-five point bonus, which means chasing three-of-a-kind on twos when you would much rather be building a large straight. The Yahtzee itself is worth fifty and comes up about once every twenty-two turns, so mostly you are managing disappointment efficiently. This is the hangsell edition — tube packaging, travels well, no board to lose.

Perfect for: Anyone who has ever said "one more go" while holding four fives.

2 or more players | 30 minutes | Age 8+