YAHTZEE strategy

Quote: Gialmere

What if, instead of a 2-3-4-6-6, you roll a 1-1-3-4-5 to begin your first turn.

I'm just wondering if there is any first turn, first roll scenario where going for the (non pat) straight becomes optimal.

I'm going for the 3-4-5 every time, in this situation.

Quote: DogHand

Wizard,

Use the multiplayer option here:

https://cardgames.io/yahtzee/

Dog Hand

Thanks! Who is up for a game? I'll keep an eye on this thread for a spontaneous challenge.

Quote: rsactuary

I'm going for the 3-4-5 every time, in this situation.

How about a 1-1-4-5-6?

Quote: Gialmere

Concerning straights, a few scenarios...

What would you do if...

1) It's your first turn and you roll a 2-2-4-5-6?

2) It's your first turn and you roll a 2-3-4-6-6?

3) You scored a full house on your first turn and the first roll of your second turn is 2-2-3-4-4?

Chuckle
I was playing quite a bit on my switch due to this thread
But
I just finished the Queens Gambit, great netflix series.
I've been playing a lot of chess on my switch now
I'm a pawn to King 4 opening person my whole life
Been playing a lot on my switch using Queens gambit opening and really loving my position.
The series is fascinating as it uses real historical games picked by Gary Kasporov. I've watched analysis of those games on youtube.

Quote: terapined

I just finished the Queens Gambit,...

I think I'll split off your Queen's Gambit post to it's own thread, as I thought the show was outstanding too. However, feel free to make your own original post, if you wish.

Back to Yahtzee, what would be the optimal strategy and mean score if the only thing left on the card was Chance?

I'm in a mood for Yahtzee!

Who wants to play right now?

I'm Wiz.

Quote: rsactuary

According to the optimizer:

1) Keep 2 2 _ _ _ 250.56±59

Keep _ _ _ 5 _ 249.94±58

Keep _ _ 4 5 _ 249.89±58

Keep _ _ 4 _ _ 249.88±58

Keep 2 _ 4 5 _ 249.87±57

2) Keep _ _ _ 6 6 253.94±59

Keep _ _ 4 6 6 251.74±58 <--- interesting...

Keep _ 3 _ 6 6 251.71±58

Keep 2 _ _ 6 6 251.64±58

Keep 2 3 4 _ _ 250.42±58

3) Keep _ _ _ 4 4 251.54±56 (assumes full house is not available)

Keep 2 _ 3 4 _ 249.99±55

Keep _ _ 3 4 4 249.86±55

Keep 2 2 _ _ _ 249.67±56

When the margins are 1 to 2 tenths of a point and the standard deviations change from ±55 to ±59, it s a bit hard to feel conviction about the results. Maybe the results are just not being presented in a very good way.

Quote: gordonm888

When the margins are 1 to 2 tenths of a point and the standard deviations change from ±55 to ±59, it s a bit hard to feel conviction about the results. Maybe the results are just not being presented in a very good way.

I think what it really means is that in the first few rolls, the order you do things doesn't really matter. But.... if you're the type to pay attention to micro VP edges.....

I play a lot of yahtzee! Haven't visited in a while.

There are a few different strategies, depending on what you want to accomplish. You can play to get the highest score, you can play to optimize the highest score for the game that you're playing, you can play to beat the other player, or you can play to avoid losing.

Playing for the highest score? Every roll try to get a yahtzee. You'll wind up with a lot of games in the 100s, and every now and then you'll hit five hundred or more.

Play to optimize your score? That's the strategy most mentioned in this topic.

Play to beat the other player? If it's the last few rolls and you need two Yotz, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Play to avoid losing? This is a variation of the optimum strategy, I can best describe it as thinking "Where am I going to put this roll if I miss it?" In this strategy, 3oak, ss, 1s and 2s, and Chance are all safety spots, places to put rolls that missed. If you roll 3 1s, and already have them filled, you can shoot for Yotz, knowing it might only be 10 in the 3oak. But it's not 0 in the Yotz. If you missed your 4s, you can zero your 1s. You still need four 4s, but that's down the road.

I play at Board Game Arena, https://en.boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=yatzy

It is free. You can play with specific opponents, or random, anywhere from 2 to 5 players. There are players from all over the world. There is a nice chat feature for use during the games. It helps to learn how to say "Good Luck!" and "Good Game!" in French, Spanish, German, and Italian. Also chess, checkers, backgammon, hearts, spades, etc.

Wiz, I'll play you, but I can't right now I'm at work.

I've been playing quite a bit of Yahtzee online. I still haven't seen any WoV members in the player pool.

New high score today!