Yacht

This game is a computerized version of the popular dice game called Yacht and is designed for up to six people playing against each other. Yacht is an engrossing game combining luck and judgement as each player aims to make the highest score.

The rules are quite simple. Each player throws five dice at a time (or rather, in this version, the computer throws the dice and displays them on the screen). If you don't like what comes up, you are allowed to have two more goes at throwing the dice and can choose how many of the dice to throw each time in an attempt to build up the best 'hand' you can. After the three goes you must enter the throw on the score card and the turn passes to the next player.

The options on the score card are:

"Ones" : Total value of ones only
"Twos" : Total value of twos only
...
"Sixes" : Total value of sixes only
"4 of a kind" : Total of the four dice
"Full house" : Total of all five dice
"Short run" : 15 points
"Long run" : 30 points
"Choice" : Total of all five dice
"Yacht" : 50 points

A short run is a run of four dice, say 2, 3, 4, 5, and a long run is a run of all five dice, either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. A full house consists of three numbers of one kind plus a pair of any other number. Choice is a mixture of any dice, and Yacht is five of a kind.

Players must select a different category on each turn. To select a category, move the arrow up or down and press the space bar when the arrow points to your choice. If, at the end of the three throws, the dice cannot be fitted into any of the vacant categories, you have to choose which category to 'waste'. It is obviously best to waste one of the low scoring categories such as the ones or twos. However, towards the end of a round, you may be forced to waste some of the higher-scoring categories. In fact, it is good strategy to aim for the higher-scoring categories first, as these are more difficult to get.

Originally published in Input #51, page 1589

Game Controls

Keys (dice throwing):
Y - Keep, N - Re-throw

Keys (score card):
* - Move Up, / - Move Down, SPACE - Select Category