The short answer: chase the Upper Bonus when you have at least three of one number early in the game, especially if you still have open categories in the lower section that reward high sums. The bonus is 35 points for reaching 63 or more in the upper section (Ones through Sixes). Since each upper category scores the sum of that face, you need a total of 63 points across six categories. That works out to an average of a few points per category. Because each die face averages a few per roll, scoring 63 is roughly equivalent to rolling three of every number. In practice, you can afford to miss one or two categories completely if you overachieve on others. The decision to chase the bonus depends on how many dice you have locked, which round you are in, and what lower-section categories remain.

How the Upper Bonus Works

The upper section of the scorecard has six categories: Ones, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, and Sixes. You score the total of the dice you put into that category. For example, if you put a 3-3-3-4-5 into Threes, you score 9 points. The game launched in 1956 by Edwin S. Lowe, and the upper bonus has been a key strategic lever ever since. If the sum of all six upper categories is 63 or more, you earn a 35-point bonus. That bonus is often the difference between a good score and a great one. The categories can only be used once per game, so you must decide which numbers to fill and which to skip.

When to Start Chasing the Bonus

The best time to commit to the upper bonus is in the first half of the game, when you still have many categories open. Here are the conditions that favor chasing it:

  • You have three or more of a single number early. If your first roll shows three Fours, lock them and aim for more Fours. That category alone can deliver a dozen points or more.
  • You have open lower categories that reward total sum. Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind, and Chance all score the sum of all dice. If you hold three or four of a kind for the upper bonus, you often also get a high total for those lower categories, making the same dice work double duty.
  • You are in round 1 to 8. Later in the game, you may have already filled several upper categories, making it harder to reach 63. If you have only two or three categories left, you need to average a high number of points per category, which is very difficult.

When to Give Up on the Upper Bonus

Not every game calls for chasing the bonus. Sometimes the dice simply do not cooperate. Here is when to abandon the upper section and focus on lower-section categories instead:

  • You have already used three or four upper categories and scored low. If your Ones category has 3 points and your Twos category has 4 points, you need a large number of points from the remaining four categories. That is an average of many per category, which requires rolling four of a kind or better in each. That is unlikely.
  • You are in the last three rounds and still need multiple high categories. With only three rolls left per turn, you cannot reliably chase three different numbers. You are better off aiming for a Large Straight (40 points), a Yahtzee (50 points), or a strong Chance score.
  • You have a chance at a Yahtzee bonus. If you already scored one Yahtzee (50 points), each additional Yahtzee earns a 100-point bonus. That 100 points far exceeds the 35-point upper bonus. If you see a good opportunity to go for five of a kind, take it, even if it means ignoring the upper section.

Practical Dice Management

Rolling with a Plan

On each turn you may roll up to three times, keeping any dice between rolls. Use your first roll to assess the board. If you see three or more of the same number, lock them and aim for the upper category. If you see a straight (1-2-3-4 or 2-3-4-5), consider keeping those for a Small Straight (30 points) or Large Straight (40 points). The key is flexibility: do not force a number just because you want the bonus. If after two rolls you have only two of a number and no other promising pattern, it is often better to abandon that plan and use the third roll for a different category.

Using the Lower Section to Support the Upper

Three of a Kind and Four of a Kind score the sum of all dice. If you hold three Fives and roll two more Fives, you can put that result into Fives (scoring 25) and also into Three of a Kind (scoring 25). That is 50 points from one turn. Similarly, Chance is a catch-all for any leftover dice. If you chase the upper bonus and end up with a high total, you can often place that same turn into Chance. This overlap makes the upper bonus more attainable because you are not wasting turns.

Comparing Yahtzee with Other Versions

If you play other versions of the game, the strategy changes slightly. Yatzy, the Scandinavian version, has 15 categories instead of 13. Its upper bonus is 50 points for reaching 63 or more, and the straights are fixed: small straight (1-2-3-4-5) scores 15, large straight (2-3-4-5-6) scores 20. That means the upper bonus is more valuable in Yatzy, and you might chase it more aggressively. Triple Yahtzee is played with three score columns, worth one, two, and three times their scores. In that version, the upper bonus is multiplied, so committing to the upper section can yield huge rewards. For standard Yahtzee, the 35-point bonus is the same whether you score 63 or 100, so there is no extra benefit to overshooting by a lot. Focus on hitting 63 exactly or slightly above, then use remaining turns for high lower-section scores.

Final Advice for the Upper Bonus

To summarize: chase the upper bonus when you have a strong start with three or more of a number, when you still have many categories open, and when you can double-dip into lower categories. Give up on it when you have already scored low in several upper categories or when you are in the final rounds. The bonus is worth 35 points, but a missed straight or a lost Yahtzee opportunity can cost you more. If you want to practice these decisions, you can play Yahtzee online at yahtzee.now, which offers hints and statistics to help you see which choices pay off. The site also includes Triple Yahtzee, Yatzy, and other variants, so you can compare strategies across different rule sets. Remember: the upper bonus is a tool, not a rule. Use it when the dice allow, and ignore it when they do not.