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- 3-3-3-5-6: what to keep
Yahtzee 3-3-3-5-6: What Should You Keep?
You rolled 3-3-3-5-6 and have one roll left. With both straights still open, keeping 3-5-6 scores more on average this turn. With the straights already filled, keep the three 3s. Here are the numbers.
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Contents
Option 1: keep the three 3sOption 2: keep 3-5-6 and go for a straightSide by sideLet your scorecard decideOption 1: keep the three 3s
Rolling two dice gives 36 equally likely results. Out of those 36:
- 1 in 36 (2.8%): two more 3s, a Yahtzee worth 50.
- 10 in 36 (27.8%): exactly one more 3, four of a kind worth 12 plus the other die.
- 5 in 36 (13.9%): a pair of another number, a full house worth 25.
- 20 in 36 (55.6%): no improvement. You still have three of a kind (9 plus the two dice) or 9 in Threes.
Scoring the best open box each time, that averages roughly 18 points this turn.
Option 2: keep 3-5-6 and go for a straight
- 2 in 36 (5.6%): a 2 and a 4, a large straight worth 40.
- 9 in 36 (25%): a 4 without a 2, a small straight (3-4-5-6) worth 30.
- 25 in 36 (69.4%): no 4. You fall back to Chance, usually around 20.
That averages roughly 24 points this turn, if both straights and Chance are open.
Side by side
| Keep | Best result | Chance of improving | Average this turn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-3-3 | Yahtzee, 50 | 44% | about 18 |
| 3-5-6 | Large straight, 40 | 31% | about 24 |
Let your scorecard decide
| Your scorecard | Keep |
|---|---|
| Both straights open, early game | 3-5-6 |
| Straights already filled | 3-3-3 |
| You need the 3s for the upper bonus | 3-3-3 |
| Yahtzee box open and you're behind | 3-3-3 |
| Late game, only a straight and Chance left | 3-5-6 |
More decisions like this are in our Yahtzee strategy guide.