Guest Author - Megan Romer

For some reason, I had always thought of Yahtzee as a game of mostly luck and a little skill. Then I read Advantage Yahtzee, by Olaf Vancura, Ph.D. The book is cheap (only 6.95) and a relatively quick read, but I guarantee that your Yahtzee scores will improve dramatically after reading it just one time.

I've read several strategy books (mostly about card games), most of which are written in a manner that is over most people's heads and are intended only for high-level players of the game. This book, however, was written in such a manner that even someone who has virtually no math skills and has only played Yahtzee once will be able to read it easily and benefit greatly.

The author, Olaf Vancura, has a Ph.D. in physics from Johns Hopkins University and has used his skills in mathematical probability computation to make a career out of studying gambling probability. Apparently math CAN be fun!

The book begins with some history of Yahtzee and an explanation of the rules. It then moves into strategies. The tips cover the whole game and give thorough reasoning behind all of the strategy. Some of the tips Vancura gives seem a little bit bizarre, and against rational thinking, but when he explains the reasons for them, they make perfect sense. For example, if your very first roll of the game is 1-2-3-5-6, which dice should you hold? I would've thought that you'd hold the 1-2-3 in the hopes of getting a four for a small straight. However, I'd be wrong. Vancura says you have the best odds if you hold only the 5. Why not the 6? Because 5 has better straight potential.

Between the strategy tips, the book is filled with fun facts. Did you know that the highest possible score in Yahtzee is 1,575? That would mean you'd have to roll 13 straight Yahtzees. Or did you know that on every first roll, there are 252 possible outcomes? You'll learn this and so much more if you read this book. Pick it up, it's well worth the cheap cover price and will improve your game vastly.