When it comes to Yahtzee, you don't necessarily need to delve into a poetic diatribe in order to sing its praises. It doesn't need a sonnet to move you or propaganda to convince you. Sometimes you just need to give people a nudge to show them that Yahtzee is not merely the bottom of the barrel, rainy day snooze fest that people often take it for.
Yahtzee’s beauty is its purity, its simplicity. Scratch the surface and you'll find it is a game that has great appeal to many people. It's an appeal that transcends age, culture, race, gender, sexuality, religious/political/socioeconomic divisions and species... alright, maybe the last one is going a bit too far. I once tried to play Yahtzee with the dog and he just stared at me blankly, then pointed to Monopoly. But what do dogs know?
Yahtzee, at its most basic, needs only five dice, a means of scoring and a knowledge of the rules. This means you can play it just about anywhere. Is your wife getting on your nerves and making a big song and dance about giving birth? No worries, grab your dice and play with the midwife that's probably sick of her whining too. Stuck in traffic on the M62? Not an issue. Strike up a match with a disgruntled white van man. That's if he doesn't punch you in the face before you can ask. You can play at the dizzy heights of Mount Everest (providing you still have all your digits) or in the sweaty depths of the Amazon jungle. It's just that versatile.
You don't even need an opponent. Some people (me) love solitaire Yahtzee, some people (everyone else I play with) don't. But it is, at the very least, an option. On the flip side, you can play with as many opponents as you want. Although, it must be said, the more opponents, the greater the investment of time.
Let's now turn our attention to the gameplay. Yahtzee benefits from being one of those games that are easy to learn, but it does require a certain level of mastery to reach a consistent level of competence. A level I am still trying to attain. That's right. I'm no expert.
But isn't it just a game of chance? Yes, it is a game of chance. Of course it is. It's five dice being rolled. But that in no way implies that victory is merely in the lap of the gods. Its strategy lies in knowing how to build your rolls, where to score and when, and knowing when a roll is worth scoring or dumping (scoring a zero). There is much more to it than I have mentioned, much more than I can delve in to here, (but surely will later) such as probabilities etc. But it suffices to say that Yahtzee (for those willing to learn) is much more than just rolling dice and scoring what you get. Of course, strategy in Yahtzee can only secure you a good average. Lady luck can often rear her ugly head and bite even the most seasoned player in the arse, slapping them with a crushing defeat. This could be seen as a negative to some people, but to me it adds to the game's longevity as beginners in the game should never feel out of their depth while playing amongst those with more experience.
So, in conclusion, if someone was to ask me, "why Yahtzee?", I would clear my throat, straighten my tie, look them straight in the eye and say, "why not?".
... or something like that...
Much love,
Chris
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