Showdown Yahtzee, which appeared in 1991, is a board game which makes use of the concepts and scoring categories in Yahtzee. Its gameplay is divided into two parts: Placement Mode and Showdown Mode. Six dice are used in the game, five to form the combinations (the combination dice) and a differently-colored one to move a player's piece around the board (the movement die).
In Placement Mode, players take turns moving their pieces around a sixteen-space game board clockwise. The object of this mode is to place twelve cards, one for the lower twelve of the thirteen combinations in standard Yahtzee. The Yahtzee combination is not among them, but such a combination has a special purpose to be explained later.
When a player lands on a blank space, that player would roll the combination dice to establish a certain combination for that space. Once such a combination is established, a card corresponding to that combination is placed on the space and an appropriate number of chips is stacked on the card. Each chip is worth ten points. The chips also signify a player's control on that combination.
When a player lands on a covered space with an established combination, the player's reaction depends on whose chips are on that space. If the chips are the player's own, one can reroll the movement die and go further or try to increase the chips on that space by beating the previous roll. If the chips are of an opponent's, one can "steal" the card by equalling or bettering the number of chips already on that card. If successful, the chips are returned to the previous owner and the current player places his/her own chips on the card. A player's turn ends when the player succeeds or fails in increasing his score on his own card or in stealing another player's card.
When a player's piece lands on a corner space called a Wild Space, that player can choose to place a desired unestablished card on any empty space or steal any established card from an opponent. If successful, the player can move to the nearest empty space and place the won card there or move to the space to be stolen depending on the objective. The Wild Space's power also applies when a player rolls a Yahtzee; this will not affect the current space where the player's piece is placed unless the player decides to use that space.
When all twelve combination cards are in place at the board, the game shifts to Showdown Mode where players can now steal cards from each other. Rules for moving the pieces, increasing a score in one's own card, and stealing an opponent's card apply in this mode. A player's turn continues until he/she fails to steal a card.
The game ends when all players have taken one turn in Showdown Mode. The player with the most chips on the board is declared the winner.
Read more about this topic: Games Related To Yahtzee