Draft:Yamb (game)

Yamb (also known as Jamb, Jima, and Džima) is a public domain dice game from the Balkans, similar to Yahtzee and similar games, but with more complex scoring and rules. It is played with five dice (or six, in certain variations), and features multiple scoring columns and dice combinations.

History

The exact origin of Yamb is unclear, but it developed as a regional variation of dice games like Yahtzee. The game gained popularity in the mid-20th century in the Balkans, particularly in social settings like cafes and family gatherings. Unlike Yahtzee, Yamb has been passed down through tradition, with scorecards often being homemade or locally printed.

Gameplay

Equipment

Yamb is played with five (or six) dice. Each player has a scorecard with several rows (categories representing different dice combinations) and columns (representing different scoring directives).

Objective

The goal of Yamb is to achieve the highest total score by filling in the scorecard with dice combinations. Players take turns rolling the dice and recording the best possible score for a given category.

Each player is allowed to roll the dice up to three times per turn to optimize their dice combination. After the first roll, the player may choose to keep any number of dice and reroll the remaining. After the third roll they must assign their score to one of the available categories on the scorecard, even if they score zero points.

Rows (scoring categories)

The scorecard is divided into two horizontal sections:

Upper section

• Ones to Sixes: Players score based on the sum of specific dice values (similar to Yahtzee-like games). Example: can be scored as 15 points in Fives or 6 points inThrees. There is a 30 points bonus if the player reaches 63 points in the upper section.

Lower section

• Max and Min: Any combination of dice values. These two categories score the sum of all dice. For each separate column, the Max/Min Sum is calculated by subtracting the Min score from the Max score and multiplying the result by the points in the Ones category. Example: If a player has 27 points in Max, 11 points in Min, and 4 points in Ones (all in the same column), the Max/Min Sum for that column will be (27 - 11) * 4 = 64 points.
• Two pairs: Two different pairs. Score: 10 points + sum of the two pairs.
• Straight (Kenta): Five sequential dice, i.e., or . Score: 66 points if scored after first roll, 56 points after second roll, and 46 after third roll.
• Full House (Full): A three-of-a-kind and a pair. Score: 30 points + sum of all dice.
• Poker: Four or more dice showing the same number. Score: 40 points + sum of the four equal dice.
• Yamb: Five dice showing the same number. Score: 50 points + sum of all dice.

The scores for these categories are based on the total value of the dice and can include additional bonuses depending on the column and the variant of the game.

Columns (scoring directives)

Yamb introduces a unique element with multiple columns dictating how scores can be entered. Each turn, a player can only score in one of the columns. Which columns are available depends on the rolls, with the exception of the Free column (see below). It also depends on previous rolls, since a category can only be scored once per column in each game.

Standard columns

• Ascending (or Down): Players fill in rows in numerical order, starting from Ones, continuing with Twos, and so on.
• Descending (or Up): Players fill in rows in reverse numerical order, starting from Yamb, continuing with Poker.
• Free (or Random): Any unused category can be filled at any time.
• Announce: Players declare a category after their first roll, but before their first reroll.

Optional columns

• Late Announce: Players declare a category after their first reroll, but before their last reroll.
• Hand: Can only be scored after the initial roll, i.e., no rerolls.

Some versions of the game include other columns such as Maximum, Middle and Jump, adding complexity by requiring players to follow additional scoring rules.

Scorecard

The Yamb scorecard is divided into rows for specific dice combinations and columns that dictate how and when scores must be filled in. Below is an example of a typical Yamb scorecard with the four standard columns:

Category	Ascending	Descending	Free	Announce
Ones
Twos
Threes
Fours
Fives
Sixes
UPPER SUM
BONUS
Max
Min
MAX/MIN SUM
Two pairs
Kenta (Straight)
Full House
Poker
Yamb
COLUMN SUM
FINAL SCORE

In the Ascending column, players must fill in their scores in numerical order, starting from Ones and ending with Yamb. In the Descending column, players fill in their scores in reverse order, starting with Yamb and working up to Ones. The Free column allows players to fill in any category in any order, and the Announce column requires players to declare the category they are aiming for before rerolling the dice.

Variations

Several variations exist across different regions:

• Number of dice: Some versions use six dice, while others use five.
• Solo play: Yamb can be played as a solitaire game, where the player tries to achieve the highest possible score.
• Extended bonuses: Some versions have other bonuses, for instance 30 bonus points if the player reaches a sum of 60 points in the upper section, 40 bonus points if the player reaches 70, 50 bonus points if the player reaches 80, and so on.
• Special columns: Some versions introduce additional columns, such as Maximum and Jump, requiring players to follow even more complex scoring rules.

Releases

• Dexy Co has released a five-column version of the game under the name Jamb, with rules in Slovenian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Serbian.
• N. W. Damm & Søn / Litor / Egmont (Norway) released the game in 1999.

Digital versions

Yamb has been adapted for several digital platforms. Various versions of Yamb exist, offering solo or multiplayer modes, as well as versions with more columns and scoring strategies than the traditional game.

Online versions with detailed rules

• Bezumie provides an online version of Yamb (English and Bulgarian) that allows users to play with four, six, or eight columns.
• Play Online Dice Games provides an online version of Yamb (English) that allows users to play with four, six, eight, or ten columns.

Other online versions

• GameGix provides a simplified online solitaire version of Yamb that allows users to play with only the four standard columns.
• Yamb.rs provides an online version of Yamb (English) that allows users to play with five or six dice and four, five, seven, or ten columns. Rules in Bosnian.
• eUgovor provides an online version of Yamb (English) that allows users to play with the four standard columns.
• igre.games provides an online version of Yamb (English) that allows users to play with the four standard columns.
• yamb.fun contains an online version in English/Serbian that allows users to play with six columns and five or six dice.

Mobile apps

• 26 Games offers three versions for Android, in English and Croatian: Yamb, Yamb Multiplayer, and Yamb PRO.
• APKPure has several mobile apps available for Android devices that offer a digital version of the game, with features like offline play and customizable rule sets.
• BitPerBit offers Yamb Forever (available for Android).

Older digital releases

• Moby Games released Professional Yamb in 1992.
• Dusan Vuckovic released a Windows application, winYAMB, in 2005.

External links

• Jamb at BoardGameGeek - Description, forums, stats, ratings
• "Yamb Game Rules and Strategies". netexl.com. 11 October 2017. - Summary of rules (including six optional columns)
• "Yamb – A dice game containing elements of strategy". yamb.brankabas.com. - Tutorials, downloads, tips & tricks, online play

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Categories:

• Sequence dice games