The Goal
Dominoes rewards strategy and observation. You want to empty your hand of tiles before your opponents. You match numbers on the playing field to numbers in your hand. The first person to play all their tiles wins the round.
The Gear
You play with a set of dominoes. We also call these bones or tiles. A standard set is Double Six. This set contains 28 rectangular pieces. Each tile has a line dividing its face into two square ends. Each end contains a number of spots called pips. These range from zero to six.
The Setup
Turn all tiles face down on the table. Shuffle them thoroughly with your hands. We call this pile the boneyard.
Every player draws seven tiles. Keep your tiles hidden from other players. Stand them on their edge or hold them in your hand. Leave the remaining tiles in the boneyard. You draw from there later.
The First Move
The player with the highest double starts the game. A double is a tile with the same number of pips on both ends. For example double six has six dots on both sides. Place this tile in the center of the table.
If nobody holds a double reshuffle the tiles and draw again.
Gameplay
Play moves clockwise to the left. You must place one tile from your hand onto the table. You connect your tile to an open end of the domino chain. The numbers must match. If the open end is a four you must play a tile with a four.
Place single tiles end to end. Place doubles crosswise. This means they sit perpendicular to the line of play.
Some games use a spinner. The first double played becomes the spinner. You can play tiles off all four sides of this piece. This creates more open ends.
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When You Cannot Play
Sometimes you lack a matching tile. You must draw from the boneyard. Take one tile at a time. If you draw a playable tile you place it immediately. If you do not find a match you keep drawing.
Once the boneyard is empty you cannot draw. If you still have no match you simply pass your turn. The next player goes.
Ending the Round
The round ends in two ways.
First is “Going Out.” You play your last tile. You shout “Domino!” The round stops instantly. You win.
Second is a blocked game. Sometimes no player can make a move. The boneyard is empty and nobody has a matching tile. The game locks up.
Scoring
The winner earns points based on the tiles left in opponent hands.
If you go out you count the total pips on the tiles held by your opponents. This total becomes your score.
If the game is blocked everyone counts their own pips. The player with the lowest total wins. The winner subtracts their own total from the sum of all opponent totals. They score the difference.
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Winning the Game
Play multiple rounds. The first player to reach a target score wins the entire game. A common target is 100 or 150 points.
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Strategy Tips
Play heavy tiles early. Heavy tiles have high numbers of pips. If you get stuck with them you give fewer points to your opponent.
Watch the board. If an opponent passes on a six you know they lack sixes. Use this info to block them later.
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