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How To Play Dominoes
DOMINO RULES
ABOUT YOUR DOUBLE 6 DOMINO SET
The set consists of 28 dominoes. There are 7 doubles               (same number on both ends from double blank to               double six) and 21 singles (different numbers on both               ends or a number and a blank).
FUNDAMENTALS OF DOMINOES
There are countless different domino games and within               each game, there are many variations of play available.               The purpose of this set of rules is to get you started with               a few simple and popular games. Later, we'll give you               reference information for finding many other games you               would enjoy.
One of the wonderful things about dominoes is that               anyone can learn the basics very quickly, but as you play               and progress, you will find many additional levels of the               game and as your experience and skills develop, you will               become a more and more formidable player. Get started               with these simple games and you will find yourself               getting smarter every time you play. Dominoes is a good               game for your brain.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Two to Four people can play the games we'll show you               here. If Four are playing, each person can play individually               or you can group into two teams.
MATCHING
The basis of most domino games is to lay down a domino               next to another domino so that the numbers               (or blanks) on adjacent dominoes match each other.
The first domino played is call the "set". It could be               anything, but here is an example
Singles dominoes are placed on the table making a line               of play.
Double dominoes are played across the line of play
TURNING FOR CONVENIENCE
Although you normally play in a line, if you run out of               table space, you can play a domino at a 90 degree angle               to give yourself more room.
And then further play continues in a linear fashion from               either end.
WHO DRAWS FIRST? WHO PLAYS FIRST
There are variations, but here is a starting point:Turn the               dominoes upside down on the table and mix them               around. Then have each player draw one domino. The               player who draws the highest domino (based on total               number of dots) will draw first and also make the first               play of the game.
Now return those dominoes to the table and mix them               again. Now draw the dominoes for the playing of the               hand. The person who won the right to play first draws               first. Each player may draw all the dominoes for the               hand or you can go around the table with each player               drawing one domino until all have the dominoes needed               to start play.
Each player places the dominoes on their side with the               back facing the other players so they cannot see which               dominoes their opponents are holding.
THE PLAY
Each player in turn lays down a single domino according               to the rules of the game being played. Play               proceeds clockwise around the table. If a               player has a playable domino, he must play it when               his turn comes. You cannot hold back a playable               domino for strategic reasons.
GAME #1: BLOCK
This is the simplest domino game.
Numbers of players: 2 to 4
The Objective: Get rid of all the dominoes in your hand
The Set-Up: After the shuffle, with two players, each               player draws seven dominoes.With three or four players,               each player draws 5 dominoes. The remaining dominoes               stay face down on the table and are available to be drawn               by each player during play. (These remaining dominoes               are called the boneyard)
The object is simply to get rid of all the dominoes you               hold. Whoever does this first wins the hand.At the same               time, each player tries to block the other player so he               cannot make a play.
The Play: Players take turns going first in each game.               When a player is first, he may place any of his dominoes               face up on the table to start play.The first domino played               is called the "set".
After the set, each domino must be placed next to a               matching domino. Singles must be played end-to-end.               Doubles must cross singles. Plays can be made on either               end of a single domino and on both sides of a double               domino, but not on the ends of a double.
If a player does not have a play, he is blocked and he               passes that turn. He may not draw from the boneyard.               Play continues around the table until….
Ending the Game, Scoring:
...one player places his last domino. At that time, he               calls "domino." The other players turn up all the               dominoes remaining in their hands and count the               dots. The total of the dots on the unplayed dominoes               of the other players is the score of the winning player               for that hand.
OR
All players still have dominoes in their hands, but none               of them can make any play. When this happens, all players               turn their dominoes face up and count the total               number of dots. The player with the lowest number of               dots wins the hand and receives a score equal to the total               number of dots on his opponents' unplayed dominoes.               (Scoring variation…Winning players score is equal to the               total number of dots on his opponents' unplayed dominoes               minus the number of dots on the dominoes he is               holding at the end of the game)               Breaking a tie: In case of a tie, the player holding the single               domino with the lowest total count is the winner.
Winning the Game:
With each hand, you accumulate points. Before you               start, and depending on how long you want to play, set a               number (say 100 or 200) and the first player to reach               that total score wins the game.
GAME #2: DRAW
This is a little more sophisticated version of "Block."               Everything is the same except when a player cannot               place a domino, he must draw dominoes from the               boneyard until he gets one that he can play. All the               rest of the game remains the same. The limitation               here is that in a 2-player game, the last two dominoes               in the boneyard may not be drawn and in a 4-player               game, the very last domino in the boneyard may not               be drawn.
The play, ending the game and scoring are all the same               as in "Block"
Some simple strategy notes for Block and Draw:
Look at the dominoes you hold and try to play them in               such a way as to set yourself up for plays on your next               turn. If you have lots of 2s, try to play a 2 so you will be               able to match it the next time around (if someone else               doesn't get to it first).
Since you know all the dominoes in the double 6 set,               you can deduce what dominoes your opponents might               be holding by observing which dominoes have been               played and which you hold in your hand.
Winning the Game:
Before you start, and depending on how long you want               to play, set a number (say 100 or 200) and the first player               to reach that score wins the game.
GAME #3: MUGGINS
This is a simple game in which you can score points               every time you play a domino.
Number of players: 2, 3 or 4 may play. If 4 are playing               each may play individually or you may create two teams               of two players each.
The Objective: To outscore your opponents. You score               by adding up the count of dominoes at the ends of the               layout after each play. (explained below)
The Set-Up: Turn all dominoes face down and mix               them. Each player draws 5 dominoes and sets them up               so the others cannot see them.
The Play: As in the "Block" game above, dominoes must               be played so their ends match. Dominoes are laid end to               end except doubles which are laid across the line of play.               As in "block", you cannot play on the ends of a double               once it is placed. Play proceeds clockwise around the               table.
How to score: In Muggins, you can score each time a               domino is placed as well as at the end of the game. The               object is for the open ends of the dominoes to be a multiple               of 5. For each multiple of 5, you score one point.
Here are some examples:
Open ends are 1 and 4, count is 5, score one point
Count both ends of the double 6. Open ends are 6, 6 and               3, count is 15, score is 3 points.
(also note above that the open ends of the double 5 are               not counted. A double is only counted when it is on the               end of the line of play)
Counting the score after each play When a player makes               a score after placing a domino, a scorekeeper notes the               score at that time. The running score can also be kept on               a counter or cribbage board.
Drawing from the boneyard If a player cannot place a               domino, he draws from the boneyard until he can make               a play. In a two-person game, all but two of the dominoes               in the boneyard may be drawn In a three or four-person               game, all but one of the dominoes in the boneyard may               be drawn.
Ending the hand The first player to use all his tiles calls               "domino" and this ends the hand. If no player can play               his last domino and the boneyard has been depleted               down to one or two dominoes (see "drawing from the               boneyard" above), the hand is over.
Scoring at the end of the hand When the hand is               over, the player (or team) with the lowest number of               dots on their remaining dominoes receives additional               points based on the number of dots in the opponents               hands.
For every multiple of 5 dots in the opponents hands,               the winner receives one point. For a count of 1 or 2               above a multiple of 5, there is no additional score. For               a count of 3 or 4 above a multiple of 5, round up to               the nearest 5.
For example…
Opponents dot count is 5, score 1
Opponents dot count is 7, score 1
Opponents dot count is 8, score 2
Opponents dot count is 12, score 2
Opponents dot count is 18, score 4
Ending the game, winning: Keep playing the hands until               one player or team has 61 points. That ends the game.               Want to play longer? You can set the game ending score               at 100 or 200 or whatever you would like.
Variations on Muggins
Variation #1 In the basic game, you cannot make plays               off the ends of doubles, but only off the sides. In this variation,               you are allowed to play off the ends of the first               double that is played.
Variation #2 If a player places a domino that would               result in a score (a multiple of 5 on the ends of the dominoes               played), but does not realize it, then another player               can call "Muggins" and will receive that score.
GAME #4: FIVE-UP OR ALL FIVES
This game originated on the West Coast and is played               widely and in tournaments there, but is also well known               across the country.
Number of Players: Like Muggins, it can be played with               2, 3 or 4 players. If played by 4, each can play individually               or you can create two teams.
The Objective: Outscore your opponents. As in               Muggins you score by adding up the count of dominoes               at the ends of the layout after each               domino is played.
The Set Up: Each player starts with 5 dominoes. See               above regarding "Who Draws First, Who Plays First."
The Play: The primary difference between Five-Up and               Muggins is that the rules for placing of the dominoes               are somewhat expanded from the previous games.
As explained above, dominoes are played in a linear               fashion with the number of dots matching the               adjacent domino.
Count is 4 + 6 = 10 Score 2 points
Doubles are played at a 90 degree angle to the line of               play.
Count is 4 + 2 = 6 No score since not a multiple               of 5
Each end of a single domino may be played on only               once, and then the numbers on that domino are "cut off"               for scoring purposes. Only score based on the dots at the               ends of the line of play.
Count is 3 + 4 = 7 No score since not a multiple               of 5
A double may be played on both sides and both ends               before it is cut off
The original               5-5 is cut off.               The count is               2 + 4 + 1 + 0 = 7               (no score since not a multiple of 5)
After a double is played on in this way, you can continue               to build along the new line of play. This creates many               more possibilities for play.
Scoring is the same as in Muggins. Count the open ends               of the dominoes that have been placed. If the count is a               multiple of 5, divide by 5 and that is your score. Here is               an example.
Open ends are               6 +5 + 4+ 0 = 15               Score 3 points.
Ending the Game, Winning: The game ends when any               player places his last domino.At that point, that player (or               team) adds to its score based on the number of dots on the               dominoes in the opponents' hands. (when playing in               teams, you do not add the number of dots remaining in               your teammate's hand) Here are the rules for this process.               For every multiple of 5 dots in the opponents hands, the               winner receives one point. For a count of 1 or 2 above a               multiple of 5, there is no additional score. For a count of               3 or 4 above a multiple of 5, round up to the nearest 5.
For example…
Opponents dot count is 5, score 1
Opponents dot count is 7, score 1
Opponents dot count is 8, score 2
Opponents dot count is 12, score 2
Opponents dot count is 18, score 4
If the game is blocked (all players still have               dominoes, but nobody can make a play), the game ends               and the player (or team) with the lowest number of dots               on the dominoes held collects points (based on the formula               above) based on the dominoes in the opponents               hands.
Game is over when one player or team reaches               a total of 61 points.
BEYOND THE BASICS
Here are some thoughts and resources for your               further consideration.
The very best writer on dominoes and domino strategy               we have ever known is Dominic C. Armanino.               Unfortunately, all the books he wrote are out of print,               but you can still obtain some of them through Amazon.               His classic is called "Dominoes…Five-Up and Other               Games Including Official Rules and Odds." This book               explains the Five-Up game beautifully and in detail and               then walks you through many strategic considerations               that will help you to be a better player. It was               published in paperback under the Tartan Imprint and by               David McKay Company. If you are into this game, you'll enjoy these books. Another good title from him is               "Popular Domino Games" published by Van Rees.While               not as extensive, it does give clear instructions for a number               of good domino games.