Tabletop games
Dominoes
- players
- 2–4
- minutes
- 30
- years
- 5+
In the box
Set of 28 dominoes
Box details
- Origin
- Traditional game, with no specific designer or publisher
- Mechanics
- MatchingPattern BuildingPattern RecognitionTeam-BasedTile Placement
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
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The basics
Each player tries to play all their dominoes by matching the ends. On your turn, play a tile at either end of the line, on the same number; with no playable tile, you draw, or pass if the boneyard is empty, depending on the variant chosen. Whoever plays their last tile, or the lightest hand if the game is blocked, scores the pips left in the opponents' hands, and the game is played to 100 points.
The rules, step by step
Setup
28 dominoes, 7 each with 2 players, 6 with 3 or 4 players
- A set of 28 dominoes, from double blank to double six: every pair of numbers from 0 to 6, with no repeats.
- Each player draws seven with two players, six with three or four. The rest form the boneyard (stock), face down.
- Keep your dominoes standing on edge in front of you, hidden from the others.
How to play
Double six starts, Same number at the end, Else draw or pass
- The holder of the double six starts, or of the highest double.
- Play a tile at either end of the line, matching the numbers.
- Doubles are laid crosswise across the line; under the French rule, they do not open a new direction.
- If you have no playable tile, you draw, or pass if the boneyard is empty, depending on the variant agreed at the start.
- Counting what the others still have to play is the real tactic: you try to block the line on a number you hold several of.
Scoring
Sum of opponents' hands, Double six is worth 12, Blocked: lightest hand
- The winner of the round scores the total of the pips left in all the opponents' hands, added together.
- A domino is worth the sum of its two halves; the double six is therefore worth twelve, the double blank zero.
- If the game is blocked, the lightest hand wins and scores the other hands' pips in the same way.
- If hands are tied in a blocked game, nobody scores and the next round is dealt by the same player.
End of the game
Last tile played, Or game blocked, Game to 100 points
- The round ends when a player plays their last tile, or when the game is blocked.
- If the game is blocked, the lightest hand wins.
- The game is played to 100 points.
House rules and pitfalls
In Mexican Train, each player builds their own train from a central double.
- In Mexican Train, each player builds their own train from a central double.
- In Matador, you play to the ends so that the total makes seven.
Going further
Variants · Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Variants
Variant
Block game
You pass if you cannot play.
Draw game
You draw until you can play.
Mexican Train
Each player builds their own train.
Matador
Touching ends must add up to seven.
choose them when you start a game: the scorer adapts
Frequently asked questions
Who starts a round of dominoes?
The holder of the double six, or of the highest double if nobody has it. If there are no doubles at all, the heaviest domino leads. In later rounds, the winner of the previous round starts.
How many dominoes are dealt?
Seven with two players, six with three or four. The rest form the boneyard, or stay out of play if you are playing the block game.
What do you do when you cannot play?
In the block game, you pass. With a boneyard, you draw dominoes until you can play, and only pass if the boneyard is empty.
How does a blocked round end?
When nobody can play any more, hands are counted: the lightest wins and scores the others' pips. Counting the pips still out becomes a real end-of-round tactic.
What is Mexican Train?
A variant where each player builds their own train from a central double, with a shared train that everyone can add to. It suits more players and uses a set of 91 dominoes.
How many points is the game played to?
A hundred points, most often. Some tables play to 50 for a quick game, or for a fixed number of rounds.