A domino is a small tile that represents the roll of two dice. The tile, commonly called a bone, is rectangular with a line down the center. Each end of the tile contains a number. In the most popular domino set, the double-six, the numbers vary from 0 (or blank) to 6. This produces 28 unique tiles.
There are a variety of types of domino sets in use all over the world and a great number of games that can be played with them. Following are the rules for the three most commonly played games in the West - All Fives and variations, the Standard or Block game and the Draw game. The instructions describe the games played with the standard or "double-six" domino set comprising 28 tiles.
Shuffling The Dominoes
Before a game or hand begins, the dominoes must be shuffled, so that no one knows the location of any given tile. Typically, the tiles are shuffled by turning them all face-down on the table, then moving them around in a random motion, being careful not to flip over any of the pieces. The collection of shuffled tiles is called the boneyard.
All Fives Domino Game
Also known as "Muggins", "Five-Up" and "The Five Game", All Fives is played with a double six set of dominoes by two players. The dominoes are shuffled face down and each player takes seven dominoes (a non-default option, 9-bone initial hand can be also selected upon table creation). The remaining dominoes are placed in the boneyard to be drawn from by a player when he/she cannot play a tile from his hand. The player with the highest double plays first and turns proceed in a clockwise direction. In a hand other than the first one in the game, the choice of play may be any tile in the lead player's hand.
To be the first person to attain the agreed-upon number of points (100 - 500). Points may be awarded during the play of the hand by making the exposed ends of the chain total to a multiple of five (5). The winner at the end of each hand also scores points for all the pips remaining in the other player's hand rounded to the nearest multiple of five.
The first player lays down any tile and play continues with each player laying down a tile so that the tile it connects with matches in number. Players additionally attempt to lay down tiles so that the sum of the numbers at either end of the chain add up to 5 or a multiple of 5 because any such play adds that amount to the score of the player. Doubles are laid down across the direction of the chain for the purposes totaling both ends count as the total of all spots on the double. So, for instance, if there is a 3 at one end of the chain and a 6 at the other, a player could play the double 6 which would be useful because the ends would add up to 3 + 6 + 6 = 15, a multiple of five. If there is a double five at one end and a blank at the other, a player could play the double blank so that the ends add up to 10.
Play may proceed off both ends of the chain, or from the exposed ends of the first double that is played once that double has had dominoes played from both its sides. That double is referred to as the spinner because the chain sprouts from all four sides of the domino. At most there will be four ends of the chain exposed.
If a player does not have any tiles which have a number of pips that matches one of the exposed ends of the chain, that player must draw from the boneyard one tile at a time until he/she draws one which may be played. If there is no boneyard or are no more tiles left in the boneyard, that player must pass.
End of Play
The game ends as soon as a player has no more tiles left or alternatively when none of the players can play a tile. The winner is the player who has no tiles left or, if no player managed to go out, the players add up the spots on their remaining dominoes and the winner is the player with the smallest total. The loser subtracts the winner's spot total (which is zero if the winner went out) from his or her total, rounds the result to the nearest multiple of five and adds this quantity to the score of the winner. If all scores are less than agreed-upon number of points for the game (100-500), the game continues by playing another hand.
The Draw Domino Game
As opposed to All Fives Domino game, points are not awarded during play for making multiples of five. Points are awarded only at the end of each hand.
Each player tries to match the pips on one end of a tile from his/her hand with the pips on an open end of any tile in the chain. If a player cannot match a tile with one in the chain, he/she must draw from the boneyard until the tile that can be played is drawn. If there are no tiles left in the boneyard, the player passes his/her turn. The first player to get rid of all dominoes wins the hand. If none of the players can make a play, the game ends in a block. If a hand ends in a block, the players turn the tiles in their hands faceup for counting. The player with the lowest total wins the hand and earns the points (1 point per pip) of all the tiles left remaining in his opponent's hand. The player who first reaches the agreed-upon number of points (100-500) or more is the overall winner.
The Block Domino Game
This variation is similar to Draw variation above, except no player can draw from a boneyard. If a player can lay a domino, then it must be played. Otherwise the player "knocks", or raps the table and play passes to the next player. If none of the players can make a play, the hand ends in a block. The players turn the tiles in their hands faceup for counting. The player with the lowest total wins the hand and earns the points (1 point per pip) of all the tiles left remaining in his opponent's hand. The player who first reaches the agreed-upon number of points (100-500) or more is the overall winner.