How do you play dominoes?
Dominoes is a tile game played with 28 tiles marked with 0 to 6 pips on each half. Players take turns adding a tile whose pips match one of the two open ends of the line, and the first to play every tile collects the pips left in the other hands as points. This version follows the common double six line game.
Each player draws 7 tiles and the rest stay face down as the boneyard. A tile with the same number on both halves, such as 6-6, is a double. Whoever holds the highest double sets it in the middle of the table to open the round; if nobody has a double, the heaviest tile opens. Play then passes around the table one tile at a time. Doubles are laid crosswise so they stand out, and when the line reaches the edge of the table it bends like a snake while the view zooms out so the whole layout always fits on screen.
What happens when you cannot play?
In the Draw game you take tiles from the boneyard one at a time until you can play, and pass only when the boneyard is empty. In the Block game you never draw; you simply pass. If you hold a playable tile you must play it.
| Situation | Draw game | Block game |
|---|---|---|
| You have a match | Play one tile on a matching end | Same |
| No match | Draw one at a time until a tile fits | Pass without drawing |
| Boneyard empty | Pass | Never used |
| Four players | All 28 tiles are dealt, no boneyard | Same |
| Blocked | If everyone passes in a row the round ends blocked | |
Playable tiles in your hand glow gold while the others dim slightly. When you have nothing to play, the boneyard glows; tap it to draw.
How is dominoes scored?
The player who goes out first (domino) scores the total pips left in every other hand. If the round is blocked, the player with the lowest pip count scores the other players' pips. The first player to reach 100 wins.
| Round ends by | Who scores | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Domino (went out) | The player who went out | All pips left in the other hands |
| Block (everyone passed) | Lowest pip count | The other players' pips |
| Block with a tie for lowest | Nobody | Draw, 0 points |
| Game end | Someone reaches 100 | Highest total wins |
For example, in a three player game you go out while your opponents still hold [6|4] and [2|1] and [5|5]. You score 10 + 3 + 10 = 23. Pips are only points; there are no chips, money or stakes of any kind.
What is a good dominoes strategy?
The core strategy is to dump heavy tiles early, keep the numbers you hold most of on the ends, and remember which numbers your opponents could not play so you can block them.
| Idea | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy tiles first | Play [6|6], [6|5] and other big tiles early | If someone else goes out, your pips become their points |
| Doubles early | A double only fits one number, so play it when you can | Held to the end, doubles often get stuck |
| Protect your suit | Leave the number you hold most of on an end | You keep a move for next turn and avoid drawing |
| Track weaknesses | Note the two end numbers whenever a player draws or passes | Making those numbers the ends forces them to draw again |
| Count tiles | Each number appears on 7 tiles; count how many you have seen | An end with no tiles left can lock the game |
| Block only when ahead | Lock the game only when your pip count is lowest | Losing a block hands points to someone else |
- Choose your first plays by weight. Shedding big tiles alone cuts your losses in the rounds you do not win.
- Save tiles that fit both ends. A flexible tile is insurance against a forced draw later.
- Watch who draws. The message bar says when an opponent draws from the boneyard; the end numbers at that moment are their weak spot.
- Block anyone down to two tiles. One more play ends the round, so leaving them an end they cannot match is your best defense.
How do the three computer levels differ?
Easy plays almost any matching tile. Normal sheds heavy tiles and doubles first. Hard also sheds weight but tracks every number an opponent failed to match, blocks with those numbers, counts the tiles left in each number and keeps a move for its next turn.
- Easy: Picks mostly at random among legal tiles. Good for learning the rules.
- Normal: Plays heavy tiles and doubles first and slightly prefers ends that its remaining tiles can follow.
- Hard: Remembers who was stuck on which numbers, counts how many tiles of each number are still unseen, and leans harder on blocking when an opponent is close to going out.
Controls
- Touch and mouse: Tap a glowing tile to play it on the end it fits. If it fits both ends, the open spots glow with dashed outlines; tap the one you want. You can also drag a tile to an end.
- Drawing: When you have no match, tap the glowing boneyard to draw one tile at a time. If the boneyard is empty too, you pass automatically.
- Keyboard: Left and right arrows choose a tile and Enter plays it. Z plays on the left end, X on the right end, D draws and M toggles sound.
- Screen: Name plates at the top show each opponent's tile count and score, and each open end is labeled with the number you need to match.
Your win count and your last choice of rules, opponents and level are saved only in this browser and never sent to a server. Scores are for fun only and there are no stakes of any kind.