Dominoes

The classic tile-matching game with a double-six set. Match pips to the open ends of the line, play out your hand first and race the computer to the target score.

How to play Dominoes

• A double-six set has 28 tiles. Each player gets 7 tiles with 2 players, or 5 tiles with 3–4 players in Draw and All Fives. In Block every player gets 7 tiles. Undealt tiles form the boneyard.
• In the first round, whoever holds the highest double must open with it (if no double was dealt, the heaviest tile opens). In later rounds the winner of the previous round leads with any tile.
• On your turn, play one tile whose number matches an open end of the line. Doubles are laid crosswise. If your tile fits both ends, choose which end to play on.
• Draw: if you cannot play, draw from the boneyard until you can. When the boneyard is empty, you pass. Block: there is no drawing — if you cannot play, you pass.
• All Fives: played like Draw, but after each play add up the open ends (a double on an end counts both halves). If the total is a multiple of 5, you score that many points right away.
• A round ends when someone plays their last tile, or when the game is blocked and nobody can play. The player who went out scores the pips left in all opponents’ hands. In a blocked game the lightest hand wins and scores the others’ pips; if the lightest hands tie, no one scores.
• In All Fives the round winner’s bonus is the opponents’ pips rounded to the nearest 5. Scores are checked at the end of each round: the first player at or above the target score wins the match.

Controls

• Tap a highlighted tile in your hand to play it. If it fits both ends, tap the glowing end (or the Start / End button) to choose.
• Or drag a tile from your hand onto the end where you want it.
• Use Draw when you have no match (Draw and All Fives) and Pass when you are stuck. Keyboard: D draws, P passes, Esc cancels a selection.

Tips

• Get rid of heavy tiles and doubles early — they count against you if someone else goes out.
• Keep a variety of numbers in your hand so you always have something to play.
• Watch what numbers opponents draw or pass on, then leave those numbers on the ends to block them.
• In All Fives, check what total your play leaves for the next player before you score.

FAQ

What does a double count for in All Fives?

A double sitting at an open end counts both halves, so a 4–4 on an end adds 8 to the total.

What happens if nobody can play?

The round is blocked. Everyone counts the pips left in their hand; the lowest total wins and scores the others’ pips. A tie for lowest scores nothing.

Does my game save?

Yes. Your match is saved in this browser after every move, so you can close the page and pick up where you left off.