How to Play Maltese Cross Dominoes

Maltese Cross is a dominoes game played with a double-six domino set. A double-six set has 28 tiles in it and is the most popular size dominoes set. The following steps will show you how to play this fun game of dominoes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A double-six domino set
• 2 to 4 players

1. Deal dominoes out to each player. For 2 players, deal out 7 tiles each. For 3 or 4 players, deal out 5 tiles each. Put the rest of the tiles in the "boneyard."
2. Determine who goes first. The player with the highest domino when adding both sides together begins and sets this domino in the center of the table. This starting tile is called the "spinner."
3. Go clockwise around the table taking your turn. Place a tile with the same suit on the spinner if you are the next player. Each player afterward must also place his tile on the spinner until there are four tiles around it--this is called the spinner's "four arms" and takes the shape of a Maltese Cross.
4. Draw a tile blindly from the the boneyard if you do not have a tile to play on the spinner. If you draw a tile from the boneyard that you can play, go ahead and set it. If not, pass to the next player.
5. Add a domino to the end of one of the arms when it becomes your turn, placing it crosswise. In this phase of the game, this domino must be a double (both sides equal). All four arms must have a double on it before you can continue the game. If you don't have a domino to play, draw from the boneyard.
6. Place a non-double or a double domino on the arms alternating between laying them crosswise and long-ways while building the arms.
7. Win the round if you are the first player to get rid of all your dominoes and shout "Domino!" Take the total number of pips (dots) from the players remaining hands as your score. Win the overall game of Maltese Cross Dominoes when you reach a score of 100.