How To

How to Play Dominoes

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By eHow Contributing Writer
(300 Ratings)
Play Dominoes
Play Dominoes

The draw game is the most common form played, although there are hundreds of variations. If you want to up your hip quotient, the following slang may help:
0 is referred to as "Blank"
1 is referred to as "Ace"
2 is referred to as "Deuce"
5-6 is referred to as the "Trial"
6-6 is referred to as "The Dog!"

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Count that there are 28 dominoes, from double blank to double six.

  2. Step 2

    Place them facedown on the table and shuffle them until they're random.

  3. Step 3

    Allow your opponent to take seven dominoes, and take seven for yourself.

  4. Step 4

    Allow the player with the highest double to go first.

  5. Step 5

    Lay a domino with like value next to the first domino (it doesn't matter which end). Make sure like values are always touching.

  6. Step 6

    Pick from the pile if you don't have a domino that corresponds to the ones on the layout. Keep those dominoes concealed from your opponent(s).

  7. Step 7

    Pass if no more dominoes are left in the pile.

  8. Step 8

    Win the session if you're the first person to run out of dominoes.

  9. Step 9

    End the session if everybody passes, in which case the winner is the person with the lowest score.

  10. Step 10

    Count your score by the number of dots on the tiles remaining in your hand.

  11. Step 11

    End the game if someone reaches 50 points in a game with two players or 100 points with three or more players. The lowest score wins.

Tips & Warnings
  • If you're playing with three or four players, each player should take five dominoes.
  • If more than two are playing, play rotates clockwise.
  • If no double is held by any player to determine who will go first, the domino of the highest value is counted.
  • Keep the largest assortment of different numbers in your hand as long as possible. If you have a choice of playing the 5-4 or 5-3 on an open 5, you should choose according to whether or not you have other 4s or 3s in your hand.
  • If you lay a double, the layout then forms a T shape and play can continue from any of the exposed ends.

Comments  

dolar888 said

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on 4/26/2008 there is a nice version of this game in dominoesstars site, but it called all fives

dolar888 said

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on 4/26/2008 there is a nice version of this game in dominoesstars site, they have a game that called all fives

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Even though the rules says that you should start with a double, the best way to start is by choosing any domino that you have a lot of. Example: If you have 5-3, 4-3, 5-5, 3-2, 3-1, 2-1, 4-2. You shouldn't start with the double 5 or the double 1, you should start with one of your 3's or your 2's. That's how the masters play.

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