Dominoesdouble-six

Goal of the game

Get rid of all your tiles before the others — or, if the game blocks, have the lightest hand.

The winner scores the sum of the pips left in the opponents’ hands. Games are usually played to 100 or 150 points.

Setting up

• A double-six set: twenty-eight dominoes, from 0-0 to 6-6.
• With two players, each takes seven; with three or four, six each. The rest forms the boneyard.
• The player holding the highest double opens by placing it. Without a double, the heaviest tile.

Playing a tile

• You place a domino at one of the two ends of the line, matching the numbers: a 4-2 goes on an end showing 4 or 2.
• Doubles are placed crosswise, but that changes nothing in the rules: the line keeps two playable ends.
• If you cannot play, you draw from the boneyard until you find a playable tile.
• When the boneyard is empty and you still cannot play, you pass.

End of a round and scoring

• A player places their last tile: they “domino”. They score the sum of the pips in all the opponents’ hands.
• Blocked game — nobody can play and the boneyard is empty: everyone counts their hand, and the lightest wins. They score the difference, or the sum of the other hands, depending on the convention.
• Each domino is worth the sum of its two halves: the 6-4 is worth 10 points, the 0-0 is worth 0.
• Getting rid of heavy tiles early is therefore a strategy in itself, regardless of winning the round.

Counting, the real skill of the game

• Each number appears eight times in the full set (seven tiles plus the double, which counts twice).
• Track the numbers that come out: once you have seen eight, nobody holds that number any more.
• Spot what your opponent is missing. If they drew on a 5, they have no 5. Bring both ends back to 5 and they draw again or pass.
• Close the game on your numbers. Ideally both ends show the same number, of which you still hold several copies.
• Play your doubles early. A double stuck in your hand at the end of a round is the best way to be left holding points.

The mistakes that cost the most

• Playing the first playable tile. Every turn, first look at which ends your move offers your opponent.
• Keeping your doubles for the end. They are the ones that block and weigh heavy.
• Not tracking passes. Every time a player draws or passes, they tell you exactly what they do not have. It is the most valuable information in the game.
• Holding on to heavy tiles hoping to place them later. In a blocked game, they cost full price.

Controls

Keyboard and mouse

• Click a domino in your hand, then the end of the line where you want it.
• Unplayable tiles are greyed out; the Draw button activates when none is playable.
• The line folds automatically when it reaches the edge of the board.

Touch screen

• Tap a tile then the target end, or drag it there directly.
• When only one end is possible, a single tap is enough.
• The total of pips left in your hand is shown at all times.

Frequently asked questions

How many dominoes are in a set?

Twenty-eight in a double-six set, from 0-0 to 6-6. Each number appears on eight halves if you count the double twice.

What do you do when you cannot play?

You draw until you get a playable tile. If the boneyard is empty, you pass.

How does a blocked game end?

When nobody can play and the boneyard is empty. Everyone counts the pips left in their hand; the lightest wins.

Should you play your doubles early?

Yes, as a rule. A double is harder to place, easier to block, and it weighs heavy if the round ends with it in your hand.

How do you guess your opponent’s hand?

By watching their passes and draws: they reveal exactly which numbers they do not have. Bringing the ends back to those numbers is the best weapon in the game.

More classics, free as well

• FreeCell — eight columns, four free cells, almost always winnable
• Gin Rummy — ten cards, melds, knock at the right moment
• Mahjong — matching tiles, the turtle to take apart