Rules for the game dominos

Mexican Train Hub. One comes with most domino sets Domino Racks are a perfect addition for this game. Though not required, they make play much easier for little ones and keep your dominoes upright when the table gets bumped. The racks in the pictures can be found HERE. The first play is made by the person with the double-nine domino. If no one has the double-nine then players draw a single domino each until the double-nine is found and played in the middle of the Mexican Train Hub piece.

Game continues with each player playing a tile on an open end of the domino layout. Domino ends must connect with a matching number of pips that is the domino term for the dots on the domino. Doubles do not become spinners and can only be played off two ends. The first person or partnership to score this amount wins the game. Shuffle and begin a new game. The player who won plays first. Welcome visitor you can login or create an account. Wish List 0 My Account Checkout. The Basics Domino Terms.

The player who draws the highest double of the set i. If the highest double was not drawn, the second highest double is played. If the second highest double was not drawn, the third highest double is played, and so on, until a double is played.

If none of the players holds a double in his hand, all hands are discarded, reshuffled, and new hands are drawn. After the first player sets his double, the second play is made by the player to his left and play continues clockwise. Heaviest Tile: Follow the instructions above for "Highest Double" with this exception: Instead of drawing new hands if no player holds a double tile, the player holding the heaviest single begins play.

Winner of the Last Game: The winner of the last game played may open the next game. Or, if a game ends in a tie, the player who placed the last tile plays the first tile in the next game.

Drawing the Hand Each player draws the number of tiles specified in the rules for the domino game being played and then places them in front of himself in such a way that the other players can't see the pips on his tiles. After all hands have been drawn, there may be a surplus of tiles left in the stock. These tiles should remain face down, and, depending on the rules of the game being played, may be bought See "Passing and Byeing" below.

Opening the Game Determine who will make the first play, as explained above in "Order of Play" and according to the rules of the particular domino game being played. The player making the first play may be referred to as the setter, the downer, or the leader.

He should place his tile face up in the middle of the table. The words set, down, and lead are all used as verbs to refer to the act of making the first play of the game. Here is a rule variation that players may agree to employ: Anytime a player plays a double, whether for the opening of the game or anytime thereafter during the game, he may immediately play a second tile onto his double before the next player makes his play.

Passing and Byeing Any player who does not hold a tile in his hand with the correct number of pips, and therefore cannot make the next play, must either pass or bye from the stock, according to the rules of the game. Some games permit players to skip a play if they so choose, even if they hold a playable tile. Passing is also called knocking and renouncing.

The player who is unable to make a play must announce to the other players, "I pass," and then the next player takes his turn. If no one is able to make a play, the game ends. In some games byeing tiles from the stock is allowed. In this case, a player draws the number of tiles he is permitted to take according to the rules of that game, adding them to the tiles he is holding in his hand.

Once the player has drawn a tile he is able to play, he plays that domino. There are many domino games that have the rule that all tiles in the stock may be bought, and there are others which have the rule that some tiles must be left in the stock and can not be bought.

In the case of the latter, the number of pips on the tiles left in the stock at the end of the game would be added to the winner's score. Line of Play There are many domino games that depend upon matching suits. In these games, the first player sets his domino, then the player to his left adds his tile to one of the free ends, and so on, going clockwise around the table with each player adding a tile.

Players add tiles that have the matching number of pips with an open end of an already played tile. As each player matches and plays a tile, a line is formed. Doubles belong to only one suit. In a standard set of dominoes the largest tile is a double six, but larger sets contain double 12 and even double All the dominoes should be placed face down on the playing surface and each player can help move them around in a random manner to shuffle.

Caution should be used to keep the tiles face down so players cannot see the pips. The players determine who gets the first move by choosing random tiles. Whoever draws the heaviest tile begins play. Players choose tiles from the boneyard and place them on edge so that he or she can see the dominoes' value. How many dominoes are chosen depends on which version of the game is being played. The winner of the draw lays down his largest tile. Players must match the suit of the "open end" of a domino--the one that is not touching another tile.