Game rules

Domino Rules

Dominoes is a game for two to four players, played with 28 tiles. On your turn, you match a tile to the number on one of the two open ends, and whoever plays their last tile first goes out and scores the pips left in the opponents' hands. Below are the complete rules, exactly as they are played at the tables on Selminha.com.

The goal

Each round ends when someone goes out or the game is blocked, and whoever wins the round scores points. The game is played to the target you choose, 50 or 100 points: the first player to reach it wins, or the first team at a table of four.

Players and partners

Two, three or four can play. With two or three, everyone plays for themselves. With four, you always play in teams: partners sit across from each other and score together.

Play passes to the right: after you, the player on your right goes.

The 28 tiles

The game uses a double-six set: every pairing of two numbers from 0 (blank) to 6, from double blank to double six, with no repeats. Tiles with the same number on both ends are doubles, and there are seven of them.

A tile is worth the total pips on both ends: the 6-4 is worth 10 and the double blank is worth 0. Each number appears on seven tiles.

The deal and the boneyard

Each player gets 7 tiles. The rest stay face down in the boneyard: 14 tiles with two players and 7 with three. With four players, all 28 tiles are dealt and there is no boneyard.

If anyone is dealt 4 or more doubles, the tiles are reshuffled and dealt again.

Who leads

In the first round, the player holding the double six leads, and it must be the first tile played.
If the double six is in the boneyard, which can only happen with two or three players, the player with the highest double leads with that double.
If no one holds a double, the player with the heaviest tile leads with it (if two tiles have the same total, the one with the higher number wins).
In later rounds, the lead passes to the player on the right of whoever led the previous round, and they can open with any tile.

Taking your turn

On your turn, play a tile that matches the number on one of the two open ends. The other number on your tile becomes the new open end.
If your tile fits both ends, you choose which end to play it on.
The line always has just two open ends: a double is placed crosswise, but it does not open new branches (no spinners).
If nothing fits, draw from the boneyard one tile at a time until you get one that does, then play it.
If nothing fits and the boneyard is empty (or there is none, at a table of four), you pass.
You can't pass while holding a tile that fits, and you can't draw when you have a play.

On Selminha.com, when you have no play, the game draws and passes for you.

How a round ends

Going out: Someone plays the last tile in their hand. The round ends right away.
Blocked game: Everyone passes in turn and no one can play. The round ends there too.

Scoring

At the end of the round, every hand is shown and the pips left in each one are added up.

Going out: The player who went out scores the total pips left in the opponents' hands.
Blocked game: The player with the fewest pips in hand wins and scores the total in the opponents' hands. At a table of four, each team's total is compared.
Blocked and tied, with teams: Both teams have the same total: no one scores this round.
Blocked and tied, no teams: Among the tied players, the one holding the lowest tile wins; if those tie too, the next-lowest tiles are compared. If everything is equal, no one scores.

On a team, the pips left in your partner's hand never count: the winning team scores only what was in the opponents' hands.

Winning the game

Points from each round add up on the scoreboard. The first to reach or pass the target, 50 or 100 points, wins. At a table of four, it's the team that wins.

Options on Selminha.com

Players at the table: Two, three or four. A table of four always plays as teams.
Against the gang: You play on your own device against the Backyard Town gang: Scribble (easy), Nino (medium) and Granny Quelonia (hard). You pick who sits at the table and, with four, who your partner is.
Target: The game is played to 50 or 100 points.
Pips: Colorful or black. Only the look of the tiles changes.
With friends: The host picks two, three or four seats and the target, then sends the link. Everyone plays on their own device, the game is saved on the site and each player takes their turn whenever they can. With four, the host picks a partner.
Resigning and inactivity: If you resign or leave in the middle of a game, you lose; at a table of three, the remaining player with more points wins. If it's someone's turn and they haven't played in over 2 days, the game can be ended for inactivity. A table with no moves for 7 days ends with no winner.

Tips for beginners

Get rid of your heavy tiles and doubles early: if someone goes out or the game is blocked, those are what count against you.
Watch who draws or passes: a player who drew or passed when a number was showing on an open end doesn't have that number.
Each number appears on seven tiles. Count the ones on the table and in your hand, and you'll know when a number is gone.
Hold on to a variety of numbers so you don't run out of plays.
On a team, don't block your partner: leave open ends they might be able to match.

Variations of dominoes

Domino rules vary a lot from table to table. Some players score during the round whenever the open ends add up to a multiple of five (as in All Fives), some award bonus points for certain ways of going out, and some play to other targets. At the tables on Selminha.com, the rules on this page apply: whoever goes out scores the pips in the opponents' hands, a blocked game goes to the lowest total, and the game is played to 50 or 100 points.