Components / Players
- 2p: 0-6 (28 dominoes)
- 3p: add 7’s (36 dominoes)
- 4p: add 8’s (45 dominoes)
- 5p: add 9’s (55 dominoes)
Gameplay
The game is played over the course of rounds. Each round begins by shuffling domino tiles facedown and distributing 7 to each player. Keep remaining dominoes facedown and set aside to make the boneyard. The player with the smallest double (aka spinner) in hand takes the first turn, they will play any one domino tile they choose, creating a play area. On subsequent turns, more than one domino can be played as a set into the play area. Play proceeds clockwise with players taking turns until a player is out of dominos. Then the round immediately ends and scoring occurs.
Players must play off of existing spinners and/or branches in the play area by connecting ends with matching numbers. Players are not allowed to connect to dominoes they play in a turn. Spinners have four sides to branch from.
Players must play domino numbers (zeros, ones, twos, etc.) of greater value than the previous play, OR pass (whether by choice or inability to play). Players should always declare out loud vocally what their play is.
- To have a greater value than the previous play, you must play either:
- a larger amount/set of matching numbers, or
- the same sized set of matching numbers but of a higher number.
- For example, to be greater than a single three, you’d play a single four or higher, or any set of two or more matching numbers. And to be greater than a set of two zeroes, you’d play a set of two ones or two twos, etc., or any set of three or more matching numbers.
A set means a group of one or more domino tile ends that have a matching number of pips.
- When a spinner is played, it counts as playing a set of two matching numbers. For instance, playing Three separate tiles with a Six on one end is a set of Three Sixes, or playing a single tile like the double Zero spinner is a set of Two Zeroes, or playing a double One spinner with two more tiles that each have a One on their ends is a set of Four Ones.
- When a set is played, the tiles must fit onto existing branches in the layout. So in order to play, you not only need a valid placement for your tiles, but you also need to have a greater value than the previous play.
- When you play a set, it does not matter which end of the domino is connected to the layout. For instance, if there is a double zero (0:0) in play, with a single branch of 0:1 and 1:6 on one end, I could play a set of Two Sixes, I play a 0:6 to start a new branch off the 0:0 and also play a 6:3 off the 1:6.
When Players pass, they can draw a domino from the boneyard and afterward choose either to keep it in hand OR discard any one domino from hand (shuffle the boneyard afterward).
If everyone passes and it makes it back around to the last player to take a turn playing dominoes, the next player in turn order with a legal move, can either play any one domino or any set of dominoes.
When a domino or set of dominoes is played, the player always declares the best value(s) because that will be the most optimal play. For example, a single 1:6 tile is played, then that’d count as a single Six, as opposed to a single One. Or say a set of tiles is played, the 5:5 and 2:5, then that’d always count as three Fives, as opposed to two.
End of Round / Winning
A round ends when a player sheds their hand. They score points equal to the number of other players remaining dominos in hand.
In the rare event of a tied blocked round where no one has a playable domino tile, then the round ends and no one scores.
The game ends when a player scores 25 points (for 2-3 players) or 50 points (for 4-5 players).
Variants
4-player team game. Partners sit across from each other. Players can choose to Scoring is the same as base game except teams share a pool of points. The winner of each round will subtract points for their partner’s remaining dominoes from the points gained by the opposing team’s remaining dominoes.
For a longer game at 2-3 players, go until someone reaches 50 points. For a shorter game at 4-5 players, go until someone reaches 25 points.
Pass and play variant. When a players passes, they can draw from the boneyard and afterward choose 1 of 3 options: add domino to hand, play (must have a legal winning combo), or discard any one domino from hand.
Scoring variant. Round ends when a player sheds their hand per usual. The player who ends the round will score a single point. Game ends when a player scores 3 points.