RULES OF THE GAME

DOMINOES AS PLAYED IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOMINO TOURNAMENT

• Object of the Game - to score as many points in the multiples of five as possible, with the first person to reach 250 points or five houses winning the game.
  
  
• Scoring - is done when the total of all dots on the ends of the dominoes add up to five or multiples of five (See Illustration 1).
  
  This scoring can be done by either a pegboard (five points per hole) or by making houses. (Fifty points equal a house with "X" and "O" ("O" equals ten points, and each line of "X" equals five points, with both lines equalizing ten points). Each game consists of 250 points, and each match generally consists of the best two-out-of-three games as are now played in the semi-finals and finals of the "World Championship Domino Tournament" Both Singles (one person against another) and doubles (partners) are played using double-six dominoes (28 pieces).
  
  
• Singles - Singles match is a match between two people (only two people seated at the table). The dominoes are turned face-down and thoroughly mixed or "shuffled" by either player or both players. Each player will draw one domino to determine who will go down (privilege of playing the first domino on the playing surface), and the one drawing the highest domino will go down first. No more drawing is necessary to determine the down, as the down is rotated until the match is completed. After drawing for the "down the dominoes are reshuffled by the person not going down. The person going down draws seven dominoes and turns them toward him - or herself, where the opponent cannot see them. Then the other player does likewise. This leaves fourteen dominoes not drawn, which are placed to one side of the playing surface, and this is commonly called the "bone-yard". The dominoes left in the "bone-yard" are to be drawn when either player cannot play a domino that will match a suit that has been played. The person going down may play a domino that will match a suit that has been played. The person going down may play any domino in his hand, but should select a double in his strongest suit or a counting domino (such as 6-4, 3-2, double-5 or any multiple of five). If the initial domino played is a double, it becomes the "spinner". Otherwise, the first double played by either player becomes the "spinner." The "spinner" can be played-on from all four sides. (See Illustration 2.)
  
  After the initial domino is played, each player must follow suit until all seven dominoes have been played from his or her hand. In the event a player cannot play, he or she must draw from the "boneyard.") The first player to play all of his or her dominoes goes out or "dominoes" and receives all the opponent's hand to the nearest multiple of five (such as, 23 points equal 25 points, 22 points equal 20 points, etc.) This format is continued with the other player drawing and going down first. The privilege of going down is rotated until the match is over.
  
  
• Doubles - Doubles matches or partnership matches are begun by shuffling the dominoes, face-down, and each player (four players) drawing one domino to determine who goes down first. The player drawing the highest domino has the privilege of going down or placing the first domino on the playing surface. The person going down first should go down with a double in his or her strongest suit or a counting domino (such as double five, 6-4,2-3,1-4, or any multiple of five), or a domino which will indicated his or her strongest suit or suits to his or her partner. The play progresses in a clockwise manner until one player has played all of his or her dominoes. You will notice that there is no "bone-yard" available since all 28 dominoes were drawn initially (seven dominoes per player). Therefore, should a person not be able to play or follow suit, the player must pass to the player on his or her left. In the event no player can play, the hand is blocked and the team with the lowest number of points in their hands receives the total number of points in their opponents hands, rounded off to the nearest five. This format is continued until one team makes 250 points or five houses. Then a new game is started-rotating the down in a clockwise manner. (Note that you do not draw for a down after the beginning of the first game of a match). In order to be successful in doubles or partnership matches, players must work together rather than as individuals Back to Main Menu