Dominoes

1 Introduction

Dominoes is one of the oldest and most universal tile games in the world, played on every inhabited continent in dozens of regional variants. The core mechanic — matching tiles by their pip counts — is simple enough for young children yet deep enough to sustain serious competitive play. A double-6 set contains 28 tiles and supports virtually every variant; a double-12 set opens up larger games and the enormously popular Mexican Train.

The game rewards observation, hand management, and tactical blocking. Whether you are playing a quiet two-player game or a boisterous Mexican Train party with eight people, the fundamentals remain the same. This guide covers standard Draw Dominoes, the rules most people grew up with, then explains Mexican Train and Block Dominoes as the two most popular variants.

2 Components

A standard double-6 set contains 28 tiles, each divided into two halves showing 0 to 6 pips. Every combination from 0-0 to 6-6 appears exactly once. Tiles are also called bones, stones, or pieces. The pips on each half represent numbers 0 through 6.

• 28 tiles (double-6 set): the full set of all combinations from 0|0 through 6|6
• A flat playing surface: the tiles are laid in a line or branching pattern on the table

For Mexican Train and other large games, a double-12 set is standard, containing 91 tiles (all combinations from 0|0 through 12|12). Mexican Train also uses a hub (a center piece that holds the starting double) and train markers (coins or small pegs) to mark open trains.

Reading a Tile

Each tile has two halves separated by a dividing line. A tile written as "3|5" shows 3 pips on one end and 5 pips on the other. A tile written as "6|6" is the double-six, the highest tile in a standard set. The total pip count on any tile is the sum of its two halves: 3|5 = 8 pips.

3 Setup

Shuffling

Turn all tiles face-down and mix them thoroughly. This pile is called the boneyard (also stock or draw pile). Leave the boneyard accessible in the center of the table.

Drawing Your Hand

Each player draws tiles from the boneyard without showing them to others. Standard draw counts for Draw Dominoes with a double-6 set:

• 2 players: 7 tiles each
• 3–4 players: 5 tiles each
• 5–6 players: 4 tiles each (some rules say 3)

The remaining tiles stay face-down as the boneyard for drawing during play.

Determining Who Goes First

The player holding the highest double (6|6, then 5|5, etc.) plays first and plays that double as the opening tile. If no player holds a double, the player with the highest single tile (highest pip total) goes first. Some house rules have players draw a tile; the one who draws the highest pip count goes first.

4 Objective

In Draw Dominoes and most scoring variants, the goal is to be the first player to empty your hand (go out), earning points equal to the pip count remaining in all opponents' hands. Games are typically played to a target score of 100 or 200 points over multiple rounds.

If the game blocks (no one can play and the boneyard is empty), the player with the lowest pip count in hand wins that round and scores the total pips in all other hands.

5 How to Play

The Opening

The first player plays their starting tile face-up in the center of the table. This becomes the start of the layout. Play then proceeds clockwise.

On Your Turn

You must play a tile from your hand that matches one of the open ends of the layout. Each open end shows a specific number; you must play a tile that has that same number on at least one of its halves. The matching half connects to the open end; the other half becomes the new open end.

Doubles: Doubles are placed perpendicular (crosswise) to the line of play. Both ends of a double show the same number, so when you later play off a double, you play to either of its sides (the double now extends in two directions, though in standard Draw Dominoes only the ends of the line — not the sides of doubles — are open unless the variant specifies otherwise).

Drawing from the Boneyard

If you cannot play any tile from your hand, you must draw from the boneyard one tile at a time until either:

• You draw a tile you can legally play (you may play it immediately or keep drawing)
• The boneyard is empty (then you simply pass)

You may not pass without drawing when the boneyard has tiles remaining.

Winning a Round

Play continues until one player plays their last tile (going out) or the game blocks. When a player goes out, the round ends immediately. The winner scores the total pips still held in all opponents' hands.

6 Scoring

Going Out

When you play your last tile, you score the total number of pips in all other players' hands. Some variants round this to the nearest 5.

Blocked Games

When the game blocks and no one can play, all players count the pips in their hands. The player with the lowest pip count wins and scores the combined pip total of all other players (minus their own count in some variants — house rules vary).

Domino (5s and 3s) Scoring

A popular variant called "5s and 3s" scores points during play. Each time you play a tile that makes the total pips of all open ends divisible by 5 or 3, you score that total. For example, if the open ends sum to 15, you score 3 points (15 ÷ 5 = 3). If they sum to 9, you score 3 points (9 ÷ 3 = 3). If they sum to 15, you can score both (3 + 5 = 8). Games are played to 61 on a cribbage board.

Game Length

Standard target scores: 100 or 200 points. First player or team to reach the target wins the match.

7 Strategy

Track the Board

Keep mental track of what tiles have been played. If all four tiles showing a 5 are already on the board, you know no one holds a 5 and the 5 end will stay open or block. This information guides your play choices.

Hold Your Doubles

Doubles are the hardest tiles to play because they require a specific number to be open. Playing your highest doubles early reduces the risk of being stuck with high-pip tiles at the end of a round.

Block Strategically

If you are ahead on score, consider playing to close off ends that your opponents need. If an opponent needs a 3, play your 3-pip tiles to prevent that number from appearing as an open end. Blocking is especially powerful in Block Dominoes.

Count Your Outs

Always be aware of how many playable tiles you have. If you can only play one or two tiles in your hand, drawing from the boneyard or passing loses valuable opportunities.

8 Mexican Train Variant

Mexican Train is the most popular domino variant in North America, played with a double-12 set and a center hub. It supports 2–8 players and games take 45–90 minutes.

Setup

Place the hub in the center. The starting tile is the double-12 (if available) placed in the hub. Each player draws tiles: 4 players draw 15 tiles, 5–6 players draw 12, 7–8 players draw 10. The remaining tiles form the boneyard.

Starting the Trains

On the first turn, each player must start their personal train by playing a tile that connects to the starting double in the hub. If you cannot start your train, you draw from the boneyard. If you still cannot play, place a marker on your train (it is now "open" — anyone can play on it).

There is also a shared "Mexican Train" arm extending from the hub that anyone can play on at any time.

Playing Your Turn

On each turn you may play one tile on any open train. You may always play on your own train (whether open or closed) and on the Mexican Train. You may play on another player's train only if it is marked as open (has a marker on it).

Opening and closing your train: If you cannot play on your own train, draw one tile. If you can now play, do so. If you still cannot, place a marker on your train (now open). Your train becomes closed (remove the marker) as soon as you successfully play on it.

Doubles Rule

When you play a double, it must be "satisfied" immediately. The next player (or you, if you have the tile) must play a matching tile on that double. If they cannot, they draw one tile; if still unable, they pass and the next player must satisfy it. Until the double is satisfied, no other trains can be played on.

Winning

The first player to play all their tiles wins the round and scores 0. All other players score the pip total of their remaining tiles. Play multiple rounds (starting with double-11, then double-10, etc.) and lowest total score wins the match.

9 Block Dominoes

Block Dominoes is the simplest variant: no drawing from the boneyard. Each player draws their starting hand (5–7 tiles), and if you cannot play on your turn, you simply pass. The game ends when one player goes out or the game blocks completely. The player with the lowest pip count wins. No mid-game drawing makes strategy more pure — you play entirely with the hand you were dealt.

10 Wrong House Rules

"You Can Pass Without Drawing"

Wrong. In Draw Dominoes, you must draw from the boneyard until you either draw a playable tile or exhaust the boneyard. You may only pass when no playable tile can be drawn.

"Doubles Always Go Perpendicular and Open on Four Sides"

Partially wrong. In standard Draw Dominoes, doubles go perpendicular but only the two ends of the main line are open. Four-sided spinners exist in some specific variants (like Spinner Dominoes) but not in standard play.

"The Highest Pip Player Always Goes First"

Only if no one holds a double. The player with the highest double goes first and is required to play it. If no player has a double, then the highest-total tile determines first play.

"Skipping Takes Your Turn"

You cannot voluntarily skip. If the boneyard has tiles, you must draw until you find a playable tile or empty it. Passing is only allowed when the boneyard is empty and you truly have no playable tile.

11 History

Dominoes are believed to have originated in China around the 12th or 13th century as a derivative of cubic dice. Chinese dominoes represented all possible results of two thrown dice, with no blank tiles. The tiles spread to Europe, likely arriving in Italy in the 18th century (possibly via missionaries or traders), and the European version added the blank (zero) suit to create the set we know today.

The name "domino" may derive from the black-and-white clerical hood called a domino (itself from the Latin "dominus"), which the ivory tiles with black pips resembled. By the late 1700s, dominoes were widely played in France and England. By the 19th century they were a fixture in pubs and households across Europe and had spread to the Americas.

Today, dominoes occupy a unique cultural place in the Caribbean and Latin America — particularly in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela — where the game is played with passionate intensity, often with rapid tile-slapping and strategic trash talk. Dominoes are also deeply woven into the culture of many African and Asian communities worldwide. Mexican Train emerged in the 1990s in the United States as a party variant and quickly became the most popular domino game in North America.

12 Frequently Asked Questions