Printable Dominoes rules

Dominoes in one page

2–4 players · double-six set (28 tiles) · pencil and paper

Each player takes 7 dominoes from a double-six set, and the rest become the boneyard. On your turn, play one tile that matches the number of pips on either open end of the line; if you can't, draw from the boneyard until you can. The first player to play all their tiles (or the lowest hand when the game blocks) scores the pips left in the opponents' hands, and the first to 100 points wins.

In brief

• Shuffle face down; each player draws 7 tiles
• Rest of the tiles = boneyard
• Highest drawn tile leads; leader sets any tile
• Play one tile that matches an open end
• Doubles go crosswise; no spinners in Draw
• Can't play? Draw until you can. Boneyard empty? Pass
• Play your last tile and call "Domino!"
• Blocked: lowest pip count wins the hand
• Hand winner scores all opponents' pips
• Tie for lowest in a block: nobody scores
• First to 100 points wins

Setup

1. Turn all 28 tiles of a double-six set face down on the table and shuffle them around with your hands. This mixed pile is the boneyard.
2. Each player draws 7 tiles for a 2-, 3-, or 4-player game. Stand your tiles on edge so only you can see the faces.
3. To pick the first player, each person turns up one extra tile from the boneyard; the highest total of pips goes first. Return those tiles and shuffle again before you draw your hands.
4. The first player sets down any tile from their hand to start the line of play. Play then moves to the left (clockwise). In later hands, the lead passes one seat to the left each time.

On your turn

1. Look at the two open ends of the line. You may play one tile from your hand if one of its halves matches the number on an open end. Place it end to end so the matching halves touch.
2. Doubles (tiles with the same number on both halves, such as 4-4) are placed crosswise across the line. In the basic Draw game they are not spinners, so the line still has only two open ends.
3. If you have no tile that matches, draw from the boneyard one tile at a time until you draw one you can play, then play it. Keep all the unplayable tiles you drew.
4. If the boneyard is empty and you can't play, say "pass" and the turn moves to the next player.
5. If you play your last tile, call "Domino!" and the hand ends right away.

Scoring

Winning

The first player to reach 100 or more total points wins. If you'd rather play one quick hand, the player who goes out (or has the lowest count in a blocked game) is simply the winner of that hand. Because only one player scores per hand, two players can't cross 100 at the same moment, so there is no need for a tiebreak.