How to Play Dominoes

As far as classic games go, dominoes are pretty high up there with the big leagues. It’s a game based on chance and strategy, and can provide hours of endless playing. Dominoes are only seen in its artistic form where they are placed in a pattern and then flipped over to create a new one, and the game is just as exciting, guaranteed.

According to Wikipedia, the earliest dominoes game was recorded in the 12^th century – that’s almost 1000 years ago! The classic white tiled domino used to be played in 19^th century England, which is where the modern day rules originated from.

If you haven’t played dominoes before, don’t worry! It’s a very easy game to play and the concept is simple. All you have to do is follow these few dominoes rules and you’ll be crowned the tile master in no time!

Dominoes Requirements

You will need a domino set – the standard set consists out of 28 tiles. You will also need at least one friend to play with, but Domino Games.com suggests that you can play in a group of up to 8 people. It is advised that you play on a table with a smooth surface.

How to Play Dominoes

1. Firstly, you’ll have to shuffle the tiles. Do this by placing it upside down on the table and moving them around – be careful not to flip them!
2. You will then decide who goes first. The person who is chosen will then start to build his or her ‘deck’. This number usually differs, so let’s agree on 7 tiles each. Place your tiles upright on the side so that they are only facing you.
3. The player who has a double-six (two sixes on each side) will then go first and places the tile in the middle.
4. The other player will then have to match this double six with his dominos. For example, you may put a six-and-two tile down, so that the six is next to the double six. You may place this tile to either the left or right of the double-six.
5. The first player will then have a choice of either matching your tile or the double-six. If he chooses to match yours, he will have to place a tile containing a two, for example the two-five tile. This pattern will go on as the turns are taken.
6. A blank tile can be played anytime; this functions as the ‘joker’ of the deck.
7. If you don’t have a tile to play, you may choose from the remaining dominoes on the table, called the ‘boneyard’. You can choose until you have the tile you want and then place it, or you may pass a turn.
8. The player who places his last tile says ‘domino’ and he is the winner. A game can also end if it’s blocked – this means that there are no more moves to be made.

Dominoes Game Variations

Flying solo? You can then play Concentration Solitaire with dominoes. It’s a memory game where you turn all the tiles upside down, and draw pairs that are equal to the number 12. For example, if you turn the six-five and the one-zero tiles you will have a match.

Make dominoes a fun family tournament by letting winners face winners in a race to the ultimate dominoes champion!

Dominoes Video Tutorial