Domino rules

How the game goes on

In each hand, the game proceeds as follows:

• Usually each player uses 7 tiles, although the amount may vary according to the domino variant.
• The leader places any tile.
• Then, players take turns to link tiles in the chain whenever it is possible. The values of the squares in the chain end and the placed tile must match.
• The doubles are placed perpendicular to the other tiles.
• The player who cannot play any tile must pass.

Each hand may end for two reasons:

• One of the players runs out of tiles.
• The chain is closed: the two ends of the chain have the same value, and the 7 tiles that contain the same value have been already placed.

The winner of the hand scores the sum of the values of the tiles that remain unplaced.

The game ends when the winner reaches the target score.

Domino Modes

Domino is not a single game, but a whole family of games that can be played with same set of tiles.

The dynamic and objective of these games is always the same, but they differ in some of the rules. Next, the modes tht you can play in Ludoteka are explained.

Domino Partners Play

This is the most popular mode to play Domino in Spain. The rules are defined by the Federación Española de Dominó:

• Two pairs of players, placed in alternate position, take part in the game.
• All the peaces are dealed. Each player takes 7 tiles.
• Any tiles may be used as the first tile of the chain. The dealer in each hand is always the next player.
• The pair of the player who runs out of tiles scores the sum of all the tiles that remain unplaced, including the tiles of the partner.
• In case of closing (tranca), the winner is the pair with the lowest sum, and they score the sum all the unplaced tiles.
• The target score in Ludoteka is 150 points.

Domino 7+7 Play

This mode is similar to Domino partners, but only two players take part. Each of them handles the two sets of 7 tiles that would belong to one pair of players.

Venezuelan Domino Play

Venezuelan domino is similar to the domino partners played in Spain. The main difference is that unplaced tiles of the winner partner are not scored.

• Two pairs of players, placed in alternate position, take part in the game.
• All the peaces are dealed. Each player takes 7 tiles.
• The pair of the player who runs out of tiles scores the sum of the unplaced tiles of the opponents. Unplaced tiles of the partner are not scored.
• In case of closing (tranca), the winner is the pair with the lowest sum, and they score the sum of the unplaced tiles of the opponents.
• The target score in Ludoteka is 100 points.

Domino For Two Play

• Both players take 7 tiles. So, another 14 tiles remain available in the pile.
• The first hand is opened with the highest double. The lead changes in successive hands.
• The player who cannot place any tile must take new tiles from the pile until one can be played.
• The player who runs out of tiles scores the sum of the opponent's unplaced tiles.
• When one player closes, the opponent takes the remaining tiles from the pile. The player with the fewest points scores the difference between the opponent's and own points in unplaced tiles.
• The target score is 100 points.

Domino For 3 Play

• The double zero tile is not used. So, the domino set has 27 tiles.
• Each of the 3 players takes 9 tiles.
• The first hand is opened with the double six. The lead changes in successive hands.
• The player who cannot play any tile must pass.
• The player who runs out of tiles scores the sum of the unplaced tiles of the two opponents.
• When one player closes, the player with the fewest points scores the sum of the differences between the own and opponent's points.
• The target score is 100 points.

Cuban Domino Play

Cuban Domino is played with the double 9 set of tiles: values range from zero to nine, so that 55 different tiles are used.

• Two pairs of players, placed in alternate position, take part in the game.
• Each player takes 10 tiles.
• The pair who starts in the first data (hand) is decided by draw. In successive dates, the winners of the previous data will start. Any of the two players of the pair can put the first tile.
• The 15 tiles that remain in the pile after the deal are not used.
• The pair of the player who runs out of tiles scores the sum of the unplaced tiles of the opponents. Unplaced tiles of the partner are not scored.
• When someone closes, the winner is the pair to which the player with the fewest points belongs. They score the sum of placed tiles of the opponents, but not own tiles.
• In case of capicua, if the player who closes the hand can place his last tile (not double) at both ends of the chain, the hand scores double.
• The target score is 100 points.

Cuban Domino one on one Play

Cuban Domino one on one is a variant of Double 9 Dominoes (played with tiles that go up to 9), played between two players. The rules are identical to those of Cuban Domino in pairs, with the particularity that when playing with only 2 players, the number of remaining tiles in each deal is 35 instead of 15.

Playing in Ludoteka

Here is how to play dominoes in Ludoteka.

You have different options to take your tiles:

• Click on them, one by one.
• Click and drag the mouse over the pile to take the nearest tiles in the selected zone.
• If you click on the button, the system chooses randomly.
• Wait until the other players take them or the time runs out.

To place tiles in the chain, you just have to click on them.

When the selected tile is not a double and may be linked to both ends of the chain, using both values, you have to click a second time on one of the semitransparent tiles that appear at the both ends.

If you cannot chain any tile and you have to take one from the pile, you can:

Forced moves. If a player, having only one option to place a tile, does not do so shortly (around 3 seconds), the system automatically launches it.
In this way, the player cannot make other players understand that there are more options to play, which is against the rules of the domino game.

• Click on one of the tiles to select.
• Click on the button, or wait a few seconds, to randomize.

Sort your own tiles. You can move then at any moment inside your own zone.

Highlight numbers in the chain. If you click on a number on one of the tiles in the chain, all the appearances of the same number will be highlighted for a moment.