How to Play Dominoes: Rules, Variations, & Strategies

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Learn how to play classic dominoes, Mexican Train, and more!
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Have you only ever used domino tiles to make cool chain reactions, not to play the actual game they get their name from? Don’t worry! Dominoes is super easy to learn and a ton of fun to play. There are actually different variations of Dominoes, too, and we’ll walk you through how to play some of the most popular ones. Read on to learn how to play Straight Dominoes, Mexican Train Dominoes, incorporate winning strategies into your game, and more!

How to Play Classic Dominoes

  1. Gather 2-4 players and a double-9 or double-12 set of dominoes.
  2. Shuffle the dominoes face down.
  3. Draw 7 tiles each for 2 players and 5 each for 3-4 players.
  4. Place the heaviest double in the middle and build off of it.
  5. Match the pips on your domino to the pips on the open-ended dominoes.
  6. Draw a tile from the pile if you can’t place one from your hand.
  7. The first person with an empty hand wins the round; play until 100.
Section 1 of 4:

How to Play Straight Dominoes

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  1. Step 1 Gather 2 to 4 players and a set of dominoes.
    If there are 4 players, you could choose to play as partners with the person sitting opposite you, or you can each play your own hands. If you want to play with more than 4 people, use a double-12 set instead of a double-9 set.[1]
    • A double-12 set comes with 91 tiles, and a double-9 set comes with 55 tiles.
    • If you need to buy a domino set, you can find one here.
  2. Step 2 Shuffle the dominoes face down and draw to see who plays first.
    Lay all the tiles face down on a flat surface in front of you. Have one player thoroughly shuffle them. Let each person draw one tile—the person with the highest double will go first. If a double wasn't drawn, the person with the heaviest tile (the tile with the most pips) will go first. Put the tiles back into the pile and give them another quick shuffle.[2]
    • Every dot on a tile is an individual “pip.”
    • A double is a domino with the same number on both ends.
    • Because each game of dominoes involves playing several hands, trade off who shuffles at the beginning of each hand so everyone gets a turn.
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  3. Step 3 Draw 7 tiles each for 2-player games and 5 tiles each for 4-player games.
    You can pick from anywhere in the pile, but after a tile has been picked, it can't be put back into the pile. Set your dominoes up in front of you so that you can see them, but try to keep them hidden from your neighbors.[3]
    • Play on a hard surface if you can, as that will make it easier to stand the dominoes on edge in front of you.
  4. Step 4 Place the heaviest double in the center of the table to begin the round.
    The person who drew the biggest double tile to go first puts it down to get the game started. Once that heavy double is down, it can be played on all four sides. So if you have a double-6 tile, you can connect it to other 6 tiles on all four sides.[4]
  5. Step 5 Take turns building off the tiles on the board by matching them to your own tiles.
    Go clockwise around the table. Each turn consists of a player laying down one tile. That tile has to have a side that matches the open end of a domino that is already on the table. Continue taking turns until someone uses up all of their tiles.[5]
    • For example, if the last domino placed had four pips on the open end, you’d have to match it with another four-pipped tile.
    • Double tiles are placed sideways. Single tiles (tiles with different pips on their ends), are placed lengthways.
    • If you lay down a tile with a blank side, it can only be matched with another tile that also has a blank side.
    • In some games, people choose to make the blanks “wild,” meaning you ascribe any value to it. Choose whichever option you like best!

    Tip: If you start to run out of room on the table, you can lay down subsequent dominoes so that the line changes direction.

  6. Step 6 Pick up a tile from the draw pile if you can't play a tile in your hand.
    If the tile you pick up from the draw pile (also known as the boneyard) matches something on the board, you can play it. If not, add the tile to your hand. Keep drawing until you can add a tile to the board. The turn then passes to the next person.[6]
    • With this game mechanic, you can end up with way more than 7 tiles in your hand during any given game.
  7. Step 7 Win the round by using all of the dominoes in your hand, then play to 100 points.
    Whoever is the first person to lay down all the tiles from their hand onto the table wins that round. After they empty their hand, have each player add up the total number of pips on the tiles they have left in front of them. On a piece of paper, add those numbers to the column of the person who won that hand. The first player to 100 wins.[7]
    • Though you may have won the round, that doesn't mean you've won the game! You'll have several hands to play before the entire game is finished.
    • Some players like to round the opponent’s remaining pips to the nearest multiple of 5 before adding them to their points, but this is up to you.
    • There will be at least 7 turns per round, but if everyone ends up having to pick up extra tiles from the draw pile, the game could last much longer than that.
    • Since you have to get to 100 points to win the game, there are multiple chances for every player to win rounds and ultimately come out victorious at the end!
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Play Mexican Train Dominoes

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  1. Step 1 Pull out the double-12 or double-9 domino from the set.
    Choose a domino set with a double-12 for a 13-hand game; choose the double-9 set for a 10-hand game. From whichever set you choose, remove the highest double-sided tile before you move on to shuffling.[8]
    • In Mexican Train, the game starts with the highest double-sided tile in the middle of the table. Each hand after that starts with the double-sided tile that is one number less than the one preceding it:
      • The first hand starts with the double-12, the second hand starts with the double-11, the third hand starts with the double-10, and so on.
  2. Step 2 Shuffle the remaining dominoes facedown on the table in front of you.
    Lay out all of the tiles and flip them so they are pip-side down. Thoroughly mix them up by hand.[9]
    • Since there are so many rounds played in Mexican Train, have players take turns flipping and shuffling the tiles.
  3. Step 3 Have each player draw their tiles from the shuffled tiles.
    Draw tiles based on the number of players you have. For 2-8 players, you need a double-12 set. For 2-4 players, you need a double-9 set. Follow this breakdown to determine how many tiles each person should take:[10]
    • Double-12: 2 to 3 players take 16 tiles each; 4 players take 15 tiles each; 5 players take 14 tiles each; 6 players take 12 tiles each; 7 players take 10 tiles each; 8 players take 9 tiles each.
    • Double-9: 2 players take 15 tiles each; 3 players take 13 tiles each; 4 players take 10 tiles each.
    • After you draw your tiles, set them up in front of you on their sides so you can see what you have, but your neighbors can’t.
  4. Step 4 Put the remaining tiles into the “train yard” to draw from on future turns.
    If on any given turn you don't have a domino in your hand that can be played on either the Mexican train or your personal train, draw one tile from the train yard. If that tile can be played, play it. If not, it gets added to your hand, and the turn passes on to the next player.[11]
    • The “train yard” is also sometimes called the “bone pile.”
    • Keep the tiles in the train yard face down.
  5. Step 5 Set the double domino in the center of the table to begin play.
    After drawing tiles for your hand and creating the train yard, it's finally time for gameplay to begin! There are sets you can buy that include a little stand for the starter tile, which you're welcome to use if you have it. If not, simply place the double-12 or double-9 tile into the center of the playing space.[12]
    • This starter tile is often referred to as the “engine tile.”
    • Everyone can play off of the engine tile, though each person's personal train coming off of that engine tile isn't fair game to other players unless there is a marker on it, which appears when a player isn't able to take their turn.
  6. Step 6 Pick someone to start and take turns clockwise around the table.
    Whoever goes first can lay down a tile only if they have one that matches the denomination of the engine tile. For example, if the engine tile is a double-12, then you must lay down a tile that has 12 pips on one side or the other. The 12-pip side needs to be laid down so that it is connected to the double-12 engine tile.[13]
    • The exception to the 1-tile per turn rule is if you lay down a double tile, meaning that the pips on each side of the tile are the same. If you lay down a double tile, take a second turn immediately and lay down an additional tile.

    Using a Marker: If you can't take a turn even after drawing a tile from the train yard, place a small marker, like a penny, on your train. This means that other players can now play on your train as well as on their own. To remove the marker, you have to play a tile on your personal train, and then it goes back to being your own.

  7. Step 7 Win a hand by being the first to lay down all of your dominoes.
    Once a player has laid down all the tiles in their hand, that particular round is over. Have each player with tiles left in their hand add up their total number of pips. Then, grab a sheet of paper, list their names, and write this figure beneath their name. The goal is to have the lowest number at the end of all the rounds.[14]
    • A set of double-12 dominoes will have 13 rounds, and a set of double-9 dominoes will have 10 rounds.
    • The only other way a round can end is if the entire train yard has been depleted and no one can make a move. In that case, everyone tallies up the pips left in their hand and those figures get added to the score sheet.
  8. Step 8 Continue playing and keeping score until all the double tiles are used.
    Each new round starts with the engine tile that is one number lower than the one used in the previous hand (double-9 for the first hand, double-8 for the second hand, double-7 for the third, and so on). The blank double is the last engine you will use before the end of the game (blank tiles can only be matched with tiles that also have a blank side).[15]
    • The already-used double tiles just get mixed back in with the other tiles when you shuffle between rounds.
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Play Muggins Dominoes

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  1. Step 1 Gather 2-4 players and a set of double-6 dominoes, then shuffle and distribute them.
    Place your dominoes face down and have a player shuffle them up so none of you know which is what. Then have each player gather 5 dominoes if you’re playing with 3-4 people. If you’re playing with 2, have each player grab 7.[16]
    • Leave the remaining dominoes face down on the table to create the boneyard (a pile of dominoes for characters to pull from on future turns).
  2. Step 2 Have the player with the highest double place it in the middle to start.
    This is known as the “spinner,” and it can be played on any side. For example, if the double is six and you have a towel with six pips, you can match it to any side of the double. After placing that double, move clockwise and have the other players place their tiles, matching the open ends as normal.[17]
  3. Step 3 Place tiles to add the open ends up to five, then announce it.
    The goal of the Muggins variation of dominoes is to get the open ends to add up to five (or a multiple of five), so if you have a tile that will get the sum you’re looking for, play it and announce once you reach five. If you don’t have a tile that adds up to five but still attaches, play it anyway and move on to the next player.[18]
    • For example, if the open ends are three and five, and you have a tile with five pips on one side and two on the other, attach the five end to the five on the open end so the two on the other side combine with the opposite open end (three) for five.
    • If you don’t have any tiles to advance or bring the open ends up to five, draw from the boneyard until you pull one that can.
    • Record the points every time you announce five (or it’s multiple). If you don’t announce it, another player can shout “Muggins” and take the points for themselves.
  4. Step 4 Move on to the next round once a player’s hand is empty (or no one can play).
    After the player has emptied their hand, add up the number of pips on each opponent’s dominoes, then round them up to the nearest multiple of five and add it to their scoresheet.[19]
    • If nobody is able to play due to a lack of tiles, have every player count the number of pips on their remaining tiles. Whoever has the lowest scores the difference between their score and the scores of each of their opponents.
      • The same goes for the next lowest, and so on.
    • When rounding up to five, there’s a specific system you need to follow:
      • 1-2 pips is worth 0.
      • 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 pips are worth 5.
      • 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 pips are worth 10 (and so on).
  5. Step 5 Keep playing until someone reaches 200 points.
    The goal of Muggins is to reach 200 points (or an agreed-upon amount, like 150) before everyone else, so continue to play new rounds following the previous steps until someone’s scorecard adds up to 200. If a player reaches 200 points during a round, the game stops immediately, and that person wins.[20]
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Section 4 of 4:

Strategies for Winning Dominoes

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  1. Step 1 Play double dominoes early.
    If you’ve got some double dominoes in your hand, play them early to set yourself up for success. Doubles give you more flexibility and chances for success, as you can connect them to singles and other doubles, as opposed to one or the other.[21]
    • They also allow you to change the direction of the tiles, which you can use to visually confuse your opponent once the table starts getting full.
  2. Step 2 Try to get rid of your heavy dominoes before the game ends.
    Dominoes count as points once the game is over, so having heavy dominoes (dominoes with lots of pips) will count as more points than smaller ones. While this is good for you if you win, it gives your opponent extra points if you lose. So avoid accidentally inflating your opponent’s score and try to get rid of those heavy tiles before the game ends.[22]
  3. Step 3 Keep an eye on opponents’ weaknesses.
    When your opponent has to head to the boneyard because they don’t have a certain tile, keep an eye on that number. Chances are, as the game progresses, they won’t have that number in their tiles, so if you do, you can use it to throw them off and force them to visit the boneyard again (as long as you remember that they didn’t have it).[23]
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  • Question
    What is all fives dominoes?
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    In all fives, the goal is to make the open ends of the layout add up to either 5 or a multiple of 5. The players typically play to 100 or 200 points.
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    How do you play dominoes with pictures?
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    Picture dominoes is very similar to a game of straight dominoes with standard tiles. Instead of matching numbers, the players match pictures together. Just like in straight dominoes, you play until one person runs out of dominoes or nobody can make any more matches.
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    What’s a double 9 set of dominoes?
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    A double 9 set is a domino set that comes with 55 dominoes, with the suits ranging from 0 (blank) to 9. A double 9 set allows you to play a larger variety of games than a double 6 set, which only contains 28 dominoes with suits ranging from 0 to 6. Dominoes also come in double 12 sets.
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  • Each dominoes game can have lots of variations depending on how you learned to play and who you're playing with, and that is okay! Just take a few moments to talk with your friends and make sure everyone agrees on the rules before you start playing.
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  • Try playing dominoes online! It's a great way to play the game without having to actually own a set of dominoes.
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  • There are many other games that can be played with dominoes, like Moon and Texas Two-Step.
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References

  1. ↑ http://www.domino-play.com/Games/StraightDominoes.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.domino-play.com/Games/StraightDominoes.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.domino-play.com/Games/StraightDominoes.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.domino-play.com/Games/StraightDominoes.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.domino-play.com/Games/StraightDominoes.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.domino-play.com/Games/StraightDominoes.htm
  7. ↑ https://youtu.be/9MeWPTqJsns?t=141
  8. ↑ https://youtu.be/0Ty6HHUxqKc?t=63
  9. ↑ https://mexicantrain.com/blog/opening-strategies.html
  1. ↑ https://mexicantrain.com/blog/opening-strategies.html
  2. ↑ https://www.mexicantrainrulesandstrategies.com/
  3. ↑ https://www.mexicantrainrulesandstrategies.com/
  4. ↑ https://www.mexicantrainrulesandstrategies.com/
  5. ↑ https://www.mexicantrainrulesandstrategies.com/
  6. ↑ https://youtu.be/0Ty6HHUxqKc?t=204
  7. ↑ https://youtu.be/cNU3X7XCHk0?si=MElt029FZ96Ko7hc&t=30
  8. ↑ https://youtu.be/cNU3X7XCHk0?si=lvkoBZpPTr20nAt6&t=84
  9. ↑ https://youtu.be/cNU3X7XCHk0?si=7G3rC669S84giJIg&t=107
  10. ↑ https://youtu.be/cNU3X7XCHk0?si=cN0KFsz6xzQBimJG&t=172
  11. ↑ https://youtu.be/cNU3X7XCHk0?si=2fmjwe1TiaKhPXIc&t=196
  12. ↑ https://www.coolmathgames.com/blog/dominoes-strategy-a-guide-for-mastering-dominoes
  13. ↑ https://www.coolmathgames.com/blog/dominoes-strategy-a-guide-for-mastering-dominoes
  14. ↑ https://www.coolmathgames.com/blog/dominoes-strategy-a-guide-for-mastering-dominoes

About This Article

Marcus Pruitt, BS
Co-authored by:
Marcus Pruitt, BS
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Marcus Pruitt, BS. Marcus Pruitt is a staff writer at wikiHow. Marcus earned his B.S. in Journalism from Illinois State University in 2023. He has been all around Chicago’s creative scene, writing about up-and-coming artists, musicians, and designers for small publications before moving on to independent writing. As an independent writer, Pruitt has focused on topics like mental health, social justice, and media representation. His documentary, Portrait of Jelani: Grief, Art & Memory, won the Audience Choice Award at the 2023 Foxtail Film Festival. Throughout his career, Pruitt has written with the purpose of helping others, which landed him at wikiHow. Here, he enjoys writing articles that make the big ideas in readers’ lives easier to navigate. This article has been viewed 3,155,926 times.
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Article SummaryX

Dominoes is a fun game you can play with 2 to 8 players. The game starts with each player drawing one tile. Whoever draws the highest double, or tile with the same number on each end, goes first. If no player draws a double, the player whose tile has the most pips, or dots, goes first. Spread all of the tiles out face-down on the table. Each player draws 7 tiles from the pile for their hand. Then, the first player plays one tile from their hand face-up in the center of the table. The player to their left must play a tile that matches one end of the tile the first player played. The next player can play a tile off of either end of the chain. Doubles are played perpendicular to the chain. If a tile has a blank side, the blank side can only be played off of the blank side of another tile. If a player can’t play a tile from their hand, they draw one from the excess pile. If they’re able to play the tile, they can play it after drawing it. Otherwise, their turn is over. Once the excess pile is empty, players just pass if they can’t play a tile. Play continues like this until one player runs out of tiles first and wins the round. The other players count up the number of dots on the remaining tiles in their hand. Their scores are added up and awarded to the player who won the round, and a new round starts. Keep playing rounds until one player scores 100 or 250 points, depending on how long you want to play for. To learn how to play Mexican Train dominoes, read on!

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