How we play

These are house rules, so they differ from standard dominoes in a few places.

Getting started

• We use a double-nine set: 55 tiles, with numbers from 0 to 9.
• Everyone draws 7 tiles. The rest stay face down in the boneyard.
• The player with the highest double plays it first. If nobody has a double, the highest tile starts.
• An opening double is a spinner: you can play off all four sides of it.

Your turn

• Play one tile on any open end where the numbers match.
• If your tile fits more than one end, you choose where it goes.
• If you can't play, draw one tile. If it fits, play it. If not, keep it, and your turn is over.
• If the boneyard is empty and you can't play, you pass.

Doubles must be covered

• When you play a double, including an opening double, you go again and must cover it.
• If you can't cover it, draw one tile. If that tile covers it, play it. If not, keep it, and play moves on.
• Each player after you must then cover the double or draw one, until someone covers it.
• Nothing else can be played anywhere until the double is covered.

Scoring

• The first player to play all their tiles wins the hand and scores the total pips left in everyone else's hands.
• If no one can play and the boneyard is empty, the hand is blocked. The player with the fewest pips wins and scores everyone else's pips. If the lowest totals tie, nobody scores.
• The first player to reach the target score (100, 150 or 250) wins the game.

The table

• Lines bend at the edge of the table so the whole board always fits on your screen.

How we play

These are house rules, so they differ from standard dominoes in a few places.

Playing together online

• The host chooses how many remote players and computer players to have, up to 4 players in all, and gets a 4-digit game number.
• Everyone else opens this same page on their own phone, tablet or computer, chooses Join a game, and enters the number and their name.
• The host starts the game once everyone has joined. Open seats can be filled with computer players.
• You only see your own tiles. Everyone sees the same table, scores and table talk.
• A green dot means a player is connected. If someone has to step away, the host can let the computer play for them, and they can take their seat back at any time.
• To get back into a game, on the same device or a new one, join with the same game number and the same name.
• After each hand, anyone can start the next one.

Getting started

• We use a double-nine set: 55 tiles, with numbers from 0 to 9.
• Everyone draws 7 tiles. The rest stay face down in the boneyard.
• The player with the highest double plays it first. If nobody has a double, the highest tile starts.
• An opening double is a spinner: you can play off all four sides of it.

Your turn

• Play one tile on any open end where the numbers match.
• If your tile fits more than one end, you choose where it goes.
• If you can't play, draw one tile. If it fits, play it. If not, keep it, and your turn is over.
• If the boneyard is empty and you can't play, you pass.

Doubles must be covered

• When you play a double, including an opening double, you go again and must cover it.
• If you can't cover it, draw one tile. If that tile covers it, play it. If not, keep it, and play moves on.
• Each player after you must then cover the double or draw one, until someone covers it.
• Nothing else can be played anywhere until the double is covered.

Scoring

• The first player to play all their tiles wins the hand and scores the total pips left in everyone else's hands.
• If no one can play and the boneyard is empty, the hand is blocked. The player with the fewest pips wins and scores everyone else's pips. If the lowest totals tie, nobody scores.
• The first player to reach the target score (100, 150 or 250) wins the game.

The table

• Lines bend at the edge of the table so the whole board always fits on your screen.
• When it becomes your turn, the page plays a short chime. Use the Sound button to turn it off.