How to Play Dominoes: Rules, Setup, Scoring and Tips for Beginners

Learning how to play dominoes is simple once you understand the basic idea: place tiles so that matching numbers touch, try to get rid of your tiles before your opponent, and pay attention to the points left in each player’s hand.

Dominoes is played with rectangular tiles, each divided into two ends marked with dots called pips. The traditional double-six domino set has 28 unique tiles, covering every combination from blank-blank to 6-6.

This beginner’s guide explains the basic dominoes rules, how to set up a game, how turns work, what the boneyard is, how scoring works, and what strategies can help you win.

Quick Answer: How Do You Play Dominoes?

To play dominoes, shuffle the tiles face down, draw your starting hand, and take turns placing one tile at a time so that one end matches an open number on the board. If you cannot play, you may draw from the boneyard or pass, depending on the rules of the variant you are playing.

A round usually ends when one player plays their last tile or when no player can make a legal move. In many classic dominoes games, the winner scores points based on the pips left in the other players’ hands.

What Is Dominoes?

Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with small rectangular pieces. Each tile has two numbered ends, and the numbers are usually represented by pips, similar to dice.

Although there are many dominoes variants, most games share the same core mechanic: players build a line of tiles by matching numbers on open ends. For example, a tile with a 6 can be played against an open 6, and a tile with a blank can be played against an open blank.

The most familiar dominoes games use a double-six set, but larger sets such as double-nine and double-twelve are also common for longer games or more players.

What You Need to Play

For a basic game of dominoes, you need:

• A domino set, usually double-six for beginners.
• Two or more players.
• A flat surface to place the tiles.
• A way to track score if you are playing multiple rounds.

Most beginner-friendly dominoes games use a standard double-six set with 28 tiles. If you are playing online, the game handles the shuffle, deal, legal moves and scoring automatically.

How Many Dominoes Are in a Set?

A standard double-six dominoes set has 28 tiles. It includes every possible pair from blank-blank to 6-6, with no duplicates.

Larger sets include more tiles:

For most beginners, double-six dominoes are the easiest place to start because the set is smaller and the rules are easier to follow.

How Many Dominoes Does Each Player Start With?

In many basic two-player dominoes games, each player starts with 7 tiles. The remaining tiles stay face down and form the boneyard, which may be used later if a player cannot move.

The exact number of starting tiles depends on the game variant and the number of players. Some rules use 7 tiles for two players and 5 tiles for three or four players, especially in beginner-friendly versions.

How to Set Up a Dominoes Game

Setting up a basic dominoes game only takes a few steps.

Shuffle the tiles

Place all dominoes face down on the table and mix them thoroughly. This face-down group of tiles is sometimes called the stock, pool or boneyard.

Draw your hand

Each player draws their starting tiles and keeps them hidden from the other players. In a two-player game, each player usually draws 7 tiles.

Leave the remaining tiles face down

The leftover tiles stay in the middle as the boneyard. In Draw Dominoes, players draw from this pile when they cannot play. In Block Dominoes, the remaining tiles may be left unused during the round, depending on the rules.

Who Goes First?

Many dominoes rules start with the player who has the highest double, such as double-six, double-five or double-four. If no player has a double, some rules reshuffle and deal again, while others allow the highest-value tile to start.

In casual games, players may also choose the first player randomly. The most important thing is to agree on the starting rule before the game begins.

How to Play a Turn

On your turn, you place one tile from your hand onto the board. One side of your tile must match one of the open ends already on the table.

For example:

• If an open end shows 6, you can play any tile with a 6.
• If an open end shows 2, you can play any tile with a 2.
• If a tile is 6-2, it can be played on either a 6 end or a 2 end.

Most basic dominoes games have two open ends. Players take turns extending the line by matching one of those open ends.

What Happens If You Cannot Play?

What happens when you cannot play depends on the variant.

In Draw Dominoes, you draw from the boneyard until you find a tile you can play or until the boneyard runs out. If there are no tiles left and you still cannot play, you pass.

In Block Dominoes, you usually pass immediately if you cannot play. This makes Block Dominoes more tactical because players must rely more heavily on their starting hand.

What Is the Boneyard in Dominoes?

The boneyard is the pile of face-down tiles left after players draw their starting hands. In Draw Dominoes and many beginner-friendly rules, players draw from the boneyard when they cannot play.

The boneyard makes the game more flexible. It gives players a chance to recover from a difficult hand, but it also adds risk because every tile you draw increases the number of pips you may be holding if another player goes out.

How a Round Ends

A round of dominoes usually ends in one of two ways:

• One player plays their final tile.
• The game becomes blocked and no player can make a legal move.

When a player plays their last tile, this is often called going out or dominoing. If the game is blocked, players usually count the pips left in their hands, and the player with the lowest total wins the round.

How Dominoes Scoring Works

Scoring depends on the variant you are playing, but many classic dominoes games score at the end of each round.

If a player goes out, the winner usually scores points based on the total pips left in the opponents’ hands. If the game is blocked, the player with the lowest pip count usually wins, and scoring may be based on the opponents’ remaining pips or the difference between hands, depending on the rules.

Simple scoring example

Imagine Player A plays their last tile. Player B has these tiles left:

Player A wins the round and may score 16 points, depending on the scoring rules being used.

Basic Dominoes Strategy for Beginners

Play high-value tiles early

Tiles with many pips can be risky at the end of a round. If your opponent goes out while you are holding high-value tiles, those pips may become points for them.

Keep your hand flexible

Try to keep different numbers in your hand. If you only have tiles with the same few numbers, you may get stuck when those numbers disappear from the open ends.

Pay attention to passes and draws

When another player passes or draws, they reveal useful information. They may not have one of the open numbers. You can use that information to block them later.

Do not hold doubles too long

Doubles can be useful, but they can also become hard to play if you wait too long. High doubles are especially risky because they carry many pips.

Think about what you leave open

A legal move is not always the best move. Before playing a tile, think about what number you will leave open and whether that number helps you or your opponent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Playing without watching the board

Beginners often focus only on their own hand. Strong players also watch which numbers are open, which numbers have been played, and which numbers opponents seem to be missing.

Saving high tiles for too long

High-value tiles can cost you points if another player wins the round. Try to reduce your hand value as the game progresses.

Ignoring the boneyard

If the boneyard is almost empty, the round may become blocked soon. At that point, keeping a low pip count becomes more important.

Forgetting the scoring rules

Different dominoes variants score differently. Before you start, make sure everyone knows whether you are scoring by total pips, point differences, or multiples of five.

Popular Dominoes Variants to Try Next

Once you know the basic dominoes rules, you can try different variants.

Draw Dominoes

Draw Dominoes is one of the easiest variants for beginners. If you cannot play, you draw from the boneyard until you find a playable tile.

Block Dominoes

Block Dominoes is more restrictive. If you cannot play, you pass. This makes blocking and tile control more important.

All Fives

All Fives adds scoring during the round. If the open ends add up to a multiple of five, the player scores points.

Bergen

Bergen is a scoring variant where matching open ends can earn points. It is a good choice for players who enjoy tactical play.

Mexican Train

Mexican Train is a popular social dominoes game built around personal trains, a shared train and round-based scoring.

Play Dominoes Online

The fastest way to learn is to play. On Dominoes 365, you can play dominoes online directly in your browser and practise the rules as you go.

Online play helps beginners because the game handles shuffling, dealing, legal moves and scoring. You can focus on learning strategy, reading the board and improving with every round.

If you are just starting, begin with classic dominoes or Block Dominoes. Once you feel comfortable, try All Fives, Bergen or Mexican Train to explore different scoring systems and strategies.

FAQ

What is the easiest way to learn dominoes?

The easiest way to learn dominoes is to start with a basic double-six game. Learn how to match open ends, how the boneyard works, and how a round ends before trying more advanced variants.

How many dominoes do you start with?

In many two-player dominoes games, each player starts with 7 tiles. In games with more players, the number of starting tiles may be lower depending on the rules.

How many tiles are in a dominoes set?

A standard double-six dominoes set has 28 tiles, covering every combination from blank-blank to 6-6.

Who goes first in dominoes?

Many rules say that the player with the highest double goes first. If no player has a double, some rules use the highest-value tile or require a reshuffle.

What is the boneyard?

The boneyard is the pile of face-down tiles left after the starting hands are dealt. In Draw Dominoes, players draw from the boneyard when they cannot play.

What happens if you cannot play a domino?

In Draw Dominoes, you draw from the boneyard until you can play or until the boneyard is empty. In Block Dominoes, you usually pass if you cannot play.

How do you win dominoes?

You usually win a round by playing all your tiles first. If the game is blocked, the player with the lowest pip count usually wins the round.

How does scoring work in dominoes?

In many classic games, the winner scores based on the pips left in the other players’ hands. Some variants, such as All Fives, also allow scoring during the round.

Is dominoes a strategy game?

Yes. Dominoes involves luck, but strategy matters. Strong players manage their hand, count played numbers, watch opponents’ passes and try to control the open ends.

Can I play dominoes online for free?

Yes. You can play dominoes online for free on Dominoes 365 directly in your browser.

Related Guides

• How to Play Dominoes with 2 Players
• How Many Tiles Are in Dominoes?
• Types of Dominoes Games
• Best Dominoes Strategies
• Advanced Dominoes Strategies
• History of Dominoes

Sources

• Domino Rules, Straight Dominoes rules: https://www.dominorules.com/straight-dominoes
• Masters of Games, Dominoes rules: https://www.mastersofgames.com/rules/dominoes-rules.htm
• House of Marbles, Dominoes instructions: https://www.houseofmarbles.us/puzzle-solutions/dominoes-instructions/
• Wikipedia, Dominoes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominoes