Domino rules

How the game goes on

In each hand, the game proceeds as follows:

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

Each hand may end for two reasons:

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

The winner of the hand scores the sum of the values of the pieces 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 pieces.

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 By Pairs 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 pieces.
• Any pieces may be used as the first piece of the chain. The dealer in each hand is always the next player.
• The pair of the player who runs out of pieces scores the sum of all the pieces that remain unplaced, including the pieces 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 pieces.
• The target score in Ludoteka is 150 points.

Domino 7+7 Play

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

Venezuelan Domino Play

Venezuelan domino is to the domino by pairs played in Spain. The main difference is that unplaced pieces of the winner pair 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 pieces.
• The pair of the player who runs out of pieces scores the sum of the unplaced pieces of the opponents. Unplaced pieces 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 pieces of the opponents.
• The target score in Ludoteka is 100 points.

Domino For Two Play

• Both players take 7 pieces. So, another 14 pieces 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 piece must take new pieces from the pile until one can be played.
• The player who runs out of pieces scores the sum of the opponent's unplaced pieces.
• When one player closes, the opponent takes the remaining pieces from the pile. The player with the fewest points scores the difference between the opponent's and own points in unplaced pieces.
• The target score is 100 points.

Domino For Three Play

• The double zero piece is not used. So, the domino set has 27 pieces.
• Each of the 3 players takes 9 pieces.
• The first hand is opened with the double six. The lead changes in successive hands.
• The player who cannot play any piece must pass.
• The player who runs out of pieces scores the sum of the unplaced pieces 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 pieces: values range from zero to nine, so that 55 different pieces are used.

• Two pairs of players, placed in alternate position, take part in the game.
• Each player takes 10 pieces.
• 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 pieces that remain in the pile after the deal are not used.
• The pair of the player who runs out of pieces scores the sum of the unplaced pieces of the opponents. Unplaced pieces 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 pieces of the opponents, but not own pieces.
• In case of capicua, if the player who closes the hand can place his last piece (not double) at both ends of the chain, the hand scores double.
• The target score is 100 points.

Playing in Ludoteka

Here is how to play dominoes in Ludoteka.

You have different options to take your pieces:

• Click on them, one by one.
• Click and drag the mouse over the pile to take the nearest pieces 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 pieces in the chain, you just have to click on them.

When the selected piece 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 pieces that appear at the both ends.

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

Forced moves. If a player, having only one option to place a piece, 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 pieces to select.
• Click on the button, or wait a few seconds, to randomize.

Sort your own pieces. 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 pieces in the chain, all the appearances of the same number will be highlighted for a moment.