rules to play dominoes

Nearly all of the most popular domino games fit into one of four categories. The four categories are bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, and round games.

Bidding Games

Bidding games are card like games, played by two to four players. In these games, players bid their hands, the highest bidder names the suit, and the score is determined by the bid.

Blocking Games

Blocking games are played by matching dominoes in a line. Scoring is done only at the end of each hand. The player or team who plays all the dominoes in his hand first, or dominoes, scores the total count of the tiles still held by his opponents. In the event of a blocked game, the player or team who has the lowest count scores the total count of the tiles still held by his opponents.

Scoring Games

A scoring game, like a blocking game, is also played by matching dominoes. One difference is that scoring is done throughout the game after each scoring play is made, as well as at the end of each hand. The game is played until a player or team makes the necessary points to win. A game consists of a series of hands. A hand consists of a series of plays with the dominoes drawn from the deck.

Round Games

Round games are party games, played by three to ten players, in which scoring is usually done at the end of each hand and each hand is usually a game.