Block dominoes
How do you play Block Dominoes?
In short. Block is the shortest set of domino rules there is, and the one every other variant builds on.
There is no drawing: on your turn you either have a tile that matches an open end, or you pass.
Two players take seven tiles each from a standard double-six set of 28; three or four players take five each.
The goal in Block is to be the first to play every tile from your hand, and if the game locks up, to hold the fewest pips.
The winner scores the total number of pips left in every opponent's hand.
How do you set up and start a game of Block Dominoes?
Use a standard double-six set of 28 tiles. Two players take seven tiles each; three or four players take five each. The remaining tiles stay face down and are not used at all during the hand. The player holding the highest double leads it.
How does a turn work in Block Dominoes?
Each turn you add one tile to either open end of the layout, matching the number already showing there. A double is laid crosswise but still counts as one end.
What happens if you cannot play a tile in Block?
You pass and the turn moves on. Block has no boneyard to draw from, which is exactly the rule that separates it from Classic Draw, where a stuck player draws instead.
How do you score in Block Dominoes?
The player who places their last tile scores the total number of pips left in every opponent's hand. Play continues to an agreed target, commonly 100 points for a short session or 250 for a long one.
What happens when a Block game is blocked?
The hand can end with nobody able to play and the boneyard unused. Each player counts the pips in their hand, the lowest count wins, and the winner scores the pips held by the others.
Why does Block play faster than other domino variants?
Because there is no drawing, hands are short, and reading what your opponent cannot play matters more than in any other variant.