Learn how to play one of the world's oldest and most iconic games.
Dominoes is a game that is typically played by two to four players. The objective of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all your dominoes by playing them onto a chain of dominoes that have already been played.
The dominoes are shuffled and each player draws a certain number of dominoes, depending on the number of players. In a two-player game, each player would draw seven dominoes.
The player with the highest double (a tile with the same number on both ends) plays first. If no doubles are drawn, the player with the highest sum of numbers on their tiles plays first.
Each player takes turns placing one of their dominoes on the board, matching one end to an open end of a domino already on the board. If a player cannot make a legal play, they must pass their turn to the next player.
If a player cannot make a play, they are "blocked" and must pass their turn to the next player.
The round ends when one player plays all their dominoes ("Domino!") or when all players are blocked ("Blocked!") If all players are blocked, the winner of the round is the player with the lowest number of pips remaining in their hand. The winner of the round receives the total pips from the dominoes left in other players' hands, adds them to the game's scoreboard, and a new round begins.
The game is won when a player reaches a certain points threshold (e.g. 150), after a few rounds of play.
Dominoes is a fun and challenging game that takes practice. To learn the nuances of the game, and become a better Dominoes player, check out the pop.in app! Play with real people in real time on pop.in, and explore other games like Spades, Hearts, Liar’s Dice, or our collaborative crossword. We have daily tournaments for all of your favorite games, real prizes, and a welcoming community.