Dominoes Rules — Complete Guide

Dominoes (Dominó) is a classic table game played head-to-head by two players with the full 28-tile double-six set: 7 tiles each and 14 in the boneyard. The holder of the highest double opens, then both players take turns matching tiles to either open end of the line, drawing from the boneyard whenever they cannot play. A round ends when someone plays their last tile (domino) or the table locks (trancado), and points come from the tiles left in hand.

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Tiles and players

This version uses the full double-six set: 28 tiles, each showing two values from 0 to 6 (0:0 through 6:6). A double is a tile whose two halves match, like 6:6 or 3:3.

Two players face off one-on-one — no teams, no partners. Each draws 7 random tiles, and the remaining 14 form the boneyard that feeds the game.

Who opens?

The holder of the highest double opens: 6:6 first, then 5:5, 4:4 and so on down to 0:0.

If neither player holds any double, the player with the tile of highest pip total opens, and that tile is played automatically as the first tile of the line.

How to play: matching the open ends

After the opening tile the line grows in two directions. On your turn you may place a tile on either open end (left or right) as long as one of its values matches the open end.

If you have a playable tile, you must play it — holding tiles and passing while a legal move exists is not allowed.

If nothing in your hand matches, you must draw one tile from the boneyard per turn and keep drawing turn after turn until a playable tile arrives. Passing is never allowed while the boneyard still has tiles; you may only pass once it is empty and you still have no match.

Round end: domino and trancado

Domino: the round ends immediately when a player places their last tile on the table. That player wins the round.

Trancado: if the boneyard is empty and both players pass in a row because neither can match an open end, the table is locked and the round ends right away.

Scoring

Round points come from the pips remaining on the tiles still held by the two players when the round ends.

In a trancado the player with the lower pip total wins and scores the difference between the two hands; an exact tie ends the round with no points.

Rounds are played back to back, and your total keeps accumulating across rounds for as long as you stay at the table.

Tables, clock and features

Every move has a 25-second clock; if it expires the server moves for you automatically — a playable tile, or a draw from the boneyard, or a pass — so the table never stalls.

There is a free practice table plus chip tables at the 100, 1,000 and 10,000 stakes where the winner collects chips based on the round margin. If no human opponent arrives, an AI sits down within seconds, and if you disconnect the exact position is resumed when you come back.

Quick tips for beginners

Dump heavy tiles early (6:6, 6:5, 5:5…); whatever stays in your hand is what counts against you at the end of the round.

Favour tiles that can go on either end — they keep you mobile on every turn.

Watch which numbers your opponent struggles to match; choking off their numbers is how you lock the table in your favour.

Keep a running pip count as the line grows; a trancado can be decided by a single pip.

Frequently asked questions

How many tiles are in a dominoes set?

28 tiles in the full double-six set: every combination from 0:0 through 6:6, including the seven doubles (0:0 up to 6:6).

How many players is this Dominoes game for?

Two players, head-to-head with no teams. If the second human is slow to join, an AI opponent takes the seat within seconds.

How many tiles does each player get?

7 tiles each, with the remaining 14 tiles forming the boneyard.

What if I have no matching tile?

Draw one tile from the boneyard on your turn and keep drawing until a playable tile arrives; passing is only allowed once the boneyard is completely empty.

What does "trancado" mean?

A locked table: both players pass in a row because neither can match an open end. The player with fewer pips in hand wins and scores the difference; an exact tie scores nothing.

When does a round end?

When a player empties their hand (domino), or when the table is locked by two consecutive passes (trancado).

How is the score counted?

From the pips on tiles left in both hands: the round winner collects points based on them, and in a trancado the lower hand wins the difference between the two hands.

How long is each turn?

25 seconds. On timeout the server plays for you automatically so the table never stalls.

Can I really play Dominoes online for free?

Yes — at dominoes.yeeqia.com you play Dominoes online free directly in your browser, no download or sign-up needed, and the free table is always open.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes, the site is mobile-first and runs on any modern Android or iPhone browser, with full Arabic support.