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Shuffling and Setting Up the Game
Alright, so you’ve got your double-nine domino set ready to go. The first step to any domino game is a good, thorough shuffle. This ensures fairness and a bit of unpredictability, making the game more exciting for everyone involved.
Shuffling
Turn all the dominoes face down on the table. We call this the “boneyard.” Now, with your hands, mix them up thoroughly. Think of it like scrambling a deck of cards, but with a bit more clacking and clattering. You want to make sure no one can peek at the faces and that the dominoes are distributed randomly. Spend a good 30 seconds or so shuffling, ensuring every domino has been moved around multiple times. This randomization is key to a balanced and fair game. Once you’re satisfied with your shuffle, leave the dominoes face down in the boneyard.
Drawing Your Hand
Number of Dominoes to Draw
How many dominoes each player draws depends on the number of players in the game. Here’s a handy little table to help you figure that out:
| Number of Players | Dominoes per Player |
|---|---|
| 2 | 7 |
| 3 or 4 | 5 |
| 5 or 6 | 4 |
| 7 or 8 | 3 |
This table provides a standard guideline. If you want a slightly longer or shorter game, feel free to adjust the number of dominoes drawn. Just remember that everyone needs to draw the same amount.
The Draw
Now, each player takes turns drawing dominoes from the boneyard, one at a time, until they have the correct number according to the table above. It’s important to keep your dominoes hidden from other players. This adds a layer of strategy and surprise to the game, as no one knows what you’re holding.
The Remaining Dominoes
Once everyone has their hand, any remaining dominoes in the boneyard become the “draw pile” or “bone pile.” This pile will be used later in the game if a player is unable to make a play from their hand. Set this pile aside, face down, where everyone can reach it.
Starting the Game
After everyone has drawn their dominoes, the player with the highest double (e.g., double-nine, double-eight, etc.) usually starts the game. If no one has a double, the player with the domino having the highest total pips (the dots on the dominoes) goes first. They place this domino in the center of the table, and play proceeds clockwise from there. Now you’re ready to start matching and scoring!
Blocking
Sometimes, the dominoes don’t fall your way, and you find yourself stuck without a playable tile. This is where the art of blocking comes into play. Blocking is a crucial defensive tactic in dominoes that prevents your opponents from scoring points, especially when you can’t make a move yourself. It aims to create a situation where one or more opponents are unable to play a tile. A well-timed block can disrupt their strategy and shift the momentum of the game in your favor.
A key element of blocking is recognizing the tiles your opponents might be holding. If you notice a particular suit hasn’t been played much, there’s a good chance someone has a concentration of those tiles. By closing off the ends of the train with that suit, you effectively block them from playing and force them to draw from the boneyard. This becomes especially important in the later stages of the game.
Keep an eye on the dominoes played. If one end of the train is a 5 and the other is a 2, you can deduce that tiles with a 5 or 2 are likely in high demand. If you hold tiles with these numbers, consider holding onto them to create a block later in the game, particularly if drawing from the boneyard is likely to benefit your opponents more than you.
Here’s an example of a common blocking scenario:
| Train End 1 | Train End 2 | Your Hand | Blocking Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 2 | [4-6], [2-3], [5-5] | Play the [5-5] to block both ends of the train with the 5 suit. |
Strategic Play
Strategic play in dominoes involves more than just matching numbers. It requires foresight, planning, and a bit of calculated risk. A strong strategic approach focuses on maximizing your own scoring opportunities while simultaneously minimizing those of your opponents. This means thinking several steps ahead and anticipating how your moves will affect the game’s flow.
Counting tiles is a fundamental aspect of strategic play. Keep track of which doubles have been played and which numbers seem to be scarce. This knowledge helps you predict the tiles remaining in your opponents’ hands and allows you to make more informed decisions about which tiles to play and which to hold back. For instance, if the double-six has not yet been played, you might want to save a tile with a six in case an opponent plays it, allowing you to score big by playing your double.
Another important element is knowing when to play your doubles. While doubles can lead to high-scoring plays, they can also be liabilities if played prematurely. Consider the state of the game before laying down a double. If the game is nearing its end and you hold several doubles, it might be beneficial to play them to avoid getting stuck with them in your hand. Alternatively, if the game is still early, holding onto your doubles strategically might create more scoring opportunities later.
Efficiently managing your hand is paramount. Try to retain a balanced set of tiles across different suits. This adaptability makes you less vulnerable to blocks and allows you to respond effectively to changes in the game’s dynamics. If you find yourself with a heavy concentration of one suit, attempt to play those tiles as quickly as possible to diversify your hand.
Winning the Round
A game of Double Nine dominoes ends when one player successfully plays their last domino, effectively emptying their hand. This player is declared the winner of that particular round. Alternatively, a round can end in a “blocked” or “stalled” game. This happens when no player can legally make a further move, even though there are still dominoes in each player’s hands. In such scenarios, the round ends without a clear winner based on emptying their hand.
Calculating Scores
Scoring in Double Nine dominoes revolves around the pips (dots) remaining in each player’s hand at the end of the round. The winner of a round, by playing out all their dominoes, naturally receives zero points for that round. For everyone else, the pip values of the dominoes remaining in their hand are tallied up.
Counting the Pips
Carefully count the dots on each domino remaining in your hand. Add these values together to determine your score for the round.
Example
Imagine a player’s hand contains the following dominoes at the end of the round: [2-5], [4-9], and [0-3]. The total pip count would be calculated as follows: 2 + 5 + 4 + 9 + 0 + 3 = 23. Therefore, the player’s score for this round is 23.
Blocked Game Scoring
When a game is blocked, the scoring process changes slightly. Every player counts the pips remaining in their hand. The player with the *lowest* total pip count wins the round. Their score for the round is then calculated by subtracting their pip total from the combined pip totals of all other players.
Example: Blocked Game
Let’s say we have three players. Player 1 has 12 pips remaining, Player 2 has 15, and Player 3 has 10. Since Player 3 has the lowest pip count, they win the blocked round. Their score is calculated as follows: (12 + 15) - 10 = 17. Player 3 receives 17 points for winning the blocked game.
Running Totals
Scores are accumulated across multiple rounds. Each player keeps a running total of their scores from each round. The game typically continues until a predetermined target score is reached by one or more players. This target score can be anything, but common targets are 100, 200, or 250 points. The first player to reach or exceed this target score is declared the overall winner of the game.
Simplified Scoring Variation
In some casual variations of the game, all players simply add their remaining pip counts to their score regardless of who won the round. This simplifies the scoring process, especially for beginners, but does change the overall game dynamic.
Dominos Remaining Pips and Scores Example
Here’s a table illustrating an example of how remaining domino pips translate to scores in a blocked game scenario with three players:
| Player | Domino 1 | Domino 2 | Domino 3 | Total Pips | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player 1 | [2-5] | [1-3] | [0-0] | 11 | 14 (25-11) |
| Player 2 | [4-9] | [6-6] | 25 (highest) | 25 | |
| Player 3 | [3-4] | [0-2] | 9 | 16 (25-9) |
In this example, a blocked game occurred. Player 3, having the fewest total pips (9), is considered the round winner in the blocked game scenario. The sum of the pip totals of the other players (25 + 11 = 36). Then deduct the lowest pip count of Player 3 to get the total score (25 - 9=16) so that the total score of player 3 is 16. Player 1’s total score became 14 (25 - 11), and Player 2’s score remains 25.
How to Play Double Nine Dominoes
Double nine dominoes is a classic tile-based game for two to four players. The objective is to be the first player to empty your hand of dominoes by matching them to open ends on the table. This involves a blend of strategy, observation, and a bit of luck. This guide outlines the basics of gameplay.
Setup: Each player draws a specific number of dominoes from a shuffled face-down set (typically 7 for two players, 5 for three or four). The remaining dominoes form the boneyard. The player with the highest double, or if none are drawn, the highest domino, begins by placing it in the center of the table.
Gameplay: Players take turns adding a domino from their hand to an open end of a domino chain on the table. A domino can only be played if it has a matching number of pips (dots) to an available end. Doubles are traditionally played perpendicular to the line of the other dominoes. If a player cannot place a domino, they must draw from the boneyard until they can play or until the boneyard is empty.
Scoring: The game continues until one player goes out, meaning they have played all dominoes in their hand. At that point, the other players count the pips on the remaining dominoes in their hands. This total is added to the winning player’s score. Multiple rounds can be played to a predetermined point total, or until a certain time limit is reached.
Variations: While these rules outline the basic game, many variations exist, including scoring modifications, rules regarding drawing from the boneyard, and different domino sets (like double-twelve or double-fifteen, which offer more complex gameplay).
People Also Ask About How to Play Double Nine Dominoes
General Gameplay
What is the highest domino in double nine dominoes?
The highest domino in a double nine set is the double nine, featuring nine pips on each side.
How many dominoes are in a double nine set?
A double nine domino set contains 55 tiles, representing all combinations from 0-0 up to 9-9.
Specific Rules
What happens if no one can play a domino?
If no player can make a legal move, the game is considered “blocked.” In some variations, the player with the lowest pip total in their hand wins the round. In others, the game ends in a draw.
Can you play a domino on both ends of the chain?
Yes, as the chain grows, dominoes can be played on either open end, provided the pips match.
Scoring and Winning
How do you win at double nine dominoes?
The first player to empty their hand of dominoes wins the round. Points are then calculated based on the pips remaining in the other players’ hands.
How do you score in double nine dominoes?
The winner of a round receives points equal to the total number of pips remaining in all other players’ hands. The game continues for multiple rounds until a pre-determined score is reached, or a time limit expires.