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Below are the rules for the basic game of dominoes. There is, however, an almost infinite number of variations. If you have an interest in checking them out, go to DominoRules.com.
Dominoes is a game for 2 to 4 players consisting of 28 dominos. If there are two players, each player gets 7 dominos. If there are 4 players, each player gets 5 dominos. Before the dominos are distributed, the starting player must be determined. The player who picks the domino with the highest number value starts the game. The starting player lays one of his/her dominos on the table. The playing turns progress clockwise. Play continues as the following player adds one of his/her dominos to either end of the starting domino by matching the number of dots on his/her domino to the number of dots on the starting domino. If the player does not have a matching domino, the turn goes to the next player. The round ends when nobody has any dominos left which match the ones on the table. Then each player adds up the score of his/her remaining dominos and notes the total as penalty points. The player with the lowest total wins the round and starts the next round. The game is over when one player reaches 100 or 200 penalty points. The player with the fewest penalty points wins the game.
Rules:
1. The dominos should be placed face down on the table and mixed well. Then each player draws one domino. The player who draws the highest double-numbered domino begins the game. If no one draws a double-numbered domino, the player who draws the domino with the highest number may begin. Playing turns go clockwise.
2. Next, the players put their dominos back on the table and mix them all together again (see point 4). When there are only two players, each player draws 7 dominos. When there are more players, each draws 5 dominos.
3. The first player lays one domino on the table. The next player adds a domino to one of the two ends which matches the number on the end of the domino chain. If the player does not have a domino which matches the end of the domino chain, it is the next players turn. Play continues until no one can add any more dominos to the chain. Another way to play is to have each player add together the numbers on all their remaining dominos at the end of the round. Then the player with the lowest score wins the round. In addition to the winner’s own score, the score of the other players also count as the winners points. The first player to reach 121 points wins the game.
4. Another variant for beginning the game is that every player keeps the domino which they draw when establishing who will start. The player with the highest double-numbered domino lays his or her domino directly on the table. Now everybody draws only 6 (or 4 if more than two players) more dominos.