Dominoes Game: how to play

Dominoes is a free dominoes game you play online in your browser: classic draw dominoes with a double-six set of 28 tiles. Dot, a domino whose pips are its eyes and cheeks, is your host, and five friendly opponents wait in five places, from a sunny garden table to a starlit terrace. Match the numbers, draw from the boneyard when you are stuck and be the first to empty your hand. Dominoes online free, with new deals every day.

How to play

• How to play dominoes: you and your opponent get seven tiles each and the other 14 lie face down in the boneyard. Whoever holds the highest double plays it first (with no doubles, the heaviest tile), then you take turns.
• On your turn, play one tile whose number matches an open end of the line: tap it, or pick it with ← → and press Enter or Space. If it fits both ends, tap the end you want. Doubles lie crosswise.
• Nothing fits? Tap the boneyard (or press D) to draw one tile at a time until one fits. You may only draw when you can't play. When the boneyard is empty, you pass.
• The first player to play their last tile calls domino and wins the round, scoring all the pips left in the other hand. If nobody can play, the line is blocked and the lighter hand wins the other hand's pips.
• Reach the level's points first to win the level. Your opponent needs more points than you, a friendly head start. If they get there first, you lose one of your three hearts and play a rematch. Three stars per level: win it, keep your hearts, and lose no rounds.

The five levels

1. Garden Table: Cubby the wooden block, an easy first opponent: first to 30 points (Cubby needs 45)
2. Seaside Cafe: Bao the panda, first to 40 (Bao needs 60): your pip count shows, so play heavy tiles first
3. Plaza Fountain: Shuffle the turtle, first to 50 (75): the last two bones sleep and can't be drawn, so lines block more often
4. Mountain Cabin: Lexi the bookworm, first to 50 (70): Lexi watches which numbers you knock on, and you see Lexi's knocks too
5. Starlight Terrace: Robin the fox, first to 60 (85): the sharpest player, who blocks on purpose

Clear Starlight Terrace and the five places come round again: every opponent slips up less often in lap 2, and less again in lap 3. You have three hearts for the whole run, and the game is the same for everyone each day, so you can compare scores. Press M to turn the sound off or on.

Tips

• Play heavy tiles and doubles early: whatever is left in your hand scores for the other player.
• Keep a mix of numbers so you can follow whatever end is left open.
• When your opponent draws or passes, they have none of the numbers on the ends. Leave those numbers open to block them.
• Count the tiles: there are seven tiles with each number, so when most of a number is on the table, an end showing it is hard to follow.

Questions

Is this dominoes game free?

Yes. Dominoes is free to play online in your browser: no download, no sign-up and nothing to buy.

How do you play dominoes for beginners?

Match a tile to a number at either end of the line. If nothing fits, draw from the boneyard. Empty your hand first to win the round and score the pips left in the other hand.

Can I play dominoes online on my phone?

Yes. Tap a tile to play it and tap the boneyard to draw. On an upright phone your hand sits along the bottom and the line bends to fit the screen.

What happens when the game is blocked?

When nobody can play and the boneyard can't be drawn from, the round ends. The player with fewer pips in hand wins and scores the other hand's pips; equal hands score nothing.