MATCH THE ENDS. EMPTY YOUR HAND.
Dominoes.
Three classic tables. A little strategy, a satisfying click.
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How to play dominoes online
Dominoes is the classic game of matching ends: lay a tile so its pips match an open end of the line, and be the first to play out your hand. This free table has three ways to play — Draw Dominoes, All Fives and Mexican Train — against computer opponents that only see their own tiles and the board. Legal tiles light up, a hint is a tap away, and your match wins save on your device.
Draw Dominoes rules
- The deal. You and the computer each draw seven tiles from a double-six set. The rest form the boneyard. The opening seat alternates each round, and the first tile can be anything.
- Your turn. Play one tile that matches either open end. Blanks match blanks, and doubles are ordinary matching tiles.
- No match? Draw from the boneyard until you can play. Once the boneyard is empty, you pass.
- Winning a round. Play your last tile and you score the pips left in your opponent’s hand. If both hands are blocked, the lower pip count wins the round; a tie scores nothing.
- The match. First to 100 points (quick) or 150 points (standard) wins.
All Fives rules and scoring
- Score as you play. After every tile, add up the open ends. If the total is a multiple of five, you score it on the spot.
- Doubles count twice. A double left open on an end counts both halves, so 5–5 on an end is worth 10.
- The spinner. The first double played is the spinner. Once both of its sides have tiles, its other two sides open, and the table can have four ends.
- Going out. The round winner also scores the other hand’s pips, rounded to the nearest five. The match ends the moment anyone reaches the target.
Mexican Train rules
| Table | Setting |
|---|
| Players | You + 3 computer players |
| Tiles | Double-twelve set, 15 each |
| Quick match | 3 rounds, engines 12 → 10 |
| Full journey | 13 rounds, engines 12 → 0 |
| Winner | Lowest total |
- The engine. Each round starts from a double in the station: 12–12, then 11–11, and so on. Every train begins with a tile that matches it.
- Where you can play. One tile per turn on your own train, the public Mexican Train, or any opponent’s train that carries a marker.
- Stuck? Draw one tile. If it still won’t play, pass, and your own train is marked public. Playing on your own train again removes the marker.
- Doubles. Play a double and you must cover it on the same train. If you can’t, draw once and pass — and everyone must cover that double before playing anywhere else.
- Scoring. When a hand empties, or everyone is blocked, each player adds their remaining pips. Blanks count zero. Lowest total after the last round wins; equal totals share the win.
Dominoes strategy and tips
- Shed the heavy tiles. In Draw and All Fives, a blocked hand goes to the lower pip count — and whatever you still hold is your opponent’s prize. Play 6–6 and 6–5 while you can.
- Keep your suits varied. A hand with many different numbers is far less likely to be forced into the boneyard.
- Count what’s gone. When most of one number is already on the table, an end showing that number is hard to match. Leave it there when your opponent is low on tiles.
- Set up fives, deny fives. In All Fives, look one move ahead: don’t leave a total your opponent can turn into 10 or 15 with an easy tile.
- Use the public trains. In Mexican Train, lay out a long run on your own train early and save the Mexican Train for tiles that fit nowhere else.
Frequently asked
How many players can play? Draw Dominoes and All Fives seat you against one computer opponent. Mexican Train seats you with three computer players at a four-seat table.
What happens when nobody can play? The hand is blocked. In Draw Dominoes and All Fives the lower pip count wins the round and scores the other hand; a tie scores nothing. In Mexican Train everyone adds their remaining pips to their total.
What is the spinner in All Fives? The first double played becomes the spinner. Once both of its sides have tiles, its other two sides open too, so the table can have four open ends.
What does a train marker mean in Mexican Train? When you cannot play and have to pass, your own train is marked public and anyone may play on it. Playing on your own train again removes the marker. The Mexican Train is always public.
Is Dominoes free to play? Yes. There is no signup and nothing to download. It runs in your browser, and your match wins and streaks save on your device.
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