How to Play Dominoes (Draw Game)
The draw game is the classic way to play dominoes with a double-six set.
The tiles
28 tiles, one for every pair of numbers from 0 to 6: from 0-0 (blank-blank) to 6-6. A tile with the same number on both ends is a double. The dots are pips.
Deal
Shuffle the tiles face down. With two players each takes 7; with three or four, each takes 5. The rest is the boneyard.
Play
- First hand: the player with the highest double sets it (if nobody has a double, the highest tile). Later hands: the winner of the last hand leads any tile.
- Take turns. Play one tile that matches an open end of the line: its matching number touches that end. Doubles are laid crosswise but still have just two ends here.
- Can't play? Draw from the boneyard until you can. If the boneyard is empty, pass.
End of a hand
- Domino: a player plays their last tile and wins the hand.
- Blocked: nobody can play and the boneyard is empty. The lowest pip count in hand wins (a tie: nobody wins).
The winner scores the pips left in everyone else's hands.
The match
Keep playing hands. The first player to 100 points wins (you can choose 150 or 200).
On kawu
Tap a tile to play it; if it fits both ends, choose the end. Play one to three computer players, or open an online table for friends. Tips in dominoes strategy.
Frequently asked questions
How many dominoes does each player get?
With a double-six set, two players take 7 tiles each; three or four players take 5 each. The rest stay face down as the boneyard.
What happens if you can't play a domino?
In the draw game you take tiles from the boneyard until you can play. If the boneyard is empty, you pass.
What is a blocked game?
When no one can play and the boneyard is empty. The player with the fewest pips in hand wins the hand.
Last updated 2026-10-19