Dominoes Strategy: 7 Tips
- Dump heavy tiles first. If someone else goes out, you pay for the pips in your hand: get rid of 6-6 and 5-6 early.
- Play doubles while you can. A double matches only one number; it gets stuck.
- Keep variety. Hold tiles with different numbers so you can follow whatever comes up.
- Watch the draws. When an opponent draws or passes, they don't have the numbers on the ends. Leave those numbers open.
- Control a number. If you hold many tiles with the same number, keep that number on the ends: you'll always have a play.
- Count what's out. Each number appears on seven tiles. If six are visible, the last one is easy to place.
- Block when you're light. If your hand has few pips, closing the game can win the hand on a low count.
The computer on hard tracks what you draw on and keeps the ends you can't match. Play dominoes or read the rules.
Frequently asked questions
Should you play doubles early in dominoes?
Usually yes. A double only matches one number, so it's the hardest tile to place later, and it's worth a lot of pips if you're caught with it.
Last updated 2026-10-19