Amazing Dominoes

Amazing Dominoes is a classic tile-based game which is played with game pieces called stones (or dominoes). A stone is rectangular in shape with two square ends divided by a line. Each end of the tile will either be blank or contain up to six pips (or dots) and twelve pips in total for the piece. A stone with equal pips on each end is called a double, for example five pips on each side. Stones with different numbers of pips on each end are called singles.

The game can be played with between two and four players and begins by distributing stones to each player. Except for the Bergen variation of the game, if there are two players in the game, each player starts with seven stones. If there are more players, then everyone starts the game with five stones.

To determine which player goes first, each player draws a single stone. The player with the highest number of pips on their stone plays first and places a stone on the board. The player to their left goes next. The player’s task is to add matching stones to the open ends of the stones on the board. Games can be played based on the number of points (100, 200, or 400 points) with the player reaching the selected point amount wins, or by the number or rounds played (4, 8, or 16 rounds) with the player having the highest score at the end of the total number of rounds wins.

There are five versions of dominoes to play, each with slightly different rules: Muggins, Draw, Block, Sewastopol, and Bergin.

Muggins

Muggins, also known as All Fives, is a domino game which has a scoring system based on fives.

If a player cannot make any move, they will draw stones from the boneyard until they have a playable piece, or all stones have been drawn. In the case where the first stone is a double, players may add stones to all four sides of it.

If a player places a stone and the sum of all ends on the board is a number divisible by 5, he will score points equal to that sum.

For example:

The round continues until one of the players gets rid of all their stones, or until no one has any more moves. The player with the weakest stones (the lowest total number of pips in his hand) wins the round. In the next round, this player goes first.

Draw

In Draw dominoes, a player who cannot make a move draws stones from the boneyard until he can play. A player who cannot make any move or draw more stones from the boneyard (when it is empty) must pass.

The round continues until one of the players gets rid of all their stones, or until no one is left with a move. The player with the weakest stones (with the stones with the lowest total number of pips in his hand) wins the round. In the event of a tie, the winner is the player with the weakest single stone. The winner scores points equal to the total number of pips on their opponents’ stones minus the total number of pips on their own stones.

Block

In Block dominoes, stones cannot be drawn from the boneyard. A player who cannot make any move must pass.

The round continues until one of the players gets rid of all their stones, or until no one can move any more. The player with the weakest stones (the lowest total number of pips in his hand) wins the round. In the event of a tie, the winner is the player with the weakest single stone. The winner scores points equal to the total number of pips on the opponents' stones minus the total number of pips on their stones.

Sewastopol

In Sewastopol, first double dealt is a spinner and players may add stones to all four sides of it. A player who cannot make any move draws stones from the boneyard until he can play. A player who cannot make a move or draw stones from the boneyard (when it is empty) must pass.

The round continues until one of the players gets rid of all their stones, or until no one can move any more. The player with the weakest stones (the lowest total number of pips in his hand) wins the round. In the event of a tie, the winner is the player with the weakest single stone. The winner scores points equal to the total number of pips on the opponents stones minus the total number of pips on their own stones.

Bergen

The Bergin game begins by drawing single domino stone. The player with the highest number of pips on it makes the first move. If there are two or three players in the game, each player starts with six stones. If there are more competitors, everyone starts the game with five stones.

The player’s task is to add matching stones to the open ends on the board. If a player cannot make a move, he draws stones from the boneyard until he can play.

Players score points by getting the same suit at both ends of the layout (20 points for placing the same suit and 30 points if one of the matching ends is double). The round continues until one of the players gets rid of all their stones, or until no one can move any more. The player with the weakest stones (the lowest total number of pips in his hand) wins the round and scores 10 bonus points.