This game uses a standard double-six set of 28 dominoes. Each player starts with 7 dominoes.
Starting the Game: The player with the highest double plays first. If no one has a double, the player with the highest-value single domino starts. If multiple players have the same highest double/tile, the game chooses randomly amongst them. The first tile is placed in the center of the board.
Playing a Tile: Players take turns placing one domino on the board. A domino can only be placed if one of its ends matches an open end of the domino chain. Doubles are played perpendicular to the chain but do not act as spinners in this version (play continues linearly).
Drawing from Boneyard: If a player cannot make a valid move, they must draw one domino from the boneyard. If this drawn tile can be played, they must play it immediately. If not, their turn passes.
Passing: If a player cannot make a move and the boneyard is empty, they must pass their turn.
Ending the Game: The game ends when:
A player plays all their dominoes (they "dominoed").
The game is blocked: no player can make a move, and the boneyard is empty or all players have passed consecutively.
Winning:
If a player dominoed, they win.
If the game is blocked, players count the total pips on their remaining dominoes. The player with the fewest pips wins. In case of a tie in pips, it's a draw.
Game Modes
Player vs AI: You play against an AI opponent.
Player vs Player: Two players take turns on the same device (hotseat mode). Player 1 is at the bottom, Player 2 at the top. Hands are only shown for the current player.
AI vs AI: Watch two AI opponents play against each other. You can adjust their playing speed in Settings.
AI Logic & Difficulty
The AI uses a heuristic-based strategy to choose its moves.
Easy: Makes mostly random valid moves, with a slight preference for playing doubles.
Medium: Tries to play higher-value tiles and doubles. Considers basic hand improvement.
Hard: Uses a more complex evaluation. It prioritizes reducing its own pip count, playing doubles, maintaining hand diversity, and playing tiles that open up more options for itself. It doesn't "see" your hand but plays strategically based on the board state and its own hand.
Tips for Winning
Try to play your doubles early, especially high-value ones.
Keep a variety of numbers in your hand to maximize your playing options.
Pay attention to the numbers on the ends of the chain. If you can, try to leave numbers that your opponent might not have (e.g., if many 5s have been played, leaving a 5 might be a good block).
Manage your hand to get rid of high-pip tiles if you think the game might get blocked.