TallynightHow to keep score in dominoes
There are two common ways to score dominoes. In the block and draw games, you score only when a hand ends: whoever goes out wins the pips left in everyone else's hands. In All Fives, also called Muggins, you also score during play, whenever the open ends add up to a multiple of 5.
- Players
- 2 to 4, or two teams of 2
- Who wins
- First to the target
- Set
- Double six, 28 dominoes
- Target
- Block and draw 100. All Fives 200 or 250
What you score
Pips are the dots on a domino. Count both halves: a 6 and 3 is 9.
| When | Block and draw game | All Fives (Muggins) |
|---|---|---|
| During play | Nothing | The total of the open ends, when it's a multiple of 5 |
| You domino (play your last tile) | The pips left in everyone else's hands | The pips left in everyone else's hands, rounded to the nearest 5 |
| Nobody can play (a blocked game) | The lowest hand scores the others' pips, minus its own | The lowest hand scores the others' pips, rounded to the nearest 5 |
| Two tie for the lowest blocked hand | Nobody scores | Nobody scores |
| Play to | 100 (61 with three or four players) | 250 with two players, 200 with three or four |
All Fives: scoring as you play
After every domino you play, add up the pips on the open ends of the line. If they make 5, 10, 15, 20 or any multiple of 5, you score that many points straight away.
A double at an end counts both halves, so a 4 and 4 at the end counts 8. The first double played is the spinner: both of its ends count until dominoes are played on both its sides, and the line can later branch off its other two sides too, giving up to four ends to count.
When a hand ends, the player who went out scores the pips left in the other hands, rounded to the nearest 5: 12 counts 10 and 13 counts 15.
The block and draw game
In the block game, you can only play from your hand, and you pass when you can't go. In the draw game, you take from the boneyard until you can play.
A hand ends when someone plays their last domino, or when nobody can play. If someone went out, they score the pips left in everyone else's hands. If the game is blocked, everyone counts their pips, and the lowest hand scores the others' pips minus its own. If two players tie for lowest, nobody scores that hand.
Keeping score on paper
All Fives scores always come in 5s, so some tables write them divided by 5: a 15 goes down as 3, and the game to 250 becomes a game to 50.
Some tables draw houses instead. Each stroke is 5, two strokes crossed make a big X worth 10, and a small x in each of its four corners adds 10 more, so a finished house is 50.
Variants that change the score
- Muggins: miss a score you made, and an opponent can call "Muggins" and take it.
- Pips against you: each player's leftover pips come off their own score, instead of going to the winner.
- Winner takes everything: in a blocked game, the lowest hand scores all the pips left, its own included.
- Exact finish: you must hit the target exactly, and a play that goes over scores nothing.
- A shorter game: play All Fives to 150.
A scoring example
The start and the end of an All Fives hand for two players, Ana and Ben. The middle column adds up the open ends after each play.
| Play | Open ends | Ana | Ben |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ana leads the double 5, the spinner | 5 + 5 = 10 | 10 | |
| Ben plays a 5 and blank on the spinner | 10 + 0 = 10 | 10 | |
| Ana plays a 5 and 6 on its other side | 0 + 6 = 6 | ||
| Ben plays a 6 and 4 | 0 + 4 = 4 | ||
| Ana plays a blank and 1 | 1 + 4 = 5 | 5 | |
| Ben plays the double 4 | 1 + 8 = 9 | ||
| Ana plays a 1 and 2 | 2 + 8 = 10 | 10 | |
| Later, Ana goes out. Ben holds a 6 and 3 and a 3 and blank | 12 pips, rounded to 10 | 10 | |
| Hand total | 35 | 10 |
While only one side of the spinner was covered, it still counted 10, so Ben's blank end added nothing and he scored 10. Once both sides were covered, it stopped counting. Ana's hand is worth 35 and Ben's 10, and the first to 250 wins.
Keep score for dominoes in Tallynight
Dominoes isn't one of Tallynight's built-in games yet, but it takes a minute to set up. Choose Something else, then Running score, with the highest score winning. Turn on Play to a target and set 250 for All Fives, or 100 for the block game.
Choose points per tap of 5, 10 and 50, so every All Fives score is a tap or two. Add each team as a player for a partnership game, and add it to your favourites so it's ready next time.
- A big tile for each player or team, with + for 5, 10 or 50
- Tap a total to add the pips at the end of a block game
- Undo, and a scoring log to fix a miscounted play
- Offers to end the game when someone reaches the target
A Dominoes score sheet to print
Playing on paper tonight? Print a free Dominoes score sheet, or save it as a PDF.
Questions
How do you score dominoes by 5s?
In All Fives, or Muggins, add up the open ends after every play. When they make a multiple of 5, you score that total, so ends adding up to 15 score 15.
How many points do you play to in dominoes?
100 in the block and draw games, or 61 with three or four players. All Fives goes to 250 with two players and 200 with three or four, or 150 for a shorter game.
What does the winner of a hand score in dominoes?
The pips left in everyone else's hands. In All Fives, that total is rounded to the nearest 5.
Who wins a blocked game of dominoes?
The player with the fewest pips left. In the block game they score the other hands' pips minus their own. If two tie for fewest, nobody scores.
How do you keep score in dominoes with houses?
Each stroke is worth 5. Two crossed strokes make a big X worth 10, and a small x in each of its four corners adds 10 more, so a finished house is 50.
How do you score dominoes with 4 players?
Four players usually play as two teams, partners sitting opposite. Each team keeps one score, and either partner going out wins the hand for both.