How to Keep Score in Dominoes | Bones Rules Explained
The clack of tiles on a kitchen table has settled many a rainy afternoon. Dominoes needs no screen, no batteries and barely any explanation — yet a proper game of bones rewards a sharp eye and a quick count.
If you have heard the tiles called 'bones', there is a reason. The name is widely attributed to the early manufacture of sets from animal bone and ivory. Our own dominoes are made from wood and tested to UKCA and CE safety standards, so they are robust enough for small hands and long evenings alike.
Here is how to set up, play and keep score, with a few variations worth trying once the basics click.
What You Need to Play Bones Dominoes
A game of bones begins with a single set of tiles. The standard Western double-six set contains 28 tiles, covering every combination of zero to six pips on each end. This is the set most people picture, and it suits two to four players comfortably.
Each tile is divided into two halves. A half may show nothing, or up to six pips. The double-six — six pips on each end — is the highest-value tile in the set, and it often becomes a prized hold during play.
For larger groups, a bigger set earns its place. A double-nine set contains 55 tiles, extending the combinations up to nine pips per end. Our Double Nine Dominoes in a mahogany case suits a full table and gives everyone more tiles to work with.
Beyond the tiles, you need very little. A flat surface, somewhere to keep each hand hidden, and paper for the score. If you prefer, our guide to keeping score in dominoes on paper sets out a simple method.
Dominoes sits alongside the classics in our traditional games, and it travels well, so a cased set is handy for holidays. If you are introducing children to the game, our notes on playing dominoes with families pitch the rules at the right level. A good set should last years, which is partly why dominoes features among our wooden toys.
How to Set Up and Start a Game of Bones Dominoes
Begin by turning all the tiles face down and shuffling them thoroughly. This pool of unseen tiles is known as the boneyard, and players draw from it.
Each player then takes a hand. In a two-player game, seven tiles each is usual; with three or four players, five tiles each works well. The remaining tiles stay face down in the boneyard for later draws.
Keep your own tiles hidden and stood on edge, so your opponents cannot read what you hold. Part of the game is guessing what others are sitting on.
Deciding who starts is a small ritual in itself. The common method is for the player holding the highest double to lay it first. If no one holds a double, the heaviest tile — the one with the most pips — opens play instead.
That first tile sits in the centre of the table and becomes the anchor for everything that follows. Play then moves around the table, usually clockwise, with each person adding to the chain in turn.
If you want the full sequence laid out with worked examples, our complete guide to dominoes rules, scoring and strategy covers every step. The setup is deliberately quick, which is part of the appeal — within a minute of opening the box, a game is under way. Dominoes shares that virtue with much of our board games, where a short setup leaves more time for the game itself.
Bones Dominoes Rules: How Each Turn Works
On your turn, you add one tile to an open end of the chain. The tile you play must match the number of pips on the end you are joining — a five against a five, a blank against a blank.
Tiles are placed end to end, with matching halves touching. Doubles are the exception: they are usually laid across the chain, which can open two new directions to play into.
If you cannot match either open end, you draw from the boneyard until you find a playable tile. In some house rules, once the boneyard is empty you simply pass and your turn moves on.
Play continues around the table, with the chain growing and branching. The round ends in one of two ways. Either a player lays their last tile and 'goes out', or the game becomes blocked, meaning no one can play and the boneyard is exhausted.
A blocked game still has a winner, decided by counting pips, which we come to next. The skill lies in holding useful tiles, forcing opponents to draw, and timing when to shed your heavy tiles.
Much of the enjoyment is in watching the chain develop and planning a move or two ahead. It is a gentle, companionable game, which is one reason it has endured. Dominoes reached Europe, specifically Italy, in the 18th century, with documented references appearing by the 1700s — and the turn structure has changed remarkably little since. For a sense of how long these simple games have lasted, our look at 230 years of screen-free play is worth a read.
How to Keep Score in Dominoes and Decide the Winner
Scoring is where bones dominoes earns its edge. When a player goes out, they score the total pips remaining in every opponent's hand. Count all the pips still held around the table and award that sum to the winner of the round.
If the game is blocked rather than won outright, each player counts the pips left in their own hand. The player with the lowest count wins the round and takes the difference, or the combined total of the others' tiles, depending on the version you agree beforehand.
Games are usually played to a target, with 100 or 250 points common choices. Rounds continue until one player reaches the agreed total, so a single bad hand need not settle matters.
Keeping an accurate running tally matters, especially across several rounds. A simple two-column sheet does the job, and our guide to scoring dominoes on paper shows a clear layout.
Some players add a rule that scores must land on multiples of five, rewarding neat arithmetic. This is optional, and worth agreeing before you deal.
Deciding the overall winner is straightforward once the target is set: the first to reach it takes the game. Because scores accumulate, the person who plays tidily and sheds heavy tiles early tends to come out ahead. Counting pips quickly becomes second nature, and it is good mental practice for younger players too — another reason dominoes sits so happily among games families return to again and again.
Bones Dominoes Variations Worth Trying at Home
Once the standard game feels familiar, variations keep things fresh. Many households graduate to Mexican Train, a sociable version where each player builds their own train of tiles while sharing a communal one in the centre.
Mexican Train suits larger groups and longer sessions, and it plays beautifully with a bigger set. Our Mexican Train Dominoes in a wooden box includes the hub and markers the game calls for, making a thoughtful gift for a games-loving household.
If you are new to it, our full guide to Mexican Train walks through the setup and the small differences in scoring.
Block dominoes is the pared-back version many learn first: no drawing from the boneyard, so a blocked game arrives sooner and counting pips decides it. Draw dominoes, by contrast, keeps players reaching into the boneyard until they find a match, which lengthens each round.
Fives-and-threes is a pub favourite in parts of Britain, scoring whenever the open ends add to a multiple of five or three. It rewards arithmetic as much as tile placement, and it changes the feel of the game entirely.
A double-nine set opens the door to these fuller games, which is why our cased double-nine dominoes is a sensible choice for a household that intends to explore beyond the basics.
Whichever variation you favour, dominoes travels and packs away easily, much like our outdoor games. It is a game that grows with the players, from a child's first match to a hard-fought evening of fives-and-threes.
£31.99 · value · tested to UKCA/CE
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Frequently Asked Questions About How To Play Bones Dominoes
How do you play bones dominoes?
Bones dominoes is played by matching tiles end-to-end on a central layout. Each player draws a hand of tiles from the shuffled face-down set — called bones, a name rooted in their historic manufacture from animal bone and ivory. Players take turns placing a tile whose pip value matches an open end of the chain. If a player cannot match, they draw from the remaining stock. The aim is to empty your hand before opponents do, or to hold the lowest pip count when play is blocked.
What are the rules of bones dominoes?
Bones dominoes uses a standard double-six set of 28 tiles. After shuffling face-down, each player draws their starting hand. The highest double typically opens play. On each turn, a player must place a tile matching an open end of the layout. If no match is possible, the player draws from the boneyard until a playable tile is found. A player who cannot draw (empty boneyard) passes. Play ends when one player empties their hand, or when all players are blocked and no draws remain.
How do you keep score in dominoes?
The most common scoring method awards the winner of a round the total pip count remaining in all opponents' hands, rounded to the nearest five in some variants. In the Block game, the player or team with the fewest pips when play is blocked scores the difference. In Draw dominoes, the winner scores all unplayed pips. Games are typically played to a target such as 100, 150, or 200 points, with the first player or team to reach that total winning the match.
How many players do you need to play dominoes?
Bones dominoes can be played by two to four players using a standard double-six set of 28 tiles. With two players, each typically draws seven tiles; with three or four players, five or six tiles are common starting hands. For larger groups of five or more, a double-nine set — which contains 55 tiles — is recommended to ensure enough tiles for all participants. Dominoes also suits partnership play, with two teams of two, which is a popular format for scored match games.
What dominoes set do you need to play bones?
For most standard games of bones dominoes, a double-six set is the required equipment. It contains 28 tiles, covering every combination of zero to six pips on each end, with the double-six — six pips on both ends — being the highest-value tile in the set. For games with five or more players, a double-nine set is preferable, as it contains 55 tiles and extends combinations up to nine pips per end, ensuring sufficient tiles for larger hands and a fuller game.
How do you win at bones dominoes?
To win a round of bones dominoes, be the first player to place all your tiles on the layout, calling out when your hand is empty. If play becomes fully blocked, the player holding the fewest total pips in their remaining hand wins that round. To win an overall match, accumulate enough points across multiple rounds to reach the agreed target score — commonly 100, 150, or 200 points. Consistent tile management, counting exposed pips on the board, and blocking opponents strategically all improve your chances.
What happens if you can't play a tile in dominoes?
If you cannot place a tile matching either open end of the domino layout, you must draw tiles one at a time from the face-down boneyard until you find a playable piece. Once a matching tile is drawn, it must be played immediately. If the boneyard is empty and you still have no playable tile, your turn is passed. When all players are blocked simultaneously and no draws remain, the round ends and the player or team holding the lowest pip count wins that round.
How many tiles do you start with in dominoes?
The number of starting tiles depends on player count and the set being used. In a two-player game using a standard double-six set of 28 tiles, each player typically draws seven tiles. With three or four players, each player usually draws five or six tiles, leaving a boneyard for drawing during play. When using a double-nine set of 55 tiles for larger groups, starting hands of seven tiles per player remain practical. House rules and specific game variants may adjust these numbers slightly.
What is a double in dominoes and how does it work?
A double is a domino tile bearing the same pip value on both ends — for example, the double-six, which shows six pips on each end and is the highest-value tile in a standard double-six set. Doubles are typically placed crossways on the layout to distinguish them visually. In most variants, a double is played like any other tile, matching its value to an open end. The highest double in a player's hand often determines who places the first tile, opening the game.
How long does a game of bones dominoes take?
A single round of bones dominoes typically lasts between 10 and 20 minutes depending on player count and experience. A full match played to 100 or 150 points across multiple rounds generally takes 30 to 60 minutes for two players, or up to 90 minutes for a four-player partnership game. Longer target scores, beginner players still learning tile matching, and larger sets such as the 55-tile double-nine set can all extend playing time. Dominoes is well-suited to both quick sessions and extended evening play.