What Is Block?
The plainest game in the box and the one to teach first. Learn Block and every other game is a variation.
Block is dominoes stripped to the bone. You play what you can, you pass when you cannot, and you never draw. The hand ends when somebody goes out or when the line is blocked, and the pips left in hands decide the score.
Because nothing is hidden in a boneyard, Block is a game of counting. With 28 tiles and only seven of each number, you can know what is left in the other hands by the middle of every hand.
Players
2-4 players, each for themselves. Four players can also pair up as partners sitting opposite.
Equipment
A standard double-six set (28 tiles). Nothing else but something to keep score.
Time
Five minutes a hand. A game to 100 runs 20-30 minutes.
Skill Level
Beginner to intermediate. Simple rules, but counting and blocking reward the sharp player.
Setup & Deal
What You Need
- A standard double-six domino set (28 tiles)
- 2-4 players
- Pencil and paper to track scores
Tiles Per Player
| Players | Tiles Each | Left Over | Play To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Players | 7 tiles | 14, never drawn | 100 points |
| 3 Players | 5 tiles | 13, never drawn | 100 points |
| 4 Players | 5 tiles | 8, never drawn | 100 points |
Many tables deal four players seven tiles each so the whole set is in play and nothing is left over. Either way, the leftover tiles stay face down and are never drawn.
Playing The Hand
First Hand
The player holding the heaviest double leads with it: [6-6] if anyone has it, otherwise [5-5], and so on. If nobody holds a double, the heaviest tile leads.
Subsequent Hands
The winner of the previous hand leads the next with any tile they choose.
Playing Tiles
- Play proceeds clockwise
- Match one end of your tile to one of the two open ends of the line
- Doubles are laid crosswise; they do not open extra ends
- If you can play, you must play
- If you cannot, you pass; there is no boneyard and no drawing
Ending The Hand
- A player plays their last tile (domino), or
- Everyone passes in turn and the line is blocked
Scoring
Domino
The player who goes out scores the total pips left in every other hand.
Blocked Hand
Everyone counts their pips. The lightest hand wins and scores the total of the other players' pips. Some tables subtract the winner's own pips first; agree beforehand.
| Situation | Winner | Points |
|---|---|---|
| You go out, others hold 9 and 14 | You | 23 |
| Blocked: you hold 4, others hold 11 and 16 | You | 27 (or 23 if your own pips come off) |
| Blocked: two players tie for lightest | Nobody | 0, the next hand is dealt |
The Game
First to 100 points wins. Short games stop at 50; long nights go to 150 or 200.
In a blocked hand your own pips are the whole story. When the line is about to lock, play your heaviest tile if it fits, even on an end you would rather keep.
Strategy Tips
Lead Heavy, Finish Light
Pips are the only currency. Get the [6-5] and [6-6] out early and save small tiles for the end of the hand.
Count The Suits
Seven tiles carry each number. Once five sixes are on the table, you know the other two are in hands or face down, and you can plan around them.
Keep Both Ends Yours
When both open ends show numbers you hold and the others have passed on, you control the hand. Keep it that way until you can close it.
Use The Pass
A player who passes on a number cannot play that number until it changes. Keep it on the ends and let them sit.
Block On Purpose
If you are lighter than everyone else, locking the line is a win. If you are heavy, keep it open and go out before it locks.
FAQ
2 to 4. Two players draw seven tiles each; three or four players draw five each, with the rest face down.
No. That is the whole difference between Block and the draw games. If you cannot play, you pass.
The player with the heaviest double, starting from [6-6]. With no doubles out, the heaviest tile leads. After that the previous winner leads.
Everyone counts pips. The lightest hand wins and scores the others' pips. A tie for lightest scores nothing.
Not yet. Today you can play Cutthroat head-up against the CPU on Dominologist; the other games are on the way.