What Is Cuban?
The game of the Cuban park table and the Miami sidewalk. Partners, a double-nine set, and no drawing.
Cuban dominoes is a partnership game: you and the player across from you against the other two. There is no boneyard to save you. What you hold after the deal is all you get, so every tile you play tells your partner something and every pass tells the table something.
The hand ends when a player goes out or when the game is blocked, the famous tranca. Points come from the pips left in losing hands, and the first team to 100 wins.
Players
4 players in two partnerships, partners sitting opposite. Two or three can play each for themselves.
Equipment
A double-nine set (55 tiles). Each player takes 10; the other 15 stay face down and asleep.
Time
A hand is 10 minutes; a game to 100 runs 30-45 minutes with a lively table.
Skill Level
Intermediate. The rules are simple; reading partners and counting what is asleep is the craft.
Setup & Deal
What You Need
- A double-nine domino set (55 tiles)
- 4 players in two teams, partners sitting across from each other
- Pencil and paper, or the traditional chalk line
The Deal
| Players | Tiles Each | Asleep | Play To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Players (teams) | 10 tiles | 15 tiles, never drawn | 100 points |
| 3 Players | 10 tiles | 25 tiles, never drawn | 100 points |
| 2 Players | 10 tiles | 35 tiles, never drawn | 100 points |
The fifteen tiles left after the deal are turned away and stay out of the hand. Nobody draws, ever. Part of the skill is working out which tiles are asleep from what never appears.
Playing The Hand
The Lead
In the first hand the player holding the double-nine [9-9] leads with it. After that the winner of the previous hand leads any tile they like. Many tables rotate the lead to the right instead; the table's rule wins.
Direction
Traditional Cuban play runs counter-clockwise, to the right. Plenty of tables play clockwise. Agree before the first tile and keep it for the whole game.
Playing Tiles
- Match one end of your tile to one of the two open ends of the line
- Doubles are laid crosswise but do not open extra ends: there is no spinner
- If you can play, you must play
- If you cannot, you pass by knocking the table; there is no drawing
- No talking about hands and no signals: your plays are your only messages to your partner
Ending The Hand
- A player plays their last tile: domino, and their team wins the hand
- Nobody can play: the hand is blocked (the tranca), and the lighter team wins
Scoring
Winning By Domino
When a player goes out, their team scores the pips left in both opponents' hands. Many Cuban tables count the pips of all four hands, partner included. Pick one and keep it.
Winning A Blocked Hand
Each team adds up the pips in its two hands. The lower total wins and scores the other team's pips. If the totals tie, the hand scores nothing and the same player leads again.
| How It Ended | Who Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Domino | The team that went out | Pips left in the losing hands |
| Tranca (blocked) | The team with fewer pips | Pips left in the losing hands |
| Tranca, equal pips | Nobody | 0, replay with the same lead |
The Game
First team to 100 points wins. Tables that want a longer night play to 150 or 200.
A tranca is a decision, not an accident. If your side is light and the other side is holding heavy bones, closing the line is worth more than going out.
Strategy Tips
Lead Your Partner's Strength
Your partner's first play tells you their suit. Keep that number alive on the ends and play away from the numbers the other side wants.
Count The Nines
With ten of each number in a double-nine set, you can track what has been played, what is asleep, and what the other side must be holding.
Force The Pass
A pass is information you can use. When an opponent knocks on a number, keep that number on both ends and watch their partner struggle too.
Dump Heavy Tiles Early
Blocked hands are decided by pips. Get the [9-8] and [9-9] out while they still play, unless you are setting up a tranca of your own.
Know When To Close
If you are light and they are heavy, block the line on purpose. The team that counts best wins the tranca, not the team that plays fastest.
FAQ
Ten. With four players that leaves fifteen tiles face down and asleep, and they are never drawn.
No. The line has two open ends only. Doubles are laid crosswise but do not open extra sides.
A blocked hand: nobody can play. Each team counts its pips and the lighter team wins the hand, scoring the heavier team's pips.
100 points is standard. Some tables play to 150 or 200 for a longer game.
Not yet. Today you can play Cutthroat head-up against the CPU on Dominologist; the other games are on the way.