Play Dominoes Online Free with Friends

How to play Dominoes

1. The double-six set, 28 bones. Two players draw seven each; three or four draw five. The rest is the BONEYARD.
2. Whoever holds the heaviest double opens with it (the heaviest bone if nobody has a double).
3. Then take turns adding a bone to either end of the line — its pips must match the open end. Doubles are laid across the line.
4. Nothing fits? Draw from the boneyard until something does. Boneyard empty? Pass.
5. The round ends when somebody plays their last bone — they score all the pips left in the other hands — or when the line is BLOCKED and nobody can play: the lightest hand scores the difference from each of the others.
6. First to 100 wins.

Dominoes strategy

The basics that turn knowing the rules into winning games — what to do first, what to keep, what to avoid.

• Play your heaviest bones first — if the round blocks, the pips left in your hand count against you.
• Keep a spread of numbers so you can always play; hold two of the same number and you can steer one end of the line to it.
• Watch what the others cannot play: when somebody draws on a 3, keep the ends on 3s.
• Doubles are hard to shed because they fit only one number — play them as soon as they fit.
• Count the seven bones of a number: if six 4s have been played, the last one controls both ends.
• The sort buttons under your hand group by number or by weight — group sort shows what you can steer to.

Dominoes FAQ

Which dominoes is this?

Draw Dominoes with the double-six set — one line of play with two open ends, draw when you cannot play, pass when the boneyard is empty. Mexican Train is its own game here, if that is the one you meant.

How many can play?

Two to four. Two draw seven bones each; three or four draw five. Bots fill any seat you leave open.

How is a blocked game scored?

When nobody can play and the boneyard is empty, the lightest hand wins the round and scores the difference from every other hand.

Do I need an account?

No. Type a name and play — no signup, no download, nothing to install. Making an account is optional and only exists to keep your stats, nickname and preferences across devices.

Is it really free?

Yes, all of it. Every game on Board Game Universe is free to play, with no premium tier holding anything back.

Can I play on my phone?

Yes. It runs in a mobile browser on phones and tablets as well as on a desktop — there is no app to download.

How do I play with my friends?

Start a table and send your friends the link. They open it, type a name, and sit down. Moves and table chat happen in real time.

Can I play against the computer?

Yes. Add a bot to any table and it plays a proper game — useful for filling a seat while you wait for a fourth.