How to Play Cuban Dominoes
Cuban dominoes is a lively partnership game and a cultural institution across Cuba and the Caribbean. It's played 2-vs-2 with a double-nine set, and it rewards teamwork, memory, and a bit of table talk.
Setup
Four players form two teams, partners sitting across from each other. Shuffle the 55 tiles of a double-nine set face down, and each player draws 10 tiles. The remaining 15 tiles stay face down and aren't used — there's no drawing. Who leads the first game varies by house: often whoever wins a draw of tiles, or the player holding the highest double.
Gameplay
Players take turns matching a tile to an open end of the line. If you can't play, you pass (it's a blocking game — no drawing). Strong play means tracking which numbers your partner and opponents are short on, and blocking the other team from going out. A round ends when a player plays their last tile, or when the line is blocked and no one can move.
Scoring
When a round ends, the winning team scores the total pips remaining in both opponents' hands. If the game is blocked, the player with the fewest pips in hand wins, and their team scores the opponents' pips (some houses compare team totals instead). The first team to reach 100 or 150 points (agree in advance) wins the match. A capicúa — going out with a tile that matches both open ends — is a celebrated finish and sometimes earns bonus points in house rules.
Settle the count instantly
SnapDominos totals the leftover pips from a photo — no disputes, no math.
Coming soon to iOS & AndroidFAQ
- How many tiles in Cuban dominoes?
- 55 — a double-nine set. Each of the four players draws 10.
- Is Cuban dominoes a blocking game?
- Yes — there's no drawing from the leftover tiles, so if you can't match an end, you pass.