Muggins (All Fives) Dominoes

Score on multiples of five — rules, scoring, and the famous "muggins" steal.

Muggins — also called All Fives or Five-Up — is one of the most popular scoring domino games. What makes it special is that you score during play, not just at the end: every time the open ends of the layout add up to a multiple of five, you earn points.

Setup

Use a double-six set. For 2 players deal 7 tiles each; for 3–4 players deal 5 each. The rest form the boneyard. The highest double (or a drawn tile) starts the layout.

How scoring works

After each play, add up the pips on all the open ends of the layout. If the total is a multiple of five, the player who just moved scores that amount.

• Doubles count both halves (a 5-5 spinner shows 10 on that end).
• Typical scoring ends: 5, 10, 15, 20 → score 5, 10, 15, or 20 points.
• At the end of a hand, the player who goes out also scores the opponents' leftover pips, usually rounded to the nearest five.

The "muggins" rule

This is the fun part: if you make a multiple of five but don't claim your points, an opponent can shout "muggins!" and take them instead. It keeps everyone paying attention. Games are commonly played to 100, 150, or 250 points.

FAQ

What's the difference between All Fives and Muggins?

They're essentially the same game; "Muggins" refers to the steal rule for unclaimed points. Some groups play All Fives without the muggins steal.

Do you count the spinner's full value?

Yes — a double played as a spinner contributes both halves to the open-end total.