How to Play Dominoes With 2 Players

Simple rules, how to score, and the best games for two.

Dominoes works great with just two people. The classic choice is Draw dominoes with a standard double-six set: quick to learn, quick to play, and there's still plenty of strategy in what you hold back.

Setup

Shuffle the 28 tiles of a double-six set face down. Each player draws 7 tiles and stands them up so the other player can't see them. The remaining 14 tiles stay face down as the boneyard.

How to play

1. First play: in most house rules, the player with the highest double leads it (if neither has a double, many groups lead the heaviest tile, or simply draw to see who goes first).
2. Matching: players take turns adding a tile to either open end of the line, matching the number on that end.
3. Can't play? Draw from the boneyard until you get a tile you can play. Once the boneyard is empty, you pass instead. (Many rules leave the last two tiles in the boneyard undrawn.)
4. End of the hand: the hand ends when a player plays their last tile, or when neither player can move (a blocked game).

Scoring

The player who goes out scores the total pips left in the opponent's hand. If the game is blocked, both players count their tiles and the one with fewer pips wins the hand; some groups give the winner the opponent's total, others only the difference. Play to an agreed target, commonly 100 points (some groups play to 150 or more). For example, if you go out and your opponent is holding 6-5 and 3-1, you score 11 + 4 = 15.

Variations for two

• Block dominoes: same as above, but with no drawing: if you can't play, you pass. Shorter and more tactical.
• All Fives / Muggins: score during play whenever the open ends add up to a multiple of five. See Muggins rules.
• Mexican Train and Chicken Foot: both work with two, usually dealing more tiles per player. See Mexican Train and Chicken Foot.

FAQ

Can you play dominoes with 2 players?

Yes. Draw dominoes with a double-six set is the classic two-player game: each player draws 7 tiles and the other 14 stay face down as the boneyard.

How many dominoes does each player get with 2 players?

Usually 7 tiles each from a double-six set. Some groups deal more with larger sets.

How do you score dominoes with 2 players?

The player who goes out scores the pips left in the opponent's hand. If the game is blocked, the player with fewer pips wins the hand; some groups score the opponent's total, others only the difference. The first to 100 points usually wins, though some groups play to more.

What other domino games work for two?

Block dominoes (no drawing), All Fives (Muggins), Mexican Train and Chicken Foot all work with two players.