Dominoes Glossary

Dominoes has a rich set of traditional terms. Some vary by region, but the core vocabulary below covers the partnership game on this site and the wider domino family. Terms in bold are defined elsewhere in this list.

Boneyard

The pool of face-down tiles not yet drawn. In games that use a draw, players pull from the boneyard when they can't play. (The partnership game on this site uses a simple pass instead of drawing.)

Block

To make a move that leaves the opponents with no legal play, or a round that ends because no one can move. A round that ends this way is called a "blocked game" or "blocked round."

Blocked game

A round that ends because every player has no legal move — usually both open ends show the same number and all tiles of that number are already played. The team holding the fewest pips wins the round.

Deuce

A tile whose two halves total two — for example the 1-1 or the 2-0.

Double

A tile with the same number on both ends (0-0 through 6-6). Doubles are usually laid crosswise, perpendicular to the line of play.

Double-six set

The standard 28-tile set, containing every combination from 0-0 up to 6-6. Larger sets (double-nine, double-twelve) exist for other games.

Draw

A game variant (or an in-game action) in which a player who cannot play takes a tile from the boneyard. Common in "draw dominoes," a popular casual variant.

Go out

To play your final tile and empty your hand, ending the round. The team that goes out scores the pips left in the opponents' hands.

Hand

The tiles a player holds, hidden from the other players. In partnership dominoes each player starts with seven.

Lead

The first tile played in a round, or to play first. The highest double usually leads in partnership play.

Layout / line of play

The chain of played tiles on the table, built outward from the opening tile.

Open end

An end of the layout that is available to play on. Most layouts have two open ends; a spinner may add more.

Pip

A dot on a tile. The pip count of a tile is the total number of dots on both halves — the 6-5 has eleven pips.

Pass

To skip your turn because you have no legal play. In some games you draw instead of passing.

Partnership dominoes

A four-player game played 2 vs 2, with partners sitting opposite each other. Partners share a score and work together through signaling and play.

Signal

Information a player conveys to a partner through their choice of play — typically by leading or returning a particular suit.

Spinner

A double that is left open on all four sides so the layout can branch from it. In many house rules the first double played becomes the spinner.

Suit

All the tiles that contain a given number. The "fives" are the seven tiles 0-5 through 6-5.

Tile / bone / stone

The playing pieces themselves — also called "bones," "stones," "cards," or "men" depending on the region.

Turn

A single player's opportunity to play, pass, or draw. In partnership dominoes play proceeds counter-clockwise.

Scoring terms

Count / pip count

The total number of dots on a tile or a hand. Lower is better when a round is blocked, because pips left in hand are scored against you.

Going out score

The points a team earns by emptying its hand — equal to the total pips left in the opponents' hands.

Target score

The score a team must reach to win the match. This site uses 100 points, a common target in partnership play.