Domino: how to play
Domino is one of the games in Classic Nook: the classic game of matching ends, played one-on-one. Play Classic Nook or go back to all the Classic Nook games.
The idea
You play the "block" version of dominoes with a standard double-six set (28 tiles). Each player gets 7 tiles; the other 14 stay out of play. Take turns adding a tile to a line on the table, matching the numbers at its ends. Get rid of your tiles first, or hold fewer pips when the game blocks, to score points. The first player to reach the target wins the match.
Opening the game
In the Classic Nook hub, Domino is on the bottom shelf (the lilac tile). Tap it to open its menu. The house button at the top left always takes you back to the shelves, and during a match the arrow next to it goes back to Domino's menu. The ? button shows a short how-to-play card, which also opens the first time you play.
Starting a match
On the menu, pick Play to 50 or 100 points, then choose Play the computer (Easy, Medium or Hard) or Two players.
How to play
- Tap one of your tiles at the bottom, then tap the glowing end of the line where you want to put it. A second tap on the same tile plays it when it can go only one way. A tile that does not fit tells you so.
- A tile fits if one of its numbers matches a number at an open end of the line. Doubles lie crosswise. The line always has two ends.
- No tile fits? You pass. There is no drawing from the unused tiles, so the game tells you when someone passes.
- The first hand opens with the highest double, played by whoever holds it (if nobody has a double, the highest tile). After that, whoever won the last hand opens with any tile.
Scoring a hand
- Going out: play your last tile and you score all the pips left in your opponent's hand.
- A block: if nobody can play, the lighter hand wins and scores the difference between the two totals. If the totals are equal, nobody scores.
Tap Next hand to deal again. When a player reaches the target, they win the match.
The computer
- Easy plays any tile that fits.
- Medium plays its heaviest tile, doubles first, to get pips out of its hand.
- Hard cannot see your tiles, so it guesses what you hold and plays the move that works best on average. It is hard to beat.
Two players on one device
Choose Two players to play against a friend. Tiles are secret: before each turn a screen says "Pass the device to Player 1" (or Player 2). Hand over the device and tap I'm ready only when just that player is looking.
Coins, hints and undo
The whole Classic Nook collection shares one coin count. You start with 30 coins and get 30 more as a gift each day you come back. Winning a match against the computer pays coins; a match to 100 pays double.
| Level | Match to 50 | Match to 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 5 coins | 10 coins |
| Medium | 10 coins | 20 coins |
| Hard | 25 coins | 50 coins |
| Button | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Undo | Takes back your last tile in the current hand, and the computer's replies after it. | 10 coins |
| Hint | Selects the best tile and lights up the end to play it on. | 15 coins |
| Restart | Starts a new match. | Free until you have played your second tile, then 5 coins |
In two-player matches the three buttons are free, and no coins are paid.
What is saved
Your coins, your record for each level (won and lost; in two-player matches, Player 1 wins and Player 2 wins) and the target you picked are saved automatically. A match in progress is not saved.
Tips
- Get your heavy tiles out first, especially doubles with many pips. Whatever is left in your hand counts against you.
- Keep a spread of numbers. If you hold only one number, you will often have to pass.
- Keep track of the numbers. Each number is on 7 tiles, so when you can see most of one number in your hand and on the line, your opponent has few left of it.
- When the game is nearly blocked, play to leave your hand lighter than your opponent's.
- A Hint is best used in the middle of a hand, when two or three plays look equally good.
Questions or problems? Contact us.