Jamaican Dominoes Rules and Scoring
This rule reference separates the fixed mechanics of LimeGrid from the many house rules found at real domino tables.
Equipment and deal
- One double-six set containing 28 tiles.
- Four players, arranged as two partnerships.
- Seven tiles dealt to every player.
- No stock or boneyard remains after the deal.
Opening rules
The holder of double six starts the opening hand. Double six is placed crosswise. It does not create extra branches: play continues from the two ends of the chain. After a hand is won, the winning player leads the next hand.
Legal play
On a turn, a player must match the number on either open end. The matching half faces the chain and the other half becomes the new open number. A double is positioned perpendicular to the current direction of the chain for visual clarity.
| Situation | LimeGrid ruling |
|---|---|
| A tile fits only the left end | It may be played on the left. |
| A tile fits only the right end | It may be played on the right. |
| A tile fits both ends | The player chooses the end. |
| At least one legal tile exists | The player must play; voluntary passing is not allowed. |
| No legal tile exists | The player passes. |
Winning an open hand
The first player to use all seven tiles wins the hand for that partnership. The partner does not also need to be empty. The winning player becomes the leader for the next hand.
Blocked hands
A hand is blocked when the table reaches a position in which all four players must pass and no legal play remains. Each team's remaining pips are added. The team with the lower total wins. Blank halves count as zero, so double blank has a pip value of zero.
Match scoring
LimeGrid's Advanced game records one point for each hand won. The first partnership to six points wins the match. This should not be confused with systems that award the opponents' remaining pip total as points; those are valid variants but are not the current LimeGrid match system.
Fair-play principles
- Players see only their own tiles.
- A partner's hand is not revealed.
- The game prevents an illegal tile from being played.
- Computer players pass only when no legal move exists.
- The table has two ends and no spinner branches.
Why the rules are written down
At a familiar home table, everyone may already know the local convention. Online visitors arrive with different expectations, so a written ruleset helps everyone understand what to expect and keeps each game consistent.