Dominoes in a Straight Line.

Number of Players: 2-4

Type of Dominoes Used: Double 6

Type of Game: Scoring Game

There's a reason why Straight Dominoes is considered one of the most popular domino games. It is not only easy to learn, but it is also educational, making it a game that children can easily grasp. The game is typically played in old-fashioned domino halls throughout the southern states, particularly in small rural towns in Texas.

Players: The game of Dominoes is designed for two, three, or four players. When it is played among four players, the game can be played as a partnership, where the players sitting opposite each other are considered partners.

The Shuffle: Before the game begins, all of the dominoes are placed face down and shuffled. Each player then draws one domino from the shuffled pile. The player drawing the highest double, or if no double is drawn, the highest domino, begins the game by making the first move. The pile is then reshuffled and the first hand is drawn.

Drawing: Each player draws a total of seven dominoes for their hand. Any remaining dominoes (the boneyard) are left face down on the table to be used for later turns when a player is unable to play from their hand.

Begin Play: The player who drew the highest double or highest domino plays first and chooses which domino they want to play.

Object of the game: The aim of the game is to score points by laying dominoes end to end. The ends of the dominoes must match, i.e., ones touch ones, twos touch twos, and so on. Points are awarded to a player if the exposed ends add up to any multiple of five. When the first double (the spinner) is played, both sides can be used with one domino on each side. In contrast, all other doubles must be played at right angles to the line, with the total points on both ends being counted. When a player successfully plays all their dominoes, it is called Dominoing, and the sum of the spots of all opposing players is computed and added to the dominoing player’s score (rounded to the nearest five). In partnership play, the spots of the player's partner who "DOMINOED" are not counted.

Blocking the Game: If a situation arises where none of the players are able to play a domino, the game is considered "Blocked." In such a case, the player (or partnership) with the fewest spots in their combined hands scores the total of the spots in the opponents' hands (rounded to the nearest five). The game is usually considered complete once a player reaches a score of 250 points. The first person (or partnership) to achieve this score wins the game, and a new game can begin with the winner playing first.