This is one of the simplest and most common domino game, taking its name from the rule that allows players to draw new tiles from the boneyard. As a result, it is played in a dozen different ways by everyone. This is one set of rules, but some more common variations are given in the variations section. Any of the Block game variations can be converted to a Draw game by allowing the use of the tiles left in the boneyard.
The game uses a double six domino set, but other sets can also be used when you have more players.
The size of the hand varies with the number of players:
The rest of the tiles stay in the boneyard.
The four handed game can be played in partnerships or as individuals. The players draw for lead (or set) and take turns placing tiles to form a single line. A tile can be placed on either end of the line. Doubles are played across the line, but are not spinners.
A player who cannot or does not wish to play a tile from hand must draw from the boneyard. The player continues to draw tiles until either he plays a tile or the boneyard is reduced to two tiles. The last two tiles of the boneyard are not drawn, and when the boneyard has only two tiles a player who cannot play simply passes his turn. A player must always end his turn by playing a tile unless the bonyeard is reduced to two tiles and the player has no playable tile.
The hand stops when one player dominoes or when the boneyard is reduced to two tiles and nobody can play. Note that if the layout is blocked, both ends of the line showing a number of which all tiles have already been played, the next player in turn will have to draw all the remaining tiles from the boneyard except for the last two.
It is legal to draw from the boneyard when able to play, or to continue drawing after a playable tile. A player may do this in the hope of finding a tile that can be used to block the game thereby forcing the next player to draw a large number of tiles.
After the hand is ended and scored, the tiles are shuffled again and the turn to lead passes to the player to the left of the previous leader.
At the end of the hand, each player gets the total number of pips on the tiles in his hand. The lowest scoring player is the winner and is credited with the sum of the scores of the losers, minus his own total. If there is a tie for lowest score, then nobody gets a score.
The game is played for 100 points in a two player or partnership game, and for 61 points in a three or four handed game. This convention allows a cribbage board to be used for keeping scores.
The best play is to set your strongest suit, preferably with a double, so that you will have more options for further plays when it is your turn again. The better control you have of a suit, the more you should try to leave that suit on the ends of the train.
In a partnership game, you can assume that your partner's lead is his strongest suit and play to it.
Dutch: According to the Domino Plaza web site, in this game a player draws one or two tiles from the boneyard, and passes his turn if this does not give him a playable tile. The [0-0] counts as 13 points.
The four-player game with partners, in which each player takes 7 tiles and there is no boneyard and therefore no draw, is described on the partnership dominoes page. This game is popular in Spain and Latin America.
In Puerto Rico when there are two or three players a draw game with seven tiles each is played. It is usual for the holder of the double six, or if it is not dealt the holder of the highest double dealt to start the game, and the player must begin with this double. Thereafter the winner of each game begins the next. A player who cannot play draws from the boneyard until he can, but it is illegal to draw when able to play. The winner scores the total number of pips left in the hands of all players and the other players score nothing. In the case of a blocked game the winner is the player with the least pips. In case of a tie some play that there is no winner and the highest double starts the next game; others play that the player who blocked the game is the winner. This game is described in detail on Jose Carillo's Puertorican Dominoes page.
Sultan Ratrout reports that in Arabic countries, when the game is blocked, both ends of the line showing a number of which all tiles have been played, the game immediately ends and is scored. No further tiles are drawn from the boneyard.
In Austria the game is played using an [8-8] set without doubles (36 tiles) - at least this was the usual game there until the mid 20th century - see the Austrian Dominoes page.
Rules for Draw Dominoes can be found on the Domino Plaza site.
MoneyGaming offers Domino Duel, an online two-player game of Draw Dominoes, All Fives or Fives and Threes for fun or money.
Game Colony offers head to head Draw Dominoes games and multi-player tournaments, which can be played free or for cash prizes.
A Draw Dominoes game which can be played locally against the computer or online is included in the Favorite Games Ltd. package.
A version of Draw Dominoes can be played online under the name Domino at the turn-based servers Yourturnmyturn.com (English), Brettspielnetz.de (German) and Jijbent.nl (Dutch).
Rubl.com offers a two-player online draw domino game for prizes.
A version of Draw Dominoes known as Donkey (Osel) can be played online at meingames.de
Playpop.com includes an online Draw Dominoes game in which playing a double gives you an extra turn.