Domino House Rules

PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE TOURNAMENT RULES, REGULATIONS AND DEFINITIONS

  1. Tournament is limited to the first 20 Players. Must be 18 years of age or older to participate.
  2. BE ON TIME. ALL REGISTERED INDIVIDUALS MUST BE SEATED AND READY TO BEGIN PROMPTLY AT START OF TOURNAMENT OR YOUR REGISTRATION FEE WILL BE FORFEITED! Do not leave the area of the tournament; doing so can delay the tournament and you may be disqualified. No breaks are permitted during matches. Bathroom or other necessary time will be provided during intervals of matches.
  3. All dominoes are turned face down and mixed. Each player draws 7 dominoes. Double six always starts the first game. Players may match one end or side of the double.
  4. WINNING. Each game will be played until 150 points is reached. 
  5. THE TIME LIMIT ON MATCHES will be exactly 30 minutes for each round except the final which will have a 45 min limit. A clock will be provided onsite for tracking time.
  6. SCORING will be done in multiples of 5, in writing, with the exception of the first score which must a minimum of 10 points.  
  7. MATCHES will be played with each player drawing 7 dominoes. All players are responsible for checking on under draws or overdraws before play begins. A 100-point penalty will be imposed if an individual is found to be playing with the incorrect counts.
  8. DREW AND COULD PLAY: This will result in a 30-point penalty or 20% of the total in rule #4, whichever is greater.
  9. PASSED AND COULD PLAY is a 30-point penalty or 20% of the total in rule #4, whichever is greater. The game stopped at that point and the next person will go down.
  10. NO CHEATING is permitted by word, deed, or action, including trying to transfer information to another player. Any suspected cheating should immediately be called to the attention of the floor judge. Do not wait until after the game or hand. Expulsion from the tournament will be the result of cheating.
  11. FIRST TO GO DOWN is determined by standard practices of highest double plays first. This rule is to be utilized whenever last games ends in a draw with no players being able to play or at the beginning of the tournament.
  12. NO REDRAW OR RESHUFFLE is permitted due to voids in suits or too many doubles.
  13. ALL DOMINOES NOT IN THE SHUFFLE are the responsibilities of all players. If some are accidentally left out, they will be returned to the deck and reshuffled. If they are intentionally left out, refer to a judge for a ruling. Dominoes exposed during the shuffle will be reshuffled. Dominoes exposed while drawing a hand will be accepted by the person exposing it.
  14. MISPLAYED DOMINO, if caught before the next person plays or passes, will be played elsewhere on the table, if it will play. If it will not play, it will be turned face-up on the table and played at the first opportunity by the person making the error.
  15. IF THE WRONG DOUBLE IS PLAYED ON FOR THE SPINNER and is not caught before the next player plays or passes, that double will stand as the spinner. If the wrong play is caught before the next player plays or passes, Rule #14 will apply.
  16. IF PLAYED OUT OF TURN a domino will be left face-up on the table and played at the first opportunity.
  17. A BLOCKED GAME in singles results only after all the dominoes have been drawn and neither player can play. The lowest number of points gets the points in the opponent’s hand(s). (In the case of a tie, no one gets the points.) Hands following the blocked game, begins with Big Six.