How to keep score in Draw & Block dominoes
Draw and Block are scored the same way. The only difference is what happens when you can't play. The player who empties their hand first wins the hand and collects points for every tile the other players are still holding.
- Play until one player plays their last tile (they "domino").
- Every other player adds up the pips on the tiles left in their hand.
- The player who went out scores the combined total.
- Keep playing hands until someone reaches the target score, usually 100.
Example: Ana plays her last tile. Ben is holding 5-3 and 2-2 (12 pips) and Cy is holding the 6-6 (12 pips). Ana scores 24.
Scoring a blocked game
Sometimes nobody can play. In Block dominoes this happens when every player is stuck. In Draw dominoes it happens once the boneyard is empty too. When the game blocks:
- Everyone counts the pips in their hand.
- The player with the lowest count wins the hand.
- They score the other players' pips minus their own.
Example: The game blocks. Ana holds 3 pips, Ben 10 and Cy 14. Ana wins and scores 10 + 14 − 3 = 21.
Some tables don't subtract the winner's own pips. If that's your rule, record the hand as a normal win for the low player instead of ticking "Blocked game". If two players tie for the lowest count, most groups score nothing for that hand.
What score do you play to?
100 is the most common target. Traditional games often go to 61, a habit from keeping score on a cribbage board. Play to 150 or 250 for a longer game. The first player to reach the target wins. You don't have to hit it exactly.
Draw dominoes vs Block dominoes
| Block dominoes | Draw dominoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Set | Double-6 (28 tiles) | Double-6 (28 tiles) |
| Tiles each | 7 for 2 players, 5 for 3 or 4 | 7 for 2 players, 5 for 3 or 4 |
| Can't play? | Pass your turn | Draw from the boneyard until you can play |
| Blocked when | Nobody can play | Boneyard is empty and nobody can play |
| Scoring | Winner takes the pips left in the other hands | |
With 4 players, some tables deal 7 tiles each and use the whole set, so there's no boneyard at all.
Basic Draw and Block rules
- Shuffle the tiles face down and deal the hands. The rest form the boneyard.
- The player with the highest double usually leads. In later hands, the winner of the last hand leads.
- Play a tile that matches an open end of the line. The line has two open ends.
- Play goes around the table until someone dominoes or the game blocks.
Using this counter
- Add 2 to 4 players and pick your target score.
- After each hand, tap the player who went out, then enter the other players' pip counts. Tap the domino icon to pick the tiles if you'd rather not count.
- For a blocked game, tick "Blocked game", pick the player with the lowest count and enter everyone's pips.
- The counter shows the score each hand, who's leading and how far everyone is from the target.
Draw & Block scoring FAQ
Who gets the points in Block dominoes?
The player who plays their last tile first. They score the total pips left in all the other players' hands.
Do you count your own tiles when you win?
No, not if you went out, because your hand is empty. In a blocked game the winner usually subtracts their own pips from the other players' total.
What happens if the lowest hands tie in a blocked game?
Most tables score nothing for that hand and deal again. Some split the points instead. Agree before you start.
Why do some people play dominoes to 61?
Many players kept score with pegs on a cribbage board, which has 61 holes per lap, so 61 became a traditional target.
Is Draw dominoes the same as All Fives?
No. In Draw dominoes you only score at the end of a hand. In All Fives you also score during play whenever the ends add up to a multiple of five. Use the All Fives counter for that game.