Dominoes Strategy: The Habits That Win, Measured
How to win more at dominoes: watch what your opponent draws, play doubles early, keep a tile that can follow on, count the numbers, and when weight matters.
Sunroom Games · Updated
Dominoes seems like a game of luck: you draw seven tiles and play what you can. But every turn you choose which tile to play and which end to play it on, and those choices add up over a game. We measured which habits matter most by letting our computer player, Ben, play thousands of games against versions of itself that each ignored one piece of advice. Some results were surprising.
If you'd like the rules first, see how to play Dominoes.
What our test games showed
We played 4,000 games to 100 points for each comparison. Against a player who ignored one habit, the player who kept it won:
| Habit | Games won out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Watching which numbers the other player lacks | 61 |
| Playing doubles while they fit | 57 |
| Keeping a tile that can follow on | 56 |
| Playing the heaviest tile first | 51 (no real difference) |
A few more facts from the same games: a game to 100 took about ten rounds, a round was worth about 16 points, nine rounds in ten ended with someone going out, and the player who led a round went on to win it 55 times in 100.
1. Watch what the other player draws
This was the biggest edge in our tests. When your opponent draws from the boneyard, they're telling you they have no tile matching either end of the line. Remember those numbers. Later, when you can choose, leave one of them showing at an end: they may have to draw again, or pass.
In our game, Ben does this to you too. If you draw when the ends are 3 and 5, Ben knows you're short of 3s and 5s, until you play one.
2. Play doubles while they fit
A double has the same number on both halves, so it only ever fits one number. Wait too long and the ends may never show that number again, leaving the double stuck in your hand, often with a lot of pips on it. A player who played doubles as soon as they could won 57 games in 100 against one who didn't.
3. Keep a tile that can follow on
Before you play, look at the number your tile will leave showing. If you still hold another tile with that number, you'll have a play next turn whatever your opponent does. A hand with many different numbers in it can almost always follow on; a hand full of the same few numbers often has to draw.
4. Count the numbers
In a double-six set, each number appears on exactly seven tiles. If you can see five 4s on the table and one in your hand, only one more exists. That tells you how likely your opponent is to match a 4, and whether leaving a 4 showing might block them.
5. Weight matters less than you'd think
Heavy tiles count against you if your opponent goes out first, so it seems wise to play them early. But in our tests, a player who chose tiles by weight alone lost badly, and adding "play the heaviest" on top of the other habits made no real difference. The habits above win more rounds, and winning the round is what scores. Use weight as a tie-breaker: when two plays are otherwise equal, play the heavier tile.
6. Leading is an advantage
The player who sets down the first tile of a round won it 55 times in 100 in our games. Winning a round gives you the lead in the next, so a run of good rounds tends to continue. When you lead, start with a tile you hold several of the numbers for, or a heavy double.
7. Think about a block when the boneyard is empty
Once the boneyard is empty, nobody can draw. If neither player can move, the round is blocked, and the player with fewer pips wins it. Late in a round, if your hand is light and your opponent's is likely heavy, leaving numbers they lack can end the round in your favor.
8. Ask for a hint
Our Hint button picks a tile the way Ben would and explains why: a number Ben is missing, a double, or a tile that leaves you a follow-on. It's a quick way to learn the habits above.
How often should you win?
Because of the deal, even good players lose plenty of rounds. In our tests, two players following the same habits each won about half their games. If you're winning half against Ben, you're playing as well as our computer. If you enjoy two-player games, see our guides to Backgammon strategy and card games for two.