Rules

This is a guide on how to play dominoes, tweaked to the Jamaican style.

Basic Information

Materials – 28 dominoes with seven of each suit 0-0, 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 0-4, 0-5, 0-6, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5, 2-6, 3-3, 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 5-5, 5-6, 6-6
Players are seated/stand at the four sides of a level table (at least 2 feet by 2 feet is a good enough size). Domino tables are usually square. Partners sit at opposite ends of the table such that they never play right after each other.
The number of players required is 2 to 4. Although it is uncommon for two people to play dominoes, it is still possible.
When two people are playing, each player receives 14 dominoes when three are playing each player receives 9 dominoes and Double Blank (0-0) is omitted. When 4 people are playing (the most common way to play) each receive 7 dominoes.
The game is played anticlockwise
There are three main types of dominoes played in Jamaica: Cut Throat, Partner and French.
Cut throat is as the name suggests; you play for yourself to win and partner means that you play for yourself and your partner in order to win.
Each domino except for doubles (0-0, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6) have two different suits. For example 1-2: 1st suit and second suit, 4-5: Fourth suit and Fifth suit and so on.
A strong suit is one where you have at least three cards of the same suit. The higher the number of cards the stronger the suit.

Cut Throat

In this game everyone plays for themselves.
At the very beginning of this game one player is required to “pose” double six 6-6. To pose means to play the first card. Whoever draws double six 6-6 has to pose on the very first round even if it is not the players strongest suit.
The next person in turn (underneath his/her hand) plays. This person has to play a card that has a six on it (in the sixth suit). To do this the player has to connect the two ends of the same number together only revealing the other suit of the card. The player can play on either side of the double six.
The next person (3rd to play) has two options (each player except for the player who plays after the poser will have only two places on the board to play). He/she can either play on the newly revealed suit or on the sixth suit.
The 4th player can either play on either of the two suits the previous player revealed whether it be scenario 1: a new suit or the sixth suit or scenario 2: the suit the second player revealed or the suit the third player also revealed by playing on the sixth suit.
If a player does not have any cards of the suits that are at the two ends of the board to match then the player is required to pass his play to the next person to his/her right.
The game ends when one player has no dominoes in his/her hand (Note: It is impossible for more than one person to finish their cards at the same time)
This player is said to have won that round. Thus this person's score is 1 while the rest of the players are said to be at the score zero (In Jamaican Terms “ Under Love”).
The next round (2nd round along with all other subsequent rounds) is started by the winner (winner of previous round) posing any card he/she chooses. The norm is to pose a double of a strong suit in your hand. For example: this is in your hand at the start [3 3] 4-5, 3-0, 1-3, 5-1, 6-3, 0-0, the best card to pose is 3-3. N.B. a double is not necessarily the best card to pose. For example: this is in your hand at the start 5-5, 4-5, 4-3, 6-6, 4-1, 4-0, 4-2. In this scenario the best card to pose would be of the cards of the fourth suit.
The aim is to give your opponents Six - LOVE i.e. win six rounds without letting the other three players win (6-0-0-0) or at least giving one person six-Love (6-0-2-5).
Another way of winning a round is to “Block” the game. This means to play a card that makes both ends the same and also be the last card of the suit. For example: It is your turn and at both ends of the board the suits are 6 and 5, the last six (last of the sixth suit) is in your hands being 6-5. If the 6-5 is played on the 5 at the end of the board then the two ends would be showing six and no one else can play because the last six was just played by you. This means that once every player has at least one card in his/her hand and cannot play, the game is blocked. To determine the winner the person with the lowest numerical value (in Jamaican terms: lowest “count”) wins. The lowest card in an entire pack is [0 0] - this counts ZERO.
It is however possible for there to be a draw (NO WINNER). This is only possible when a game is blocked and at least two people have the same count. For example: You have 4-2 another player has 3-3 another player has 4-4 and the other has 6-6. As you can see the lowest count is six but two players have this count. In order to settle this a new round is played where the pose is double six. The winner of this new round gains two points instead of the normal one point.

Partner

This type of dominoes is as the name suggests: working with another person in the game in order to win.
This game of dominoes can only be played with four people (even number of people on each team). There are only two teams (sets of partners). Only Four people can play this game
The person across from you meaning the person who will play after the person underneath your hand is your partner for the entire set of rounds.
If you wish to change partners you have to sit across from the person you wish to partner with (this means some persons have to change seats).
The game rules are the same as in cut throat only changes are that your aim is to give the other team 6-love (win six games without allowing the
Also when a team wins a round either of the team members can pose.
It is illegal to give signals or suggestions in any of the types dominoes games ESPECIALLY partner. In Jamaica this is almost viewed as an offense and is met with much anger.
In the case of a blocked game the player who has the lowest card, his team wins.
If there is a draw (Blocked game: two people count the same and it is the lowest and they are on different teams) then the next game is started with double six and whoever wins, that team gains two points.

Variations of Cut Throat

One variation is playing straight to six meaning whomever reaches six wins the domino game
Another is six love where at least one person must be at zero for someone to reach six and win. If all the players have at least one point the game is said to be “bruk” and the game is reset. This is revealed by someone saying “Game Bruk”
A rule in both variations is that once all players are at one then the next round double six (6-6) poses and whoever wins that round advances to two while the others are at zero. This Rule is known as “One All Play Two”.

Variations of Partner

The variations of partner are the same as cut throat including the “One All Play Two” rule

Glossary of terms

Term	Meaning
Cutting	This can be done to a double or to a suit of cards. Cutting a double is normally done after reading well in advance if it will help you win in the case of cut throat or you/partner win in the end game
One all play two	This means when you and your opponents have the score of one point in total then the next round double six is posed and the winner of that round advances to two while the losers go to zero
Double Six	The highest single counting card of a dominoes pack (6-6). This card is always posed at the first round when both teams are at zero, when both teams are at one and after a draw. It can also be played as a pose for the winner
Pose	This is playing the first card on the board at the beginning of each round. Also a player can be said to have the pose. This means that that player has the least number of cards or will have the least number of cards when it is his/her turn
Game bruk	When all players/teams have scored at least one point the game resets. This term is only used when playing six love. If all players/teams are at one then One All Play Two rule is applied (see One All Play Two in Glossary)
Pass	When you have no card matching the suits to be played on on each end of the boar
Player	Underneath Your Hand This is the player that plays after you. This person is who you ultimately want to pass when playing partner
Dead Double	This means that your double cannot be played ever in that round. If all the other six cards of the double's, a suit is played and that suit is not on either end of the board then that double is deem to be dead
Love	Jamaican term for saying score zero
Six-Love/Giving Six	This means winning all the rounds of dominoes without allowing your opponents to win ( in the case of cut throat: not allowing at least one person from winning)