Western Sets

Fives and Threes

6-apot dominoes (28 dominoes)

Format - 2 players

Score points where the sum of the exposed tiles are multiples of 5 and/or 3.

(Above) - a high scoring and attacking start - double 6 for 4 pts (4 threes). Opposition has no sixes so cannot go. Then 6-3 adding to 15 gives another 8 points (5 threes and 3 fives).

Play to 61 up with an exact number required to peg out.

MSO

Matador

9-spot dominoes (55 dominoes)

Format - 2 to 8 players (best with 2 to 5)

The aim is to play all the dominos in your hand. The sum of the exposed end and the end of the domino being played to it must add up to 10.  i.e. a 9 to be played to a 1, an 8 to a 2 etc.  The exception to this is a Matador, which can be played onto any exposed domino.  There are six Matadors. Five of them add up to ten. The 0-0 is the sixth Matador. Points are scored against a player for bones left unplayed.

Further Info - wikipedia

Chicken Foot

9-spot dominoes (55 dominoes)

Format – 3 or 4 player singles. Groups of 4 / 5

Four matching dominoes must first be played to the starting double.  The four lines can then be followed by simply matching the end spots to a domino in the hand.  When a double is played, three further lines must sprout from the double (the chicken foot) before the lines can continue. Play over a series of rounds. Lowest score wins.

Rules - www.pagat.com/tile/wdom/chickenfoot.html

Mexican Train

12-spot dominoes (91 dominoes)

Format – 2, 3 or 4 player singles. Groups of 4 / 5. (MAX of 8)

Starting from a central hub (double), dominoes are played onto a player’s own line of dominoes or the neutral line of the Mexican Train.  It’s a simple process of matching spots in the hand to the exposed end of your line.  When you cannot go you place a train marker on your own line which allows other players to play onto your line too.  Play over a series of rounds. Lowest score wins.

Rules - www.pagat.com/tile/wdom/mextrain.html

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Custom Sets

Rummikub

(106 tiles)

Format - 2 to 4 players

Duration - 60 mins

Sets of tiles are played in either runs of the same colour or groups of 3 or 4 of the same number but different colours. Sets already played on the table can be rearranged and manipulated to add further possibilities and tactics.

MSO

Rules - www.pagat.com/rummy/rummikub.html

Further Info - wikipedia

Triominos

(The 56 triangular tiles have a number from 0 to 5 at each apex)

Format - 2 to 6 players

Duration - 30 mins

The aim is to play all the tiles in your hand.

Points are scored for the sum of the numbers on the tile played plus any bonus points.

2 adjacent numbers must match the tile played to.

The winner of each round receives the sum of the numbers on the other players' unplayed tiles.

First to 400 points

Rules - www.pressmangames.com/instructions/instruct_trio-ominos.html

Further Info - wikipedia

Tsung Shap (Disputing Tens)

Cihinese Dominoes (32 tiles)

About Chinese Dominoes

A Chinese set differs from western sets by having repeat tiles.

The civil tiles are the 22 repeat tiles (11 pairs).

The other 10 single tiles make up the military tiles.

1 and 4 pips are red. The pair of double sixes are half-coloured red.

However this doesn't help identify which is military and which is civil.

***

To become more familiar with the Chinese tiles try the rummy like game of Disputing Tens.

Format - 2 player singles

The face-down tiles are made up into a woodpile, 4 tiles high by 8 tiles long.

Both players take 4 sets of these piles to make their own woodpile 4 high by 4 long.

In turn, a tile is taken from the top of each player's pile and placed face up on the table as part of the row.  If there is no score to be made then this just extends the row. Players collect pairs and triples of tiles to make points.

•   If the tile makes a matching pair with a tile at either end of the row (i.e. a pair from the civil set) then the player takes the pair.The total pips are multiplied by 10.
• If the pips on the tile make a multiple of ten when added to either:-

The 2 tiles (the whole tile, not just the exposed end) at each end of the row

Or

• The 2 tiles at either end of the row then the triplet is taken and the sum of the pips are counted.

If a player doesn't take up a scoring pair or triplet then his opponent may claim it before he continues.

Once one player has no tiles left to play then the total scores are calculated.

Rules - www.pagat.com/tile/cdom/tsungshap.html

Further Info - wikipedia

Continuo

(42 cards)

Format - 2 to 5 players

Duration - 20 mins

Although using cards, the cards are treated as tiles.

The aim is to play a card from the hand adjacent to a card on the table to make continuous chains of colours for which points are scored.

MSO

Mensa Connections (aka Ingenious)

Format – 2 to 5 players. Pairs.

Duration – approx 30 mins

Tiles of 2 hexagonal segments are played from the hand to connect to matching tiles on the board.  Points are scored accordingly.  When one player has emptied their hand and there are no more tiles to draw from then the scores are taken. Each player's round score is the score of their lowest scoring colour (see scorecard above - green scores 2 points for this player)

MSO

Zatre

Format - 2 players, 2 or 3 pairs

Duration - approx 45 mins

Tiles numbered from 1 to 6 are placed on a grid on a board to connect with already played tiles.  The placed tiles must form rows or columns adding up to 10, 11 or 12 points to score. Lines totalling 9 or less do not score.  There are bonus points for playing on light squares and/or for making 3 scoring lines of 10, 11 and 12 at once.  When the game ends all points remaining in hand are deducted from a player's score.

MSO

Crosshand Poker

Format - 2 to 4 players

Duration - approx 30 mins

104 tiles representing 2 packs of playing cards plus 4 joker tiles are played to connect with already played tiles to form one or more poker hands.  Hands are scored accordingly, with additional bonus points possible for matching a played tile with a board square of the same value. Jokers add further possibilities.

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