Arcajoy domino rules: Classic and All Fives

Learn legal moves, drawing and scoring in Arcajoy dominoes. Compare Classic to 100 points with All Fives to 150, including open-end examples.

Playing, drawing and passing

Match one half of a tile to an open end with the same number. Against a four, play the half showing four pips; the other half becomes the new end. When no move is legal, draw from the stock and check your hand again. Passing is allowed only with no legal move and an empty stock. These are the rules of this two-player version; other domino variants may differ.

Finishing a Classic round

A player who empties their hand scores the pips remaining in the opponent's hand. After two consecutive passes, the lower pip total wins and scores the difference. For example, hands totalling six and eleven award five points to the player holding six. Equal totals produce no round winner. Classic continues to 100 points, so finishing one round does not necessarily finish the match.

Scoring in All Fives

A move also scores when the open-end total is divisible by five: ordinary ends of two and three score five, while four and six score ten. An exposed end double counts both halves. The first double becomes a spinner; its upper and lower branches open after both left and right branches are occupied. Check the Ends display rather than adding only two outer numbers. The match target is 150 points.

One placement changes the next open end

An end shows four and you hold 4–6. Playing it leaves six exposed. The move does more than shrink your hand: it changes the number your opponent must match. Check how many sixes you retain for later. If this was your last one, you may be closing a number that previously suited your own hand.

In All Fives, also calculate the scoring ends after the move. Ordinary ends of four and six on an unbranched chain score ten. Do not transfer that calculation automatically to an end double or several branches: identify every counted half first. The Ends display lets you compare your arithmetic with the current table.

Round-ending examples

A checklist for each turn

1. List the playable ends and then find matching tiles in your hand. Do not select only the first matching number you notice.
2. Compare the number each move leaves exposed. It affects both your next opportunity and the opponent's choices.
3. In All Fives, total the ends after placement, including end doubles and active branches. A lighter tile may score more immediately.
4. If nothing matches, draw and check again. Passing cannot replace drawing while stock remains.
5. Watch the overall match score. Emptying your hand and reaching the match target are connected but different events.

Advice that needs context

Discarding your heaviest tile is useful only when you consider the continuation. It reduces a possible remaining total but may remove your only answer to an open number. Compare at least two choices: what will remain exposed, and what could you play after the opponent's next turn?

Do not import house rules from another domino game without checking them. This version uses two players and specific drawing and scoring rules. Learn Classic first, then try All Fives and verify Ends after each placement. English interface names remain unchanged; translating the article does not translate the game messages.

A short scoring exercise

Before placing in All Fives, predict whether the move scores and state the total. Afterward compare your prediction with the display. If they differ, inspect doubles and branches first rather than changing several assumptions at once. In Classic, practise counting the pips left in both hands at a blocked finish and calculate the difference.

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