Cuban Dominoes (Dominó cubano, doble nueve)
Cuban dominoes is the partnership game played on the double-nine set: 55 tiles instead of the usual 28. Each player gets only ten, and fifteen tiles stay asleep, so you never know exactly what is out there. On PlayElephant you play it online with a live partner, not a bot.
At a glance
- 4 playerstwo fixed pairs, partners sit opposite
- Double nine55 tiles, from 00 to 99
- 10 + 15ten tiles each, fifteen "asleep" (dormidas)
- No drawingif you cannot play, you pass
- To 100 pointsthe winners of a hand count the tiles left in the opponents' hands
- To the rightcounter-clockwise
What is different from ordinary double-six
- A bigger set. Every number from 0 to 9 appears on ten tiles, and a tile can be worth up to 18 points.
- Fifteen tiles sleep. Only 40 of 55 tiles are in play. A number you are waiting for may be asleep, and the game can lock even when plenty of tiles are still unseen.
- Longer hands. Ten tiles each instead of seven, so a hand is longer and you have more choices.
- Bigger hands, bigger scores. A single hand can be worth 50 points or more, so a game to 100 swings fast.
How it is played, in short
- Deal. The 55 tiles are shuffled face down. Each player takes ten, the other fifteen sleep until the end of the hand.
- Lead. One player of the leading pair puts down any tile. The pair decides together which of the two goes first.
- Play. In turn, to the right, each player adds one tile to either end of the line. The tile must match the number at that end.
- Pass. No matching tile means a pass. There is no drawing. The server passes for you.
- End of the hand. Whoever plays the last tile wins the hand (pegarse). If nobody can move, the hand is blocked (tranque) and the lowest hand wins.
- Score. The winning pair scores the points left in the opponents' hands. The first pair to 100 wins the game.
Everything in detail, with examples, is on the Cuban dominoes rules page.
How we play on PlayElephant
Default table settings:
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Players | 4, two fixed pairs |
| Set and hand | Double nine, 55 tiles: 10 each, 15 asleep |
| Who leads first | Draw between the pairs, the pair chooses who goes |
| Following hands | The pair that won the last hand leads |
| A winner scores | Tiles left in the two opponents' hands |
| Blocked hand | The lowest hand of a single player wins |
| Tied block | No points, the other pair leads next |
| Redeal | A player with 5 or more doubles may ask for it |
| Game to | 100 points |
| Bonuses | No capicúa, no extra for a pass |
- A live partner, not a bot. You play with a real person. Pair ratings, pair tournaments and clubs are what the platform is built around.
- Bots are always marked and only take the seat of a player who has left.
- Every move is checked. The server will not accept a tile that does not match, a move out of turn, or a pass when you have a move. A false pass is impossible.
- Fair play. Every deal is a fair shuffle that can be verified afterwards. The sleeping tiles stay hidden until the hand is over, then everyone sees them.
- No signals. As at a real table, your tile and your thinking time are the only message to your partner.
- Automatic score. Counting tiles, blocks and the score sheet "us / them" are done for you.