Muggins (All Fives) dominoes
The domino game where every move can score: if the open ends of the line add up to 5, 10, 15 or any other multiple of 5, you take those points at once. Play Muggins online, also called All Fives, against live opponents, one on one or in pairs. The rules are easy to learn, but each move is a small decision.
At a glance
- 2 or 4 playersone on one, or two pairs with partners sitting opposite
- 28 tilesthe standard double-six set
- 7 tiles each5 each when four play; the rest form the boneyard
- Multiples of 5you score during play, not only at the end
- The spinnerthe first double can be played on all four sides
- To 250 or 200250 points one on one, 200 in pairs
How it is played, in short
- Deal. Each player takes 7 tiles (5 in a game for four). The tiles left over stay face down as the boneyard.
- First tile. The first player may lead any tile. Play then goes clockwise.
- Matching. Each tile is added to an open end of the line where the numbers match. Doubles are laid crosswise.
- Scoring. After every move the open ends are added up. If the total is a multiple of 5, the player who moved scores it.
- No move? Draw from the boneyard until you get a tile that fits, and play it. If the boneyard is empty, you pass.
- Going out. The hand ends when someone plays their last tile, or when nobody can move. The winner scores the other side's spots, rounded to the nearest 5.
- Game. The first player or pair to reach the target wins.
The details, with worked examples, are on the Muggins rules page.
One game, two names. In the United States "Muggins" and "All Fives" usually mean the same game, and this is the one we play. In Britain "muggins" can also name a version without a spinner. Our rules page says exactly what is played.
Why people like it
- Something happens on every move. You look for the tile that makes the ends add up to 5, 10 or 15, and you try to leave your opponent a count that scores nothing.
- Easy to start. If you know ordinary dominoes, you only need one new idea: add up the ends.
- It is not only about the last tile. Points come all through the hand, so a game stays open until the target is reached.
How we play on PlayElephant
Default table settings:
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Players | 2, or 4 in two pairs |
| Tiles dealt | 7 each for two players, 5 each for four |
| First lead | The first hand: a draw of lots, any tile may be led. Later hands: whoever went out last |
| Boneyard | Draw until a tile fits, and play it. It can be emptied completely |
| Spinner | The first double laid in the hand |
| Direction | Clockwise |
| Claiming points | Automatic: the server counts every move |
| End of hand | The winner scores the opponents' spots, rounded to the nearest 5 |
| Target score | 250 one on one, 200 in pairs. The game ends the moment it is reached |
- Live opponents, not bots. In a pairs game your partner is a real person too. A bot appears only to replace a player who has left, and it is always marked as a bot.
- Pairs, ratings, clubs. In pairs games you can build a pair rating, enter pair tournaments and join clubs.
- Every move is checked. The server allows only legal moves, so you cannot play the wrong tile or forget to draw.
- No missed points. Scores for the ends are counted and added for you.
Fair play
Every hand is shuffled at random, and the shuffle can be checked afterwards. Nobody is dealt better tiles on purpose, and there is no game for money.