Dominoes - Domino Poker

Dominoes are pieces of ivory or bone, usually with ebony backs. On the face of each piece there are two compartments, in each of which there is found either a blank, or black pips or spots from one to six.

The dominoes are thus named: Double-Six; Six-Five; Six-Four; Six-Three; Six-Two; Six-One; Six-Blank; Double-Five; Five- Four; Five-Three; Five-Two; Five-One; Five-Blank; Double- Four ; Four-Three; Four-Two; Four-One; Four-Blank; Double- Three; Three-Two; Three-One; Three-Blank; Double-Two; Two- One; Two-Blank; Double-One; One-Blank; Double-Blank.

To Shuffle And Determine The First Pose.

Shuffling the dominoes (also called making) is done by turning them face downwards on the table, and mixing them about with the fingers in such manner as to prevent the position of any given domino being known. Each player has a right to perform this operation.

The right to the first pose, or turn to play (also known as the "down"), has next to be decided, and this is usually done by each player drawing and turning up one domino, and the holder of the lowest number of points having the preference. The dominoes thus used are returned to the pack, and again shuffled with the rest. Each player then takes randomly from the dominoes nearest to him the number appropriate to the game to be played, and these constitute his "hand". The remaining dominoes are called the stock.

DOMINO POKER

In this game only twenty pieces are employed, the Double-Ace and all the Blanks being discarded. The hands rank in regular order from one pair up to the Royal Hand, which is the highest hand that can be held, as follows:

ONE Pair.�Any two Doubles, Double-Six, and Double-Deuce will beat Double-Five and Double-Four.

Flush.�Any five of suit not in consecutive order: as, Six-Ace, Six-Three, Six-Four, Six-Five, and Double-Six.

Triplets, or Threes.�Any three Doubles. The Double-Ace and Double-Blank being discarded, it follows that only one hand of Triplets can be out in the same deal.

Straight Four.�A sequence, or rotation of Fours: as, Four- Six, Four-Five, Double-Four, Four-Three, and Four-Deuce.

Full Hand.�Three Doubles, and two of any suit: as, Double- Six, Double-Three, and Double-Deuce, together with Deuce-Four and Deuce-Ace.

Straight Five.�A- sequence, or rotation of Fives.

Fours.�Any four Doubles.

Straight Six.�A sequence, or rotation of Sixes.

Royal Hand, or Invincible.�Five Doubles.

When none of the above hands are out, the best is determined by the rank of the highest leading pieces; thus a hand led by Double- Six is superior to a hand led by Double-Five, but a hand headed by Double-Deuce will beat Six-Five; and Six-Five will outrank Five- Four.

Domino Poker is governed by the same laws as the card game called Straight Poker, and is played in precisely the same manner; one game being played with cards and the other with dominoes ; the hands consequently rank differently, but in every other particular they are identical.