Dominoes - Bingo Game

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.

BINGO

This game is played as similarly to the card game of Sixty-six as the difference between dominoes and cards will permit. The rank of the pieces is the same as in other domino games, except that Blanks count as seven-spots. The Double-Blank, which is called Bingo, and counts for fourteen spots, is the highest domino, and will take the Double of trumps.

The game is played by two persons, and is commenced by each drawing for the lead, and he who draws the lowest piece has the lead. Each player then draws seven pieces, after which eldest hand turns up another piece, the highest spot on which is trumps. The player whose lead it is now plays, after which the lead belongs to the winner of the previous trick. It is not necessary to follow suit; a player may play any piece to a trick, without restriction of suit or value, even if trumps are led, and the two pieces thus played constitute a trick. The highest domino of the suit led wins the trick, but trumps beat all inferior suits.

After each trick the players each draw a piece from the stock of remaining dominoes, the winner of the previous trick first, and the loser next, continuing this operation until all the pieces are exhausted or one of the players turns down the trump domino, i.e., "closes ".

After the dominoes have been drawn from the stock, so that only one piece remains, the winner of the previous trick takes that piece, and his opponent the turn-up trump, and the play of the last seven tricks begins. The mode of play now changes. The second player must follow suit to the piece led, and it is compulsory to win the trick. If the second player cannot follow suit, he must trump the trick if he can.

At any time, after taking a trick, and before the remaining stock of dominoes is exhausted, a player who thinks he can make seventy without further drawing may, when it is his turn to lead, turn down the trump domino. This is called closing.

If the player who closes fails to count seventy, his opponent scores two points.

The game consists of seven points, which are made in the following manner: The player who first counts seventy scores one point towards game; if he make seventy before his opponent has counted thirty, he scores two points ; if before his opponent has won a trick, three points. If Bingo capture the Double of trumps, it adds at once one point to the winner of the trick.

The pieces count as follows to the winner of the trick containing them: The Double of trumps always twenty-eight; the other Doubles and all the other trumps according to their spots; the Six-Four and Three-Blank are always good for ten each, whether trumps or not; the other pieces have no value.

If a player have, at any time, two Doubles in his hand, he can, when it is his turn to lead, play one, show the other, and announce twenty points, which are added to his count as soon as he has won a trick. If he hold three Doubles, he counts forty; for four Doubles, fifty; for five Doubles, Sixty; for six Doubles, seventy points. If Bingo be among the Doubles held, it adds ten more to the count.