How to play
All Fives is a scoring game played with a double-six set of 28 dominoes. You score during play, not just at the end of a hand: every time the open ends of the layout add up to a multiple of five, the player who just played scores that total.
You play against one, two or three computer players, each for themselves. Choose the number of players at the top.
- Each player gets 9 tiles with two players, 7 with three and 5 with four. The rest stay face down as the boneyard.
- The first player of the first hand is picked at random. They may lead any tile.
- Each turn, play one tile that matches an open end. Tap a glowing tile: if it fits only one end it goes there, if it fits several, tap the end you want.
- You must play if you can. If nothing fits, draw from the boneyard until you get a tile that fits, then play it. When the boneyard is empty and nothing fits, you pass.
- The hand ends when someone plays their last tile (“dominoes”), or when nobody can play (a blocked game).
The next hand is led by whoever dominoed; after a blocked hand, the leader is picked at random again.
The spinner
The first double played is the spinner. Tiles go first on its two sides, like any tile. Once both sides have a tile, its two ends open too, so the layout can grow in four directions. Only the first double is a spinner; later doubles are just placed across their line.
Scoring
After each tile, the game adds up the open ends of the layout. The total is shown in the corner of the table, and it turns gold on a multiple of five. If it is a multiple of five, the player who just played scores it.
- A tile on an open end counts its outer number.
- A double at an open end counts both halves: a 6-6 at the end counts 12.
- The spinner counts both halves until both of its sides have tiles. After that it no longer counts by itself.
- The third and fourth arms (north and south) count as soon as their first tile is down.
Examples: leading the 5-5 scores 10 at once. With the 5-5 spinner and a 5-3 on its east side, the ends are 3 and the spinner’s 10: 13, nothing. Add a 5-2 on the west side and the spinner stops counting: 3 + 2 = 5, and you score 5.
End of the hand
- Domino: the player who goes out scores the pips left in all opponents’ hands, rounded to the nearest 5 (1 or 2 round down, 3 or 4 round up).
- Blocked: the player with the fewest pips left scores the others’ pips, rounded the same way. If the fewest pips are tied, nobody scores, except with three players: then the two tied players each score half of the third player’s pips, rounded to the nearest 5.
The first player to reach 250 points (two players) or 200 (three or four) wins the game at once, even in the middle of a hand.
Strategy
- Count before you play. Look at the total in the corner and work out what each of your tiles would make it. Doubles are worth a lot at an open end.
- Lead for points. 5-5, 6-4 and 5-0 score 10, 10 and 5 straight away; 2-3 and 1-4 score 5.
- Don’t set up your opponent. Leaving a total of 13 when they might hold a tile that adds 2 hands them points. Totals that need a number you know is gone are safer.
- Watch what they draw. When an opponent draws or passes, they hold none of the numbers on the open ends.
- Get rid of heavy tiles. Pips left in your hand go to whoever goes out.
If you enjoy All Fives, try Amazons or Backgammon next.
