What is the difference between Draw and Block dominoes?
Draw and Block are the two trunk games of western dominoes, and they split on exactly one question: what happens when you can't play?
The one-rule difference
Setup, matching and winning are identical: seven tiles each from a double-six set, match the open ends, first out wins the hand. The fork comes when you're stuck. Draw sends you to the boneyard to draw until you can play; Block has you knock and pass on the spot, leaving the boneyard untouched all hand.
How it changes the game
In Draw, stuck players absorb extra tiles, so hands swing on how much dead weight the boneyard hands out, and hands more often end with someone going out. In Block, the 14 sleeping boneyard tiles are permanently hidden, passes are frequent, and blocked endings are routine - which makes pip counting and suit control the whole contest. Same tiles, noticeably different games.
Which should you play first?
Start with Draw: the boneyard bails you out of bad luck, so you can focus on learning the matching flow. Graduate to Block when you're ready to think about what your opponent holds, then add scoring with All Fives. That ladder is exactly the one our beginner guide recommends.
Related questions
What is the boneyard in dominoes?
The boneyard is the pile of face-down tiles left over after both players draw their hands - 14 tiles in a two-player double-six game. In Draw-family games you take from it when you can't play; in Block it sits untouched, which means those tiles never enter the hand at all.
Can you pass in dominoes?
Yes, but only when you genuinely can't play - and each family handles it differently. In Block you knock and pass immediately. In Draw and the scoring games you must draw from the boneyard until you find a playable tile, and may only pass once the boneyard is empty.
Which dominoes game is best for beginners?
Start with Draw: pure matching, and the boneyard rescues you from bad luck while you learn. Block is the natural second step - the same game with no safety net, which teaches counting. Then add All Fives for scoring, with Bergen, Fives and Threes and Matador waiting beyond.