Who goes first in dominoes?

Dominoes settles who leads with a simple, elegant convention that doubles as the first move of the game.

Quick answer: By tradition, the player holding the highest double sets it as the first tile; if nobody drew a double, hands are reshuffled or the heaviest tile leads. The first play is called the down, and it's a genuine advantage in scoring games. Online, the down is handled automatically each hand.

The classic conventions

The most common rule: after the draw, whoever holds the heaviest double - 6-6 first, then 5-5, and so on - plays it to open the hand. If neither player drew a double, some tables reshuffle while others let the heaviest tile lead. In later hands, many traditions give the down to the previous hand's winner, while others alternate it. The rules hub notes what each game here uses.

Why going first matters

The down sets the first suits on the table and forces your opponent to respond on your terms. In All Fives it can even score outright - opening with the 5-5 banks ten points before your opponent touches a tile, and 6-4 or 5-0 open with five. In Fives and Threes the same logic applies with its own arithmetic. That's why the opening tile is a real decision, not a formality.

How it works online

When you play here, the deal and the down are sorted automatically at the start of every hand, against the computer or a friend in multiplayer, so neither side can angle for an edge. Your job starts where the skill starts: choosing which tile to set and where the hand goes from there.

Take the down - Play All Fives

Related questions

How do you play dominoes?

In a two-player game, each player draws 7 tiles from a shuffled double-six set of 28, and the rest form the face-down boneyard. Players take turns adding a tile whose end matches an open end of the line. Empty your hand to win the hand, or hold the fewest pips if play blocks.

What is a double in dominoes?

A double is a tile with the same value on both halves - there are seven in a double-six set, from 0-0 to 6-6. Doubles are laid crosswise, the first one played can become the spinner, and because each double fits only its own suit, they're assets early and liabilities late.

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.