In the Caribbean, we have 6 different ways to play dominoes—learn how we play this fun and competitive game.

Dominoes has been a popular game around the world for years, but it is particularly popular in the Caribbean. This game, available as Dekabès Domino and other variations, comes with unique rules that make the game even more challenging and fun. If you are looking to play your game of dominoes the right way, read on to learn how this game is played by friends, family, and professionals alike!

Setting Up Caribbean Style Dominoes

The way that you deal your dominoes can vary depending on how many players are involved. There are 6 modes of the game in total. Dominoes are shuffled and presented facedown during the drawing phase.

For 2 players, the game can either be played with 7 dominoes (7 dominoes draw game) or with 7 or 14 dominoes (block game). For a draw game, the remaining dominoes will be placed into the boneyard for drawing. Block games do not have boneyards. After each player picks up 7 dominoes, the remaining dominoes are removed.

When playing with 3 players, the double blank (double zero) domino is removed, and players receive 9 dominoes a piece.

For 4 players, which is the maximum number of players, everyone receives 7 dominoes. This is considered the cutthroat version. In the partner version of this game, players are separated into partners or “teams” during play, with each partner sitting face-to-face.

Steps to Play the Game

Playing the game is simple. Taking turns in a counterclockwise direction, everyone must add to one of the existing ends of the line of dominoes. This is done by playing a domino side that matches the end of the existing dominoes. If players do not have a domino that fits, they must draw from the boneyard. If there is no boneyard, they will pass on their turn.

Deciding on a Winner

In dominoes, you win by playing the last domino in your hand. If your last domino is not a double and can be played on both sides of the table, you have made a dekabès. In Puerto Rico, a dekabès is called a capicú. With a traditional win, you will receive 1 point. With a dekabès, you receive 2 points.

If there is no additional move that any player can make, the game will also end. When the game ends where no player can play, the game is locked. At this point, the player with the lowest points wins. In the event of a tie, a tie round begins. The tie round will start with the person who started the previous round and whoever wins gets 2 points instead of 1. If a tie round ends with a dekabès, 4 points is awarded, creating a direct winner.

In Jamaica, the game is played the same way, but there is another form of dekabès called key. Double six dominoes have 7 digits in total, ranging from 0 to 6. A hard end occurs when there is only one domino with a specific digit that is not on the table in play, causing the domino number to appear 6 times but not yet 7. If both sides of the table are a hard end and someone can play their final domino on both sides, it is considered a key. You cannot make a key with a double.

In most cases, each win is considered worthy of 1 point. The game is replayed until someone manages to obtain 4 points consecutively in total for the win. Every time someone loses a round, their number of points resets to zero.

Making the Game Your Own

Dominoes can vary significantly from one location to the next—and it is common to use house rules too. You can technically change the number of total points to win the game or make any variation that you prefer, but it will not be considered the “true style” when you play.

The Takeaway

We made Dekabès Dominoes to provide everyone with the ability to enjoy dominoes the way that it is played in prominent Caribbean spaces. It is also played in other unique ways around the world—including the Middle East and Africa. If you are looking for the opportunity to learn how to play dominoes, don’t hesitate to download our app in the App Store or Google Play store and start playing today. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Youtube and LinkedIn!