Jamaican Domino Rules

The Jamaicans are no different from the rest of the Caribbean because they also religiously play dominoes there. So the atmosphere is similar even if each island has its own Caribbean Dominos regulations.

In Jamaica, dominoes are so popular that empty crates, rocks, and bar stools can turn into makeshift tables around every corner, bar, and yard.

Locals congregate in areas where there are subtle noises of laughter and dominoes being slapped that reverberate through the palms. It's rather beautiful.

So are you interested in learning the techniques of Jamaican dominoes? If yes, count yourself lucky because you have everything you need right here. So keep reading!

Types of Jamaican Dominoes

As stated earlier, dominoes is more than just a game among Jamaicans. Hence the game is divided into partner and cut throat dominoes.

Jamaican Partner Domino

In the Jamaican partner dominoes, there can only be four players. Your partner is the person sitting in front of you at a square table. While attempting to outplay the opposition, each player plays to aid their partners.

It is played with a double six domino set, with each person receiving seven tiles.

The Jamaican partner is synonymous with the Puerto Rican Chiva game, a perfect example of the Dekabès Domino.

The Game Play

The player holding the double six tile initiates play in the opening round and in any subsequent rounds where the initial round ends in a tie. So the layout is launched with the double six.

On the other hand, the person that emerges as the winner of the previous round initiates the new round in all other cases.

After getting their tiles, the team may determine who will begin the round, but they may not reveal whose tiles they each hold to one another. At this stage, the layout can begin with any tile.

In an official domino competition, the double six players must play the tile with "6-6." However, in informal settings, the player may announce "sporting" and start with any tiles of choice.

The game keeps going counterclockwise. The playing of one tile to extend one of the layout's two ends constitutes a turn, as usual, and each domino tile played must match the end of the next one.

Doubles are often played across the line at a right angle. And a player loses his turn if he is unable to play.

The play ends when one person plays all their tiles or when the game is blocked, and nobody can play any more tiles.

Scoring in the Jamaican Partner Domino

The winner is decided after the round. A player's team wins the round if they use all of their available tiles.

The team with the player whose remaining tiles have the fewest remaining pips wins if the game concludes with a blocked arrangement. The round concludes in a tie if two players tie for the fewest number of pips.

The winners of each round will typically receive one point, though it is possible for them to receive two.

The sole tile that can still be played lawfully in a layout with two different ends at each end is the key tile.

So a player receives an extra point if they successfully use the key tile as their last tile and win. However, this key tile will not receive any award or point if the played key tile is a double.

End of Game Play

When one team scores 6 points without the other scoring a single point, the game is over, and this team with the six points is the winner.

This is also known as the six love (6-0), which implies that one team must be at zero for the other team to reach six and win.

Cut Throat Jamaican Domino

Many players play the cut throat variation of the Jamaican dominoes. Hence the number of players will determine the size of the hand. For example:

●     Two players will share 14 tiles each. However, they can decide to use only 7 tiles while they keep the rest in the boneyard.

●     Three players will take out the double blank while they share 9 tiles each.

●     Finally, 4 players receive 7 tiles.

The Game Play

Like in the partner variation, the player with the double six begins the game, or the winner of the previous round initiates the new round in all other cases. But the layout can begin with any tile.

The game starts with the first player counterclockwise. Then, each player takes turns playing a single tile to one of the board's ends. Played dominoes must have an end corresponding to one of the layout's ends.

Doubles are played at a right angle to the layout. Players must forfeit their turn if they do not have a tile to play.

A hard end occurs when all but one of a number has been played, and the final instance can go to the end of the layout. This indicates that the layout on this site can only be continued by one tile.

Also, players are forbidden from discussing their hands or tiles with other players, either verbally or physically.

When a player has added all of their tiles to the layout or when there are no more viable plays on the layout, it brings the round to an end.

Cut Throat Game Scoring

The winner is decided after the round. When a player plays out all his tiles, he becomes the round winner.

If the game results in a blocked arrangement, the person whose remaining tiles have the fewest number of pips wins. The round concludes in a tie if two players tie for the fewest number of pips.

However, the key tile rule also applies. So just as mentioned in the partners' variation, in the cut throat variation, the additional point from a key tile is not awarded if the played key tile was a double. Also, no one receives a point if the score is tied.

End of Game

So when a player scores, they add their points to their score and may keep doing so until they reach 6 points and win the game or until one of their opponent's scores. Your score is reset to 0 when an opponent scores.

So when a player scores six points in a row without the opposing players having any score.

Final Takeaways

Among the popular Jamaican sports like cricket and Athletics, dominoes is the one that almost everyone knows how to play. Dominoes encourage teamwork and compel strategic thinking.

With the Jamaican dominoes style, the fun can only get better. So when next you want to play the domino game, try out either the cut throat or the partner and observe all the rules.

Finally, ensure to follow Dekabès Domino on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Tiktok, Tiktok Creole and Twitch.