Matador

Also known as Seven-Up, All Sevens, Russian Cross, Russian Dominoes, and Master Dominoes.  A simple variation of the standard block-type domino game, played by two to four players using a Double-Six domino set, and a score-sheet.

Play:

The dominoes are shuffled, facedown, then each player draws seven tiles that only they can look at.  Any remaining dominoes are set aside and not used in further play.

The lead player sets down the first domino (the double-six, heaviest double, or whatever convention players have agreed on) and then players in turn lay tiles onto the open ends of the domino layout with the condition that adjacent ends must total 7 (doubles placed horizontally onto ends allowing play to branch four ways and known as a spinner).

Once a player has dominoed by setting their last tile, or the game is blocked with no player able to set a tile, the round is over and the player who dominoed or has the lowest total of pips left in their hand, is the winner of that round.  The winner of a round then scores the total number of pips on all the other players' dominoes, minus the total number of pips on any remaining dominoes in their hand.

A number of rounds are played and the first player to score a set total (say 50, 100, 150, 200 or 250 points), wins the game.  

Variations:

Sometimes played with no doubles as spinners, or with the first double played as the only spinner of a round or game.

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