Super Dominoes

A Block-type domino game, played by two or more players, using a Double-Fifteen domino set and a score sheet. This game was invented by David Galt for Cardinal Industries to be played with their own manufactured Double-Fifteen domino set. An interesting, good fun game to play.

Play:

The dominoes are shuffled, facedown, then each player draws nine tiles that only they can look at.  Any remaining tiles are used as the boneyard and may be drawn upon by players during the course of play.

The lead player (decided by agreement or drawing lots) sets down the first domino which must be a double. If the player doesn't hold a double, then play passes to the next player in turn until a double is set. If no player holds a double, then players in turn draw a tile from the boneyard until a double is drawn and set. Then players in turn lay tiles onto the open ends of the domino layout usually with same-number adjacent to same-number, but there are exceptions.  The first initially set double may have up to six tiles played off it allowing play to branch out in six directions (two off the double's horizontal sides and four placed diagonally off each corner).

Should a player be unable to play a domino from their hand onto the layout, they must draw two tiles from any in the boneyard and then play one if able.

There are a number of special plays used in the playing of tiles onto the layout, which are described as follows:

• Doubles may be played onto an open end of the layout bearing the same number, but may also be played onto an open end bearing the 13 suit. Whenever a double is played, the next player misses their turn except when the initial set double or the double-13 is played. Doubles are placed horizontally onto the end of the layout, but do not allow play to branch off in four directions.
• Whenever a player plays a tile with its open playable end bearing the 15 suit, then all players in turn immediately draw a tile from any in the boneyard.
• Whenever a player plays a tile with its open playable end bearing the 14 suit, then the player plays another tile onto any available open end of the layout.
• Whenever a player plays a tile with its open playable end bearing the 13 suit, then the player is said to have "cast a spell". The next player in turn must break the spell by playing either a tile bearing another 13 onto the 13 on the layout or by playing a double onto the 13 regardless of the double's suit. If the player is unable to break the spell, then they must draw two tiles from any in the boneyard and then play one if it breaks the spell, or if not, then players continue in turn to either play a tile from their hand to break the spell or draw two more tiles and play one to break the spell. No other tiles may be played until the spell is broken. If the turn comes back to the player who initially played the 13 and cast the spell, then they are exempt from having to draw two tiles. Note that playing the double-13 simply recasts the spell and does not break it.
• Whenever a player plays a tile with its open playable end bearing the 3 suit, then play reverses direction going from clockwise to anticlockwise and vice-versa with each 3 played.

When the initially set double is played, the following rules apply for the special play suits:

• If the initially set double is the 15-15, then all players draw a tile from the boneyard.
• If the initially set double is the 14-14, then the lead player immediately gets another turn and may play another tile onto it.
• If the initially set double is the 13-13, then the "cast a spell" rule applies and no play may be made until the spell is broken.
• If the initially set double is the 3-3, then the order of play is reversed from clockwise to anticlockwise.

Once a player has dominoed by setting their last tile, or the game is blocked, with no player able to play a tile, the round is over and the player who dominoed or has the lowest number of tiles left in their hand, is the winner of the round. If more than one player holds an equally low number of tiles in their hand and the game is blocked, then the player with the lowest pip count on their remaining tiles, is the winner. The winner of a round then scores the total number of pips on all the other players' dominoes.

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

The lead player passes to the next in turn for each new round.

Variations:

Players may play the game so a blank suit (not a double) means the next player misses their turn, including when the initially set double is the double-blank.

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