Dominoes Glossary

Back: The side opposite the numbers sometimes contains a design or logo. All will have identical backs, so that players cannot tell what dominoes they are drawing.

Bar: The line separating the two ends of a dominoes

Blank: An end of a domino which contains no dots

Block: A situation in which no player is able to play or draw from the boneyard

Blocked Game: "See Block"

Board: The dominoes which have already been played

Bone: "See Domino"

Boneyard: At the start of a game, when all dominoes have been turned face-down and shuffled, the collection of randomised tiles is referred to as the boneyard. Players draw tiles from the boneyard to form their hands. The remaining tiles are also called the boneyard.

Centre: "See Bar"

Chip Out: To lay all your dominoes before your opponent

Divider: "See Bar"

Domino: The playing piece. Originally made of animal bone or ivory; which is where the alternative names have come from. "To domino" means to play the last tile in your hand.  
Dot: The dot on the face of the domino

Double: A domino with both ends of equal value.

Doublet: "See Double"

Double Blank: When both ends of the domino are blank

Draw: To take a domino from the boneyard

End: A tile has 2 ends separated by a central line. Each end has a number of dots or a blank on

Firm: The last Domino of a particular number.

Hand: The set of dominoes which belong to each player

Hanged Double: A double that can't be played because all the other dominoes in that suit have been played already

Jam: "See Block"

Knock: To pass play to your opponent without placing a domino. Only possible if there are no dominoes left in the boneyard.

Layout: "See Board"

Men: "See Domino"

Open End: The end which is not connected to any other tile.  Dominoes may only be played on an open end

Pale: "See Blank"

Pip: "See Dot"

Set: To place a tile on the table.  This is also used to denote the first tile played

Shuffle: The mixing up of the dominoes. (Our Random Number Generator does this automatically)

Spot: "See Dot"

Spinners: (Used in the version All Fives). The term used for the 1^st domino to be played. All 4 sides are open ended.

Square: To make both ends of a train show the same suit.

Stones: "See Domino"
Suit: A collection of tiles that have the same number of dots on one end.

(Each domino suit has seven tiles. E.G The "threes" = 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 3-5, and 3-6. Etc.)

Table: "See Board"

Tableau: "See Board"

Tile: "See Domino"

White: "See Blank"

Zero: "See Blank"

Domino Lingo

Ace: The end of a domino with one dot

Deuce: The end of a domino with two dots

Trey: The end of a domino with three dots

[0-0] - The dead man's box

[1-1] - Snake Eyes or Double Aces

[2-2] - Double Deuces

[2-3] - Banker's set. Texas slang, the name comes from the fact that the [2-3] cannot be scored upon by adding a tile to bring it to a total which is a multiple of five

[3-3] - Poison Ivy

[5-5] - Gold nuggets (Texas slang)

[6-6] - Boxcars or box of teeth (Spanish term)

If you can think of any other terminology that you would like to see added to this glossary or you believe that something is incorrect, feel free to notify us on our Facebook page and we will add it.

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