‹ The rules

Starting a round

Default rule

Highest double starts

After everyone draws, the player with the highest double places it in the station. The player to that person's left goes first, and play continues clockwise. If nobody has a double, everyone draws one domino in simultaneous cycles until a double appears. If several doubles appear in one cycle, the highest starts.

Alternative rule

Agreed descending sequence

Before the match, choose how many rounds to play and the starting double for the first round. Each round after that starts with the next double in descending order—for example, double 12, double 11, and so on. Before each round, place that round's starting double in the station. To determine who goes first, each player draws one temporary domino. The player whose domino has the most pips goes first. If there is a tie, the tied players draw again. Return the temporary dominoes to the boneyard. Play proceeds clockwise.