All Fives gives you another reason to pause before placing a domino. You are still matching numbers, but now the exposed ends can turn an ordinary move into a scoring opportunity.

Opening the four arms

The round must start with a double. A player without one draws up to two tiles in search of it, then yields the turn if none appears. A double drawn for the opening is played automatically.

The first double opens four arms. The unstarted arms are filled in order before players can freely choose among matching arms. End scoring begins only when the fourth arm is completed, including the move that completes it. Later doubles do not create new branches.

Counting your score

Add the exposed ends after your move. A total divisible by five earns one point for every five. A total of 20 earns four points and 25 earns five. An exposed double contributes both of its values.

With no legal move, draw up to two tiles and stop as soon as one can be played. A tile with one possible destination is played automatically. If there is a choice, you choose the arm. If neither draw helps, the turn moves on.

Why reaching 31 is not the whole story

You win by holding the highest score of at least 31 after the round has been settled. Crossing 31 during play does not end the match immediately.

When you empty your hand, the opponents’ remaining tile values are added together, rounded to the nearest five and divided by five. That amount is added to your score. A blocked round works differently. Each player’s own remaining hand is rounded and divided in the same way, then deducted from their score. Scores can go below zero. Four-player games use opposing partnerships.

Think about the end you leave

A scoring move can still give the next player an even better opening. Look at the new total and which exposed numbers an opponent could change. As the table tightens, keeping a heavy hand becomes increasingly risky.