MATADOR
Welcome to Matador, a thrilling domino game designed for 2 to 4 players. The objective of this game is simple: be the first player or team to score 100 points or more!
When playing with 4 players, you have the option to play as individuals or in teams of 2. If you choose to play as a team, your partner will sit across from you, adding an extra layer of excitement to the game.
GETTING STARTED
Let’s get things rolling! Start by shuffling the dominos and dealing them. Each player will receive a hand of 5, 6, or 7 dominos, depending on the number of players. For a 4-player game, each player gets 5 dominos. In a 3-player game, each player receives 6 dominos, and in a 2-player game, each player starts with 7 dominos. Don’t forget, any leftover dominos make up the boneyard.
Matadors
In the game of dominos, there are four special tiles called matadors. These matadors are the 0-0 tile, the 1-6 tile, the 2-5 tile, and the 3-4 tile. Unlike regular tiles, matadors can be played to either end of the domino train, regardless of the numbers on the adjacent tiles. However, when you play a matador, you must still follow the normal rules of the game. Additionally, matadors are the only tiles that can connect to the blank sides of other tiles.
How to Play
The game begins with the player who has the highest-ranked double in their hand. This player can start the domino train by playing any tile. On your turn, you can add to the train by matching a tile with one of the open ends. To play a tile, the number on the end of the tile you’re placing and the number on the open end of the train must add up to 7. For example, if the open end is a 3, you must play a 4 to connect it. There is, however, one exception to this rule – the matadors. Matadors can be played to any open end, regardless of the number.
When playing dominoes, you don’t have to play if you don’t have a tile that matches. Instead, you can draw a tile from the boneyard and pass your turn. Some people play a variation where you have to keep drawing tiles from the boneyard until you get one that you can play or the boneyard runs out of tiles.
The game is over when a player manages to play all of the tiles from their hand, or when the game becomes blocked and there are no more tiles left in the boneyard.
SCORING
At the end of each round, you count up the number of dots remaining on each player’s tiles. The player with the fewest dots left gets points equal to the total number of dots on everyone else’s tiles, minus their own dots. But if there are multiple players with the same low score, nobody gets points in that round.
END OF GAME
The game ends when a player or a team reaches a score of 100 or more. Whoever reaches that score is the winner.