ONE ARM JOE

Hey there, let me introduce you to an awesome domino game called One Arm Joe! It’s perfect for kids and can be played with 5 to 9 players. The goal of the game is simple: be the first to reach 100 points before your opponents do.

SETUP

First things first, let’s set up the game. All the domino tiles are laid out in a pile and mixed up. Make sure all the tiles are facing down. Each player will then draw 3 tiles from the pile. The leftover tiles will be placed in a separate pile called the bone yard.

GAMEPLAY

Now, let’s get the game started! The player who has the highest double tile will be the one to kick things off. They’ll place their double tile on the table. After that, each player will take turns in a clockwise direction, building off only one side of the double.

If a player can’t play any of their tiles on the train, no worries! They’ll simply draw a tile from the boneyard until they find one they can play. Once they have a tile, they’ll add it to the train. But, if there are no tiles left in the boneyard, the player will have to pass their turn.

When playing doubles, you don’t arrange the tiles in a crosswise manner like in other games. However, playing a double does give you the opportunity to play an extra tile. If you’re unable to play a tile during your additional turn, you must pass. And if you can’t play after a double, you don’t draw from the boneyard.

The round comes to an end in two situations. First, when the train is blocked in a way that no player can add to it, and the boneyard is empty. Second, when a player successfully plays the last domino from their hand to the train. That’s what we call “dominos.”

SCORING

Once the round is over, it’s time to score. Each player counts the number of pips on the tiles remaining in their hand. The player with the fewest pips is awarded the sum of all the other players’ pips.

END OF GAME

The game reaches its conclusion when a player reaches a score of 100 points. And that player is declared the winner.

Hi, I’m Amber (They/Them), an Austin-based writer and gaming enthusiast. I consider myself a gaming master and have a deep love for dogs, plants, and D&D.