The core foundations of domino play are built on a few principles. It is important to both know these principles and know when to violate them.
CoverCovering is replacing the open end of a domino chain with another domino. Usually, you want to cover ends that are helpful to your opponents and preserve ends that are helpful to you. E.g if you opponents attack with 3s, cover the 3s to protect you and your partner. Ideally, the domino used to cover is an attacking value for you or a supporting value for your partner.
RepeatRepeat means to keep showing the same values to your opponents. E.g. if you have a hand strong in 5s, keep playing dominoes that leave 5 ends exposed to your opponents. A related theme is to avoid covering values that are strong for you or your partner.
SquareSquaring means making both ends the same. Squaring can be both offensive and defensive. Offensive squaring can be used to aggressively develop your strong suits and forcing players to respond (or pass). Defensive squaring can be used to force your opponents to cover their own strong suits and directly or indirectly developer yours. E.g. if opponent is strong in blanks and you square blanks, then opponent is forced to cover blanks.
YieldTo yield is to give up representation in a suit. E.g. if you play the single six in your hand, you yield the sixes. This leaves you vulnerable to attacks with sixes. Where possible, avoid yielding to reduce risk of passing on future turns.
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Scenarios
Examples
In this scenario, the blue team is coordinating to develop 3s.
Play on the three end to cover it with a four. This has the additional benefit of developing your fours.
In this scenario. Threes are a strength. You do not want to cover 3s.
Playing on the open 5 would yield fives.
Best option is the play the this avoids covering 3s, avoids yielding 5s and gets rid of the which is a weakness.
Your partner posed . BoyBoy covered one four with , and JayC1 covered the other with .
Play on the six end to bring a four back.
You posed and later played . Seat 1 has shown ; no other player has played a five.
Play on the blank end to show a five again. You have left to follow.
Seat 1 passed when both ends were blank. The opening has since left a one and a blank open.
Play on the one end to square blanks. Both ends become blank, so seat 1 must pass again.
Seat 1 passed on threes. Your partner has played and ; in this deal, their remaining hand has no blanks.
Only fits. On the blank end it squares threes; on the three end it squares blanks.
Square threes to use seat 1’s known weakness. Squaring blanks would stop your partner too. When squaring is forced, the number you choose still matters.
The two is open. is your last six, while has both and behind it.
Play on the two end. You keep a six, another two and another five in hand.
Playing would give up sixes. When both moves fit, keeping your suits gives you more ways to respond to later ends.
Seat 1 has played and . Six of the seven sixes are already on the table, and you hold the last one.
Play on the six end. You give up sixes, but cover the number seat 1 has been using.
Playing would keep every suit in your hand and leave a six open. With almost all sixes already played, keeping your last one matters less than covering that end.
