DOMINOES.

After the dominoes have been laid face down upon the table, and well shuffled, each player—and there should be but two—draws seven cards, the one having the highest "double" leading the game. In case there should be no double out, the player holding the highest number of spots on one card is entitled to lead. The two then play alternately until the game is so blocked that one cannot match a piece; the other then continues until he blocks himself or plays all his cards, thus winning the game. In case both are blocked, each counts the number of spots on the cards left in his hand, and whoever has the smallest number wins the game.

The game is so simple, skill consisting almost entirely in the power of memory, that it cannot be hampered by many rules, but there is much advice which the learner would do well to remember.

In playing, lay down such cards as will enable you to play at either end the next time, if possible.

Play the cards with the greatest number of spots on them first, so that in event of the game being blocked to both you may stand a chance of winning by spots.

The numbers of which you have the most are the best to play, since your adversary is likely to have less.

When it is possible for you to block the game, do not do so if you have been playing high cards and your adversary low ones, for in that case the chances are that he will be able to "count out." It is dangerous to block your own hand until you have become so skilled in the game as to be able to form some idea of the size of your adversary's hand.

If you hold a double, and one or more with the same number, play it as soon as possible; but do not try to make a number for it, otherwise your adversary, if he be a good player, will see what you are trying to do, and prevent it. But if you hold a double of an end at which your adversary cannot play, work at the other end in the hope of shutting him out of the game entirely.

With a heavy hand, play first on one end and then on the other, to prevent any chance of blocking the game when the number of spots would count against you. A good hand is that having the greatest variety of numbers, as 6-3, 5-4, 2-1, 4-3, 1-0, 2-0, 0-0, and with it one can generally play every time, while a bad hand would be 6-6, 5-5, 6-2, 6-4, 2-2, 2-1, 1-1, and of course the very worst would be to hold all the doubles; but that would hardly occur in an actual game.

As an example of how doubles should be played, suppose your hand consisted of 5-5, 2-2, 3-2, 2-4, 1-0, 5-0, 6-2, it would be better in every way to play the 5-5, since your other double can be forced either by the 3-2, 2-4, or 6-2.

All Fives, or Muggins, is and should be played similar to the one above, save that the great object is to make the spots at both ends amount to five, or any number divisible by five without a remainder. If one plays 5-5 at the start, he counts ten. If 0-0 is played first, the 0-5 would count five to the player; then if 5-5 be played it counts ten, and 0-0 played on 0-5 counts five also. If 6-6 is at one end and 4-4 is played at the other, twenty is counted to the game, since twelve and eight make twenty. In this game he who can play 5-5 has the lead; and failing in that, he who holds 0-5, then 2-3; and failing in all, he who holds the highest card. The game should be fifty or one hundred points, and the winner counts all the spots in his adversary's hand at the close, adding them to his score, or, in case of a block, adds the difference between the lesser and the greater hand.

The Drawing game is played like the Double Sixes, save that when a player is blocked he must draw another card, and continue to do so until he can play. He who plays out first, or, in case of the game being blocked, he who has the smallest number of spots wins. This game really requires the most skill, since a player must remember all the cards, and try to form some idea of what remains in the pool and what his adversary holds. It is quite common to unite this game with All Fives, thus making a longer game of the former.

The Matadore game has more of the element of chance in it than any other. Each player draws three cards, and he who holds the highest plays first. After that the next player can only go when his domino, added to the one previously played, will make seven. Those cards having just seven spots on them, and the double blank, are called matadores, and may be played at any time, regardless of spots. There are, of course, but four matadores—6-1, 5-2, 4-3, 0-0. If one cannot play, he must draw until he can, or until but two are left, when no more can be taken. The number of points in this game may be made from twenty to a hundred, as the players decide.