Double-three number chain: rules and printable materials

Match either exposed chain end with one half of a number tile while managing a private hand.

Players

2–4

Plan for

10–20 minutes

Bring

Ten 0–3 domino cards, opaque backs and score log

Prepare the ten tiles

The set contains every unordered pair from 0–3, including doubles, exactly once:00,01,02,03,11,12,13,22,23,33. Give every tile an identical opaque back, shuffle face down, and deal two per player for two to four players. The rest form a draw pile. Choose a starting player before looking at hands; they open with any tile from their hand.

Extend either end

On your turn, play one tile with a half matching either exposed end of the chain. Turn it as needed; only its far half becomes the new exposed end. A double counts as one straight link, not a branching junction. You may not insert a tile into the middle. If you have a legal tile, play rather than drawing or passing.

Draw only when blocked

If no tile in your hand fits, draw one if stock remains. You may immediately play that drawn tile if it fits; otherwise keep it and end your turn. Do not keep drawing until you find a match. With an empty stock and no legal tile, pass. Any played tile resets the count of consecutive passes to zero.

Worked chain

Start with 1|3. Another player adds 3|0 at the 3 end, leaving 1 and 0 exposed. A2|0 may then attach at 0, exposing 2; a 2|2 can extend that end without opening a new branch. Read the exposed end values aloud so tiles touching on the table are not confused with matching halves.

Finish a round

A player emptying their hand wins immediately. Otherwise, one full circuit of consecutive passes with empty stock ends a blocked round: add both halves of every tile still held, and the smallest total wins; equal totals tie. Do not attach money or gifts. Keep tiles and the rule sheet on a stable table, with a helper reading or placing named tiles when useful.

Printable materials

Preview at 100% scale, with browser headers and footers off. Cut with suitable help. Keep host keys separate. This is a manual tabletop kit, not an online opponent, automatic judge or solver.