• Created by Thomas Gale, © 2002 - 2010
• All copyrights belong to the attributed creators. All rights reserved.
• Please do not redistribute in any form without permission.
• Join the Yahoo GALEGAMES Group for discussion, supplements, and new release info.
• Please send comments about the website to tomgale(@)yahoo.com.

STATS

• Number of Players: 2 (or more)
• Duration: 15-40 min
• Atmosphere: light domino chain building
• Theme: packing efficiently

COMPONENTS

• Dominoes (double six)
• Scorepad + pen
• Template (optional)

INTRODUCTION

Load and unload your dump-truck with finesse. Finesse? Yeah, these are special dump-trucks filled with radioactive chemicals that need to be safely arranged or KABOOM!.

HOW TO WIN

The game ends when there are no dominoes in hand or pool. Highest score at game end wins.

PLAY SETUP

SET UP DRAW PILE:

• Shuffle pile of dominoes face down to form Draw Pool.

SETUP TRUCKS:

Each player's empty truck looks like this with each space occupying half of a domino.

For example, a full truck might look like this... except with dominoes face up:

PLAY

PHASE 1 - Draw a domino

Each player draws a domino simultaneously from the Pool.

NOTE: If there is any contest for drawing dominoes...due to only one domino left during the draw phase, or players want the same domino then player with the lesser score chooses first. If tied then flip for it.

PHASE 2 - Load dump-truck

Place your domino horizontally or vertically in your "truck". Or return it face up to the pool.

RULES for LOADING PROCEDURE:

• Each successive domino must be adjacent to a previously placed domino in your truck.
• Dominoes placed in a truck are placed face up.
• Your truck may hold up to six dominoes in any pattern so long as it fits within this shape with each square taking up HALF of a domino.
• Any variation in pattern is okay so long as no domino extends beyond the original container shape.
• These are example legal arrangements. For example, some are lengthwise while other are arranged upright.
• You are trying to get chains of like values or chains of sequential values. Long score chains score higher.
• You may rearrange only by replacing one existing domino with a newly drawn one from the pool. The moved domino must be discarded to the pool (face-up) or placed in a new unoccupied legal position in the truck.
• Once your truck is full or full enough to score you may choose to unload it immediately into your winning pile.

PHASE 3 - Unload dump-truck

• Once a dump-truck is full to your liking you may unload into your winnings pile.
• Your current score is calculated by adding up the length of chains.
• You may only score one sequential chain per load.
• You may only score one "like value" chain per value (blank,1,2,3,4,5,6). (e.g. You can't have two chains of sixes in the same load. But you could score a chain of 1-1-1 and a chain of 6-6-6)
• You may score both a sequence and "like value" chains.
• Blanks may not be used in sequential chains.
• A chain is made up of segments. A segment is half of a domino.
• Each segment of a sequential chain scores 1 point.
• Each segment of a "like value" chain scores 1 point.
• Chains must be at least 3 segments long in order to score anything.
• Segments can't be counted twice in the same chain.
• Chains must connect horizontally or vertically. Diagonals don't count.
• Segments of a sequential chain may be reused in "like value" chain.
• If there aren't enough dominoes in the pool to fill the truck, in the final round score with what you've got. (min 3 length chain rule still applies)
• During a game you may empty and refill your truck multiple times.
• When unloading, you must unload the entire truck.
• You may unload without scoring at all, but again it must be the entire truckload. Discard these.
• Unloaded dominoes are discarded from game faceup (not to be resued).

EXAMPLES

Each domino is shaded differently for the examples.

• EXAMPLE 1
• The longest "alike" chain of 1-1-1-1 is 4 points. a chain of 1-2-3-4 is 4 points. A chain of 3-3-3 if 3 points. For 11 points total. The 5 is not allowed to connect to the sequential chain because it is diagonal from the 4.

• 1	2	3	4
  1	1	5	3
  	1	3	3

• EXAMPLE 2
• a chain of 2-2-2 is 3 points. A chain of 2-3-4-5-6 is 5 points. a chain of blanks (0-0-0) is 3 points, a chain of blank-blank-blank is worth 3 points. Total score 11 points.

• 2
  2	5	6	6
  2	4	3	2

 

OPTIONAL RULES

• HARDER - Chains of blanks are worthless. (a screw)
• EASIER - Chains of blanks are worth 2 points per part. (worth more b/c not useful for sequences)
• MUCH EASIER - Blanks are jokers i.e. they can be used for whatever is needed. But they can't be different values for different chains. And the number chosen must remain the same for all blanks.
• NO SHIFT RULE- Shifting or replacing dominoes once placed in a truck is not allowed.
• No REPLACE RULE- No swapping out dominoes is allowed.
• If you play with a template you can try disallowing shifting of the contents. Without a template whose to say where exactly the edges are until the maximum width or height is reached?

 

NOTES AND DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

version 1 last edit 6.18.2004

This one came about when I was trying to incorporate dominoes in see-saw-doh. Tried to make a really simple, fast game this time. Maybe still complex? This game is not really properly tested yet so may be unbalanced. It probably helps to create a paper template for your truckbed.

version 2 last edit 1.03.2010

Updated to new format. Minor editing.

Please, please let me know if you actually played this game. Email: tomgale@)yahoo.com