How to Play Chicken Scratch

How To Play

• 1

  Have a score keeper write the numbers 0 through 6 on the top of a page (for each round) and the names of each player on the left side of the page, creating scoring columns for each round. Lay all dominoes out face down on the table and have each player draw a hand of five dominoes.

• 2

  Have the player that has the double six domino start the game by laying it out in the center of the playing field. If no one has the double six, move on to the next highest double number. The player to the left of the first player must then place a domino with the same number of the double domino on one of the four sides of the double domino. In chicken scratch, you must place dominoes so that only same numbers touch, with the other number on the domino facing away from the two touching numbers. The next player to the left must also play a domino with the same number as the double domino until all four sides of the double are filled. If a player doesn't have a playable domino, he must draw one from the pile and play it if he can, otherwise the turn passes to the next player. After the four sides have been played on, play continues with each player placing a domino on any open number of an already played domino.

• 3

  Continue playing dominoes on open numbers one by one. If a player has no dominoes that can be played on his turn, he must draw one and play it if possible, or pass if not. If a player has a double sided domino, he can call "Chickie #" (with # being whatever number is on the domino) and play it lengthwise against an open domino with the same number, so that the line between the two numbers on the double is pointing the same direction as the domino on which it is played. Players may play only on the double domino until three dominoes have been played from it, laying the dominoes against the open long side of the double domino in the shape of a chicken foot (three equally spaced prongs). If a player can't play on the double domino, they must draw a domino and play it if possible, or pass if not. Once three dominoes have been played on the double domino and the chicken foot is complete, players may play on any open number.

• 4

  Continue to play until either one player runs out of dominoes in his hand or no legal play is possible, both of which end the round. At the end of the round, count up the dots on all dominoes in each player's hand and mark down their score on the score paper. Start each next round the same way as the first, except the first domino played in each round should be the next highest double domino that has yet to start a round. For instance, if the first round started with a double six domino, then the next round should start with a double five domino. Play ends when all double dominoes have been used to start a round and scores from each round are added. The player with the lowest score wins the game.