Everyone knows Dominoes; these classic toys are one of the world’s most popular games! But did you know that you can use Dominoes for other games too? Chicken Foot Dominoes is one of the most popular alternative domino games you can play.
Let’s see how it works in more detail, shall we?
What is Chicken Foot Dominoes?
Dominoes is a very famous game played all around the world. Many people know how to play the traditional game, but Chicken Foot Dominoes is different.
The game is best played in larger groups of around four to seven people. It might seem similar to Standard Dominoes at first glance, but it’s a very different game. It’s played over numerous rounds, and the player with the lowest score wins.
Chicken Foot Dominoes uses the number of doubles to decide how many rounds will be played. In a way, the game starts like Poker, with each player having a hand of seven dominoes. Players can put dominoes down if they match the first domino put down.
This might sound simple enough, but the round always starts with the highest double in this game. The starting double domino gets lower each round. The aim of the game is to keep playing matching dominoes whenever possible.
Now there is much more to learn about Chicken Foot Dominoes, including learning why it’s got such an interesting name! But before we look at the setup and rules, you need to know; let’s look at what you’ll need to play this fun game.
What You’ll Need To Play?
To play Chicken Foot Dominoes, you’ll need a set of dominoes; check out our dominoes buying guide for extra tips. Also, if you are playing with more than four people, you’ll need a double 12 set. These sets can be hard to find in regular shops, but they can be found online.
If you want to play with four or fewer people, you can play with a standard set of dominoes. But with more people, you’ll be playing more rounds overall. The game’s normal rules are the same, no matter which set you use.
Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
To win Chicken Foot Dominoes, you need to get the lowest score possible. You’ll either be playing six or twelve rounds in total, so doing bad in one or two rounds doesn’t mean the game is over!
This is one of the reasons playing Chicken Foot Dominoes can be so much fun because the winner will often be decided in the final few rounds. So, if you feel like giving this game a go, be sure to read on for the setup instructions and rules you need to know.
The Setup
The first step of playing Chicken Foot Dominoes is to turn all the dominoes face down. You should also shuffle them around, this is trickier than shuffling cards, but you’ll get a good rhythm down after a few goes.
Then each player should choose a domino and add it to their hand. Each player should take seven dominoes in total, one at a time. Finally, all the remaining dominoes are placed to the side in a separate pile called the boneyard.
Playing Chicken Foot
The highest double-sided domino should be placed down in the center to start the game. This will either be the double six or the double twelve. Every player should take one extra domino from the boneyard during the first round.
The player who got the highest value domino will start the round. After that, every player will put their domino back in the boneyard and start playing. The first player should aim to put down a matching domino. A matching domino is one with the same end value of the double
They should place their matching domino down on one of the four sides of the double domino. Play then goes to the left with the next player doing the same and should go on till all four sides are filled in.
If a player doesn’t have a matching domino, they can play; they must draw one from the boneyard. If the domino they draw can be played, they can still play it before ending their turn. If they can’t play it, they skip their turn.
No other plays can be done till all four sides of the double domino are filled out. When all four sides are filled, players can play dominoes that match any other dominoes exposed side. Again if a player can’t match one of these dominoes, they must draw an extra one from the boneyard.
If the boneyard is emptied at some point, players skip their turn. The round ends when all dominoes have been played, no player can draw new dominoes or play anything left in their hand. When the game ends, each player will count up their score.
This is done by counting up the spots on the dominoes left in their hand. If the last domino played is double-sided, the player must add 50 points to their score. Remember, in Chicken Foot Dominoes, the game aims to get the lowest score possible.
When the round is over, the next round starts with the next highest, double, or double five or eleven. After all the rounds have been played, the player with the lowest combined score wins the game!
The Chicken Foot
But we aren’t finished just yet! There is one other important thing to remember about Chicken Foot Dominoes. If a player plays a matching double-sided domino, they can call “Chickie” to start a new chicken foot.
This means they start a new “foot,” and players must match the number until the foot is complete. Once all four sides are covered on this new foot, players can continue playing by matching any endpoint on either foot. The result will look like a chicken foot, hence the name of the game.
Chicken Foot Dominoes – A Fun Twist on Tradition!
Everyone loves Dominoes, and playing Chicken Foot Dominoes will give you a brand new way to appreciate this classic game. It’s ideal for families and friends alike and would make an excellent game for any game night. We especially recommend it if you enjoy other spin-off domino games like Mexican Train Dominoes.
