The Spanish American Club, Inc.

Dominoes practices of the SACI 

By Herman Santa/Ivan Guanil

Rules:

500 (Quinientos) This game is for 4 players (2 partners) and the first team to score 500 points wins the match. The match is made of several bonus point situations described below.

The winning team of the first game in the match scores a bonus 100 points, the winner in the second game scores a bonus of 75 points, 50 points in the third game, and 25 in the fourth. No bonus points are scored for winning the fifth game and on. If a game is won by a “Chuchazo” or a “Capicú” the wining team scores an additional 100 points in that hand.

 Rules and Regulations of the The Spanish American Club, Inc. (SACI) DOMINO TOURNAMENT

1. The SACI Domino Tournament is open to all members in good standing. Members can sponsor non-members over 21 years of age. Members will be responsible for their guest(s) who agrees to follow the Rules and Regulations of the tournament.

2. The tournament will take place annually at (Location to be determined). The teams will be selected randomly from a lottery. The tournament begins promptly at 9:00 AM. SACI will sponsor a Continental breakfast starting at 8:30 A.M.

3. Members’ entry fee is $15 per person and $20 per non-member(s) fee. There will be at least two brackets (male and female brackets). The tournament team winners (men and ladies) will receive cash and trophies. The winners of each bracket will play each other for SACI’s Domino Championship.

4. The tournament will be played through a series of rounds. At the end of each round the winning team advances to the next round and continues to play until one team is determined a winner.

5. Each game will consist a total of four (4) players seated at a table by random assignment. A team consist of two players.

6. To start off a game, the player that has doubled six will start off the game. The loser of the hand will shuffle the dominoes and the winners will start picking the dominoes first.

7. Each player draws seven (7) dominoes. Once the dominoes are set, they can only be touched to play the individual domino. No one player shall touch more than one domino before playing. There shall be no gestures, emotions or motion during each hand (for example: slamming dominoes on the table).

8. The previous hand winner may lead off with any domino he/she wishes, and plays it face-up in the center of the table.

9. The player to the right (counter clockwise) of the lead player must play a domino, which matches either end of the dominoes lead by the first player. Subsequently, dominoes are added to either end of the resulting chain.

10. All doubles are laid crosswise on the chain.

11. If at any time a player cannot add a domino to the end of one of the chains then they must pass and allow the next player to continue.

12. If a player has a domino in his/her hand, and can play it, then he/she must play it; he/she cannot pass. The hand will be forfeited and the team committing the infraction will be penalized—twenty-five (25) points. The non-penalized team will start the next hand.

13. If a player plays the wrong domino, he/she will receive a warning (for the first miscue) and the domino shown will be placed on the table to his/her right side. This domino must be played at first opportunity and cannot be the winning domino. If that team again commits the same error they will be penalized ten (10) points to be deducted at the time of the infraction and any time thereafter.

14. At the end of each hand, the winner counts first – losers recount second.

15. The team that reaches 200 game points—the fastest wins the game and moves on to the next round.

16. In the event the game is locked and players cannot play their remaining dominoes then the team with the lowest total number of spots on their dominoes (held in hand) wins that hand.

17. All decisions by tournament officials are final.

18. Advancing teams shall remain in the area of play to promptly begin their next round.

19. Advancing teams not seated at the start of a round, forfeits their participation.

20. Lunch begins at 12:00 noon sharp.

Mission: The Spanish American Club, Inc. is a non-profit Organization founded in 1992, whose main goals are to promote friendship and solidarity among its members and other institutions, through social, cultural and civic activities and to promote the knowledge of the Spanish speaking countries’ geography, history, art, culture and folklore. x

Some Puertorican Dominó Terms:

“Mano” – The term is used to refer to the player whith the least dominoes. The player who (provided he didn’t get a Pase [a pass]) would win the game. If this player gets a pass, it is said that: he/she lost ‘la Mano’, and that the next person after him/her with the least dominoes is now Mano.

“Chucha” – The name of the double-blank bone and “Chuchazo” – When the “Chucha” is the winning bone (the last bone played by the player who goes domino). There is no “Chuchazo” when the “Tranque” in a blocked game is the “Chucha”.

“Capicú” – When the winning bone can play on either open end of the layout. Doesn’t apply when the winning bone is a double.

“Tranque” – It’s the name given to the last bone legally played before a game gets blocked.

“Ahorcado” – A hanged double. A double that can no longer be played because all the other 6 dominoes in that suit have been played.

“Pase” – It’s when a player or team can’t play. When a player passes, it is customary to knock one of his bones on the table as a signal that he is passing. Alternately he/she can signal the pass by saying the word “Paso” (Pass). There are some games where there are bonus points for teams making their opponents pass.