Chicken Foot (domino game)

Chicken foot, also known as Chicken dominoes, Chickie dominoes, and Chickie, is a dominoes game of the "Trains" family, similar to Mexican Train. Chicken Foot is played in rounds, one round for each double domino in the set. The game is normally played by 2 to 8 players using any of the common sets (double-six, double-nine, double-twelve, double-fifteen or double-eighteen). If a player does not tap their last domino on the table when they are down to one and the next player plays a domino they must draw from the bone yard.

The goal of the game is to have the lowest score by the end of the last round. For each round, the goal is for the player to empty their hand of dominoes by playing them on the board.

The dominoes are first turned face down and shuffled. Then, each player picks seven dominoes to form their hand. With more than four players, the game requires an extended set. The number of dominoes drawn can be increased when fewer players are using a larger set (for instance, four players using a double-twelve set can draw 15 dominoes). Any remaining dominoes are placed to the side, forming the boneyard.

The round begins with the highest double being placed in the center of the layout to start the game (using a double-twelve set, this would be the double 12). (In each succeeding round, the next lowest double is found and placed as the starting point: 11, 10, 9, etc. until the last round using the double blank).

In the first round only, everyone draws a single domino from the boneyard. The player drawing the highest value begins the round and everyone returns their drawn domino to the boneyard. The starting player must play a matching domino (one with an end of the same value as the double) from their hand on one of the four sides of the double, with the matching end against the double. The next player plays another matching domino on a remaining side, and this continues until all four sides are filled. If a player cannot play because they do not have a matching domino, then the player must draw one domino from the boneyard. If that domino does not match, their turn passes to the next player. No other plays can be made until all four sides of the double are filled.

Once all four sides are filled, the player to the left of the last person to fill the 6 can play any domino in their hand that matches an exposed end of a played domino. If a player is unable to match any exposed dominoes, they must draw one domino from the bone pile and either play it if possible or pass. If the boneyard has been emptied, any player who cannot play simply passes. If no player can play or draw, the round ends.

Any time a player plays a matching double on an endpoint, the player calls "Chickie (Number)" to indicate they have started a new "chicken foot". For example, if a player played a double 4 on the end of a 6/4 domino they would lay it long side against the end with the 4 and call "Chickie Fours". No other dominoes can be played until three more 4's are played against the other side of the double 4. The three dominoes played against the double 4 are played on the long side opposite the side originally played.

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Wikipedia