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Players: 2-4 (ages 5+)
Playing Time: 15-30 minutes
This bendy dominoes game adds a new twist to an old favorite—thanks to the curvy new playing pieces.
Players begin each round with a designated number of bendominoes (if you’re playing with four players, for instance, each player starts with five bendominoes), and the remaining pieces make up the stock. As in a regular game of dominoes, the player with the highest double (usually double sixes) begins, and play moves clockwise around the table, with players adding bendominoes to either end of the twisty chain that begins to form. If a player can’t play, he draws a piece from the stock. Then he either plays the piece or passes to the next player.
The first player to get rid of all of his playing pieces wins the round. The other players then add up the points remaining in their hand, and the points go to the round’s winner. Play continues, round by round, until one player reaches 100 points and is declared the winner.
The big difference between traditional dominoes and Bendomino is, of course, the shape of the playing pieces. It may not seem like a big difference at first—that is, until you start playing. Often, though, your ability to play depends not only on having the right number on a playing piece in your hand but also on having the right number on the right side of a playing piece—because sometimes you’ll need a piece that turns to the right, not to the left. That adds an extra challenge to the game—but it’s still a simple game that the younger members of your family will be able to play without much of a problem. And since Bendomino, like regular dominoes, doesn’t require a lot of strategy or skill, it’s still anybody’s game.
Despite the fact that I can’t seem to win this game, no matter how hard I try, I enjoy playing it anyway. The curvy playing pieces will keep you on your toes, but the game isn’t especially time-consuming, nor does it take a lot of concentration. And that adds up to make it a quick and easy way to pass the time—even if you only have a few minutes to spare. If your family loves playing dominoes, you’ll want to give Bendomino a try, too.
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