Partner dominoes rules
Partner is the standard four-hand game: two teams of two, partners sitting opposite each other so play alternates between the sides. You never see your partner's hand, so the whole partnership is conducted through which bones you choose to play and which ends you leave open.
Seating and turn order
Partners sit opposite. Play runs anti-clockwise, so the order around the table is you, an opponent, your partner, the other opponent.
Scoring a hand
A team scores one for winning the hand, whether by going out or by holding the lowest count on a blocked game.
On a blocked hand the lowest individual count wins it for that player's team. If the two lowest counts belong to the same team, the team still takes the single point.
Key bone
Going out on the key bone, the one non-double bone that matches two different hard ends and could only have been that bone, is worth two instead of one.
Derby
When a blocked hand ties between opponents, nobody scores and the next hand becomes a Derby worth two. Tie again and the following hand is worth three. The Derby value replaces the ordinary award, and it absorbs the key bone bonus rather than adding to it.
One all, play two
When the score reaches exactly one all, the next hand is Play Two: the winner of it leaves the exchange on two to nothing, the loser is put back to nothing. It only triggers at exactly one all.
Reaching six
First team to six takes the game, and if the other side never scored it is a six love. Scores never pass six.
Play Partner and take the south seat.