Tri-Ominos Board Game: Rules for How to Play

Setup

Place all of the Tri-Ominos facedown on the table and mix them up.
Get a piece of paper and something to write with. Write down each player’s name on the piece of paper in order to keep track of the score during the game.
Each player takes a rack and places it in front of themselves.
Each player draws a number of tiles based on the number of players. They will place the tiles in their rack so only they can see them.
- 2 players – 9 tiles
- 3-4 players – 7 tiles

Playing the First Tile

All of the players look at their tiles for ones that have three of the same number on them. Each player tells the rest of the players what is the highest tile they have where all of the numbers are the same. A tile with three fives is the highest followed by a tile with three fours, and so on. Whichever player has the highest tile, plays the corresponding tile to the middle of the table.

The player that plays the first tile scores points for the tile. They will score points equal to the three numbers on the tile plus a ten point bonus. If they play a tile where all three numbers are zeroes, they score 40 points.

Playing the highest triple number — This is the highest triple number tile that the players had in their racks. The player that played the tile scores 12 points for the tile plus a bonus ten points. They score a total of 22 points for the tile.

Should the player that has the highest tile (where all three numbers are the same) also have a tile with three zeroes, they can choose which tile they want to play. You may want to play the three zero tile since it scores you more points. If you choose to play the three zero tile, you must show your highest (three matching number tile) to the rest of the players.

If no player has a tile where all three numbers are the same, each player adds up the value of each tile. The value of a tile is the total of all three numbers on the tile added together. Whichever player has the highest valued tile, places it in the middle of the table. They will score points equal to all three numbers on the tile. They will not score a bonus if the three numbers on the tile do not match.

Figuring out the starting tile — None of the players had a tile where all three numbers were the same. Therefore the players compare their highest valued tile. These were the most valuable tiles each player had. The tiles are worth the following points (left to right): 14 points, 13 points, 11 points, and 13 points. The tile on the left is the most valuable so it will be the first tile played in the round.

How to Play Tri-Ominos

After the first tile has been played, play passes to the player to the left of the start player. Play moves clockwise/left throughout the game.

On your turn you will try to play one of your tiles to the table. To play a tile at least two of the numbers on the tile have to be placed next to a tile(s) already on the table. The numbers have to match the numbers they are placed next to. If you are able to play a tile where two of the numbers match another tile, you will score points equal to the total of the three numbers on the tile you played.

Playing a second tile — The first tile played was the tile with three fours on it. The next player chooses to play their four four five tile. They play the tile so the fours touch the fours from the first tile. The player scores thirteen points for playing the tile (4 + 4 + 5).

There are a couple of special plays that you can make in Tri-Ominos which score you additional points.

If you can play a tile where you can match all three numbers on the tile while completing a closed hexagon, you will score 50 bonus points plus the total of the three numbers on the tile you played.

Scoring bonus points after completing a hexagon — The current player is playing the three three four tile. After they play it, they will complete a hexagon. They will score ten points for the tile (3+3+4) and a bonus 50 points for completing the hexagon. They score a total of 60 points this round.

There will be times in the game where you can create a bridge. To create a bridge you need to match two of the numbers of a tile with one tile and then match the third number with a point on the opposite side. You will score 40 bonus points plus the total of the three numbers on the tile you played.

Creating a bridge — The current player is playing the one four five tile. They are playing the tile where all three ends touch a tile with the same number. The player also created a bridge based on where they played it. They will score ten points for the tile (1+4+5) and 40 bonus points for a total of 50 points.

Finally after a bridge has been formed, you could potentially play next to the bridge so all three numbers on your tile match the numbers they are played next to. In this situation you will score 40 points plus the total of the three numbers on the tile you played.

Playing a tile next to a bridge — The current player is playing the four one one tile. The tile is played next to a bridge created on a previous turn, and all three ends of the tile touch a matching number. The player scores six points for the tile (4+1+1) and 40 bonus points for a total of 46 points.

Drawing Tiles

If you are unable to play a tile, you must draw tiles from the well (the facedown tiles on the table). You will keep drawing tiles until you draw one that you can play to the table. For each tile that you have to draw, you lose five points.

Note: Some versions of the rules say that you keep drawing until you get a tile that you can play. Other versions of the game say that you can only draw up to three tiles total. I would recommend putting in a limit, since having to keep drawing tiles until you get one you can play kind of breaks the game.

Once you have drawn a tile that you can play, you will play it to the table. You will then score points for the tile based on how you played it.

Drawing a tile — The current player did not have any tiles that they could play. They ended up drawing three tiles before they drew a tile they could play. They will lose 15 points from the three tiles they had to draw. Finally they will then play the five five three tile which will score them thirteen points.

Should you be unable to play a tile on your turn and there are no tiles in the well to draw, you lose ten points and your turn ends. If you are using the rule where you only draw up to three tiles, you lose ten points if you can’t play any of the three tiles you draw.

End of Round

The current round of Tri-Ominos ends when a player plays the last tile from their rack. They will score 25 points for playing all of their tiles. Next they will score points for all of the tiles left on the other players’ racks. Each tile is worth points equal to the total of the numbers on the tile.

Scoring in Tri-Ominos — The round has ended. The winner of the round scores 25 points. They also score points for the tiles left in the other players’ racks. They will score 42 points for the tiles left in the other players’ racks for a total of 67 points.

If all of the players pass their turn because they can’t play a tile, the round ends. Each player counts up how many Tri-Ominos they have left in their rack. The player with the least tiles left, wins the round. They will score points from each tile left in the other player’s racks. They will then subtract points from their own score for the tiles left in their own rack.

Scoring when no one was able to play all of their tiles — None of the players were able to play all of their tiles this round. The player in the bottom right had the least tiles left, so they win the round. They will score 39 points for the other players’ tiles. They will lose seven points for the tile left in their rack.

If none of the players have scored enough points to win the game (400), you will play another round. All of the tiles are turned facedown. The next round is played the same as the first round. The player that draws the highest tile that has three of the same number on it, starts the next round.

Winning Tri-Ominos

The game ends once one or more players have scored 400 or more points. If a player passes 400 points in the middle of a round, you will continue playing until the end of the round. If only one player has reached 400 points, they win Tri-Ominos. Should two or more players pass 400 points, whichever player won the last round wins the game.

Components

56 Tiles
4 Racks
Instructions

Year: 1965 | Publisher: Goliath Games, Pressman Toy Corp | Designer: Allan Cowan | Artist: Bernd Dümler, Heidemarie Rüttinger

Genres: Abstract, Family, Tile Placement

Ages: 7+ | Number of Players: 2-4 players | Length of Game: 30-60 minutes

Difficulty: Light | Strategy: Light | Luck: Moderate-High

For more board and card game rules/how to plays, check out our complete alphabetical list of card and board game rules posts.

Written By:

Eric Mortensen

Eric Mortensen is an owner and head writer on Geeky Hobbies since 2014. He is an avid board game player and collector with over 3,000 board and card games in his collection. Since 2014 he has written more than 1,100 board game how to play guides.