Cuban Dominoes: The Unique Double Nine Game and Street Tradition

The National Game of Cuban Street Corners

If baseball is Cuba’s national sport, dominoes is the game of the Cuban people. On any corner in Havana, in the parks of Santiago, or on a porch in Camagüey, you’ll find Cubans gathered around a table, slapping tiles with passion and throwing witty phrases into the air.

But Cuban dominoes isn’t just any dominoes. Cuba is the only country in the world where the Double Nine variant is played traditionally, a modality completely absent from international tournaments and unknown to the rest of the planet.

Double Nine: 55 Tiles of Pure Tradition

While the world plays with 28 tiles (Double Six), Cubans play with 55 tiles whose values range from blank (0) to double nine, totaling 459 points.

“For me, double six is a science and double nine is an art,” says Ernesto Antón, vice president of the National Domino Federation of the U.S. “In traditional dominoes, calculation and precision are very important, while in Cuban dominoes, luck plays a greater role.”

Cuban Set Composition

Feature	Cuban Dominoes	International Dominoes
Number of tiles	55	28
Maximum value	Double Nine	Double Six
Tiles per player	10 (“la data”)	7
Total points	459	168

How to Play Cuban Dominoes

The game is typically played in pairs (“dos para dos”), though other modes exist like “solo para solo” and “longaniza.” Each player draws 10 tiles (called “la data”) and the remaining 15 are “asleep” (dormidas).

Basic Rules

1. All tiles are placed face down and shuffled vigorously
2. Each player selects 10 tiles
3. The player with the highest tile starts (traditionally with the double nine)
4. Turns proceed counter-clockwise
5. Winner is whoever “pegs” (runs out of tiles) or has fewer points when “blocked”

The Names of the Tiles

One of the most colorful traditions in Cuban dominoes are the creative nicknames players give to each number:

• Blank: “la Lisa,” “blanquizal de Jaruco”
• One: “la uña” (the nail), “the one that pulls the ox from the mud”
• Three: “Trío Matamoros,” “chicken gut”
• Four: “el cuarto de Tula” (Tula’s room)
• Six: “hair oil,” “Sixto Batista”
• Eight: “Ochoa, the traitor”
• Double blank: “la guay,” “the heaviest one”
• Double nine: “la puerca” (the pig)

Phrases and Sayings of Cuban Dominoes

Cuban dominoes comes with its own vocabulary:

• “El dominó lo inventó un mudo” (A mute invented dominoes) — to silence chatty players
• “Me pegué” — when you place your last tile
• “Se trancó esto” — when nobody can play
• “En tres y dos cualquiera se poncha” — baseball reference when there’s 3 and 2 on the board
• “Pollona” — crushing victory without letting opponents score
• “Capicúa” — when the winning tile matches both ends

Cuban Dominoes in Miami

The spirit of Cuban dominoes thrives in exile. Domino Park in Little Havana, officially known as Máximo Gómez Park, is a sanctuary where older Cuban men gather daily to play, debate, and keep the tradition alive.

The sound of tiles clacking against concrete tables is the soundtrack of Calle Ocho, a constant reminder that dominoes transcends borders.

Where to Buy Cuban Dominoes

If you want to experience authentic Cuban dominoes, here are some options:

• Amazon - Cuban Dominoes Double Nine — sets with Cuban flag
• PRK 14 Cuban Dominoes — specialized brand for Cuban sets
• Little Havana stores — for handcrafted, authentic sets
• Markets in Cuba — hand-carved wooden tiles

What to Look for in a Good Set

• Tiles large enough for satisfying slaps
• Clear, legible numbers
• Durable material (melamine or wood)
• Quality storage case

A Game That Unites Generations

Cuban dominoes isn’t just a pastime — it’s a bridge between generations. Grandparents teach grandchildren, families gather on December 31st around the domino table alongside the roast pork and congrí rice.

In every tile that hits the table, in every witty phrase, in every triumphant “¡me pegué!”, beats the heart of a tradition that defines what it means to be Cuban.

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Want to learn more about Cuban traditions? Read about Cuban music at the Grammys or discover the secrets of Cuban coffee.