Blocked-hand scoring
How to Score a Tranque
Everybody sees a tranque when the board dies. The real question is how your table decides the winner and records the score.
3 min read
Published October 17, 2025
Direct answer
What a tranque score depends on
FichaFlow's house rule compares the blocker with the next opponent: lower pips wins, and a tie favors the blocker. Other tables may count a tranque differently, so agree on the rule before the first hand.
What to remember
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A tranque is a blocked hand with no legal plays left.
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In FichaFlow, the blocker is compared with the next opponent and wins a tie.
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At another table, the exact scoring rule should be agreed before play begins.
In this guide
A tranque can turn a good table messy fast if the scoring was never settled. Most players agree on the block itself; the confusion starts when it is time to count it.
01.
What a tranque means
A tranque happens when both open ends are dead and nobody at the table can legally continue the chain.
At that point the hand ends immediately. The only thing left is to determine which side wins the block and how the points will be recorded.
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No player has a legal move left.
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The block ends the hand right away.
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FichaFlow uses one clear house rule; your table may agree on another before play begins.
02.
How FichaFlow counts a blocked hand
FichaFlow compares the player who caused the block with the opponent whose turn comes next. The lower individual pip count wins, and an equal count favors the blocker.
The winning team scores every pip left in all four hands. Some physical tables instead use partnership totals or a different house-specific score.
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Compare blocker versus next opponent.
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Lower individual pip count wins; tie goes to the blocker.
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The winner scores every pip remaining in all hands.
03.
What to settle before the first hand
A blocked hand is easy to recognize, but the scoring rule is where arguments start. That is why serious tables clarify the format before play begins.
If the match also uses capicua, pollona, or paso redondo bonuses, settle those at the same time so the score stays consistent from the first hand to the last.
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Agree on how the winning side is decided.
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Agree on how many points the winning side receives.
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Keep blocked-hand rules aligned with the rest of the scoring system.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tranque in Dominican domino?
A tranque is a blocked hand where neither end of the board can be answered anymore, so the hand stops and the table scores the remaining tiles.
How do you score a blocked hand in domino?
Tranque rules vary by table. In FichaFlow, compare the blocker with the next opponent; lower pips wins, a tie favors the blocker, and the winner scores every pip left in all four hands.