Section 5: Scoring & Winning
Ending a Round
A player wins the round immediately upon legally playing the last tile from their rack. The final table must consist entirely of valid groups and runs. The winner should clearly announce the finish before tiles are gathered for scoring.
If the draw pool is empty, play continues as long as legal moves are made. When the pool is empty and every player is unable or unwilling to play, the round is blocked. Each player totals the tiles remaining on their rack, and the player with the lowest total wins the blocked round. If the lowest totals are tied, the tied players share the round win or play an agreed tiebreaker.
Tile Values
- Each numbered tile is worth its printed number.
- Each joker left on a rack is worth 30 points.
- Tiles already played on the table do not count against any player.
Standard Round Scoring
After a player empties their rack, every opponent adds the values of their remaining tiles and records that amount as a negative score. The winner receives a positive score equal to the combined value of all opponents’ remaining tiles.
For example, if three losing players retain tiles worth 12, 18, and 25 points, they score -12, -18, and -25. The round winner scores +55. The scores for a completed round therefore balance to zero.
Scoring a Blocked Round
When no further play is possible, compare rack totals. A practical zero-sum method is to treat the player with the lowest rack total as the winner: each opponent scores the negative difference between their total and the winner’s total, while the winner receives the sum of those differences.
For example, rack totals of 8, 14, 21, and 30 make the player with 8 the winner. The opponents score -6, -13, and -22, and the winner scores +41. Before beginning a series, players should agree how a tie for the lowest blocked-round total will be recorded.
Winning a Match
For a one-round game, the round winner wins the game. For a match, play an agreed number of rounds, rotating or redrawing the starting player each round. Add all positive and negative round scores; the player with the highest cumulative total wins the match. If cumulative scores are tied, the tied players may share the victory or play one additional round.