How Domino QiuQiu is played: pairs, pip counts and the 99 hand

Domino QiuQiu, also called Domino QQ, Domino 99 or Kiu Kiu, is a four-tile domino game that is hugely popular in Indonesia and is played in apps across the region. It plays like a cross between poker and baccarat: you build the best hand you can from a few dominoes and bet on it against the other players.

This page explains the rules only. The old version promoted Indonesian agent sites and free-chip offers; all of that is gone.

The tiles

The game uses a standard double-six domino set of 28 tiles. Each tile has two halves with 0 to 6 pips (dots). Tiles with the same number on both halves, such as 6-6 or 3-3, are called doubles. In Indonesian they are often called balak.

How a hand is valued

Each player ends up with four dominoes and splits them into two pairs. Each pair is worth the total of its pips, but only the last digit counts.

• 6-4 and 3-2: 6 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 15, so the pair is worth 5.
• 5-4 and 0-0: 9 + 0 = 9, so the pair is worth 9.
• 6-6 and 5-2: 12 + 7 = 19, so the pair is worth 9.

The highest a pair can be worth is 9. The best ordinary hand is two pairs worth 9 each, called qiu qiu, which gives the game its name. After that come 9 and 8, 9 and 7, and so on down.

When two hands compare, the stronger pair is compared first, then the weaker pair. If both are equal, most versions look at the single highest tile (by pip count, or a double beating a non-double); rules vary here.

Special hands

Most versions also recognise a handful of rare hands that beat qiu qiu. Common examples:

• Four doubles (four balak).
• Very low total: all four tiles adding up to a small number of pips.
• Very high total: all four tiles adding up to a large number of pips.

The exact thresholds, names and order differ between apps. Always open the rules screen of the version you are using before you rely on one of these.

How a round is played

1. Ante. Every player puts in the same small starting bet.
2. Three tiles. Each player is dealt three dominoes face down.
3. First betting round. Players check, bet, call, raise or fold, much like poker.
4. Fourth tile. Players still in receive one more domino.
5. Final betting round. Another round of betting.
6. Split and show. Remaining players split their four tiles into two pairs and reveal. The best hand takes the pot.

The typical app table

In the app versions, the table is usually round or oval with seats around the edge, each showing a player's avatar and chip count. Your own tiles are shown large at the bottom of the screen, often with an option to let the app split them into the best two pairs for you. Bet buttons (check, call, raise, fold) sit along the bottom or side, and the pot is shown in the middle.

Things worth knowing

• Splitting matters. The same four tiles can make very different hands. With 6-3, 4-5, 2-1 and 6-0, pairing 6-3 with 4-5 (18, worth 8) and 2-1 with 6-0 (9) gives 9 and 8. Pairing 6-3 with 2-1 (12, worth 2) and 4-5 with 6-0 (15, worth 5) gives only 5 and 2. Trying each pairing before you bet is the main skill.
• Chips are money. "Free" chips often lead to paid top-ups. Treat any chip purchase as real spending.
• The house takes a cut. Many rooms keep a percentage of each pot, so even break-even players slowly lose.

For more card and table guides, see the card games and guides hub, including Samgong rules and poker basics.

Domino QiuQiu for money is adult-only (18+), and online gambling is restricted in Malaysia. If you play, cap your spending first; our responsible gaming page has simple methods.