Flower & Scorpion is a variation on Bergen that adds new scoring combinations through two pairs of dice called (not surprisingly) the Flower and the Scorpion.

Players

two to four

Boneyard

A double six set is used. Two pairs of dice are used as well; one pair (ivory) represent the flower while a second pair (red) represent the scorpion.

The Deal

Each player receives seven dominoes at the beginning of a round. Excess dominoes form the boneyard for the round. The dice representing the Flower and the Scorpion are rerolled at the beginning of each new round.

The Play

The player leading the first round is chosen randomly; thereafter the lead rotates around the table. The lead player may play any domino; the east and west sides of the leading domino are open. Each player in turn must play a domino on one of the open ends by matching a number on the domino to a number on the open end. If a player is unable to play, he must draw a domino from the boneyard until a playable domino is drawn. If the boneyard is empty he must pass. A round ends when a player goes domino or when all players have passed in succession.

For scoring purposes, doubles are displayed crosswise while they are on the open end of an arm.

Scoring

A player scores points by playing a domino to make the numbers at the open ends the same. If one of the dominoes at the end of the arms is a double, the scoring play is a plural worth three points (called a "triple header in Bergen); otherwise the scoring play is a dual worth two points (called a "double header" in Bergen).

In addition to scoring for making duals and plurals, players gain or lose points by making the open ends match the Flower or the Scorpion:

• If the Flower and Scorpion pairs are identical, then no special scoring is applied for making the open ends match the Flower or the Scorpion.
• If a domino is played whose face matches the Flower, the player scores one point (this is the short flower).
• A player who plays a domino to make the open ends match the Flower scores one point (this is the long flower).
• A player who makes a long flower with one of the open ends a double scores two points.
• A player who makes a long flower with both open ends a double scores four points.
• If a domino is played whose face matches the Scorpion, the player loses one point (this is the short scorpion).
• A player who plays a domino to make the open ends match the Scorpion loses one point (this is the long scorpion).
• A player who makes a long scorpion with one of the open ends a double loses two points.
• A player who makes a long scorpion with both open ends a double loses four points.

A player who goes domino scores one point, in addition to points that may have been scored for making duals, plurals, flowers, and scorpions.

If a round ends because all players are blocked, the point is awarded to the player who meets the first of the following conditions:

1. the player who holds the flower;
2. the player who holds the scorpion;
3. the player who holds the lowest double.

If none of the conditions are met, then nobody gets the point for winning the round.

The game ends immediately when one player reaches 20 points, regardless of whether the current round of play has ended.