Nine is a variant of the traditional dominoes game with a distinctive Russian flavor. The objective is to organize the cards in ascending or descending order by suit, starting from the nine.

In the first round of each hand, the starting card is the nine of diamonds. This sets the initial framework for the ascending or descending order, depending on the chosen direction for that hand.

Following the first move, players must continue the sequence by playing cards in ascending or descending order from the nine. The cards are organized by suit, and the goal is to create a complete sequence.

In succeeding rounds, players face the strategic decision of either playing a nine or deploying a series of cards from the same suit. This introduces a nuanced strategic layer, requiring players to judiciously time the inclusion of nines into the sequence and employ sets of cards with strategic foresight.