Domino is a game in which players score points by placing tiles on a line of play. The scoring system varies depending on the rules of the game.
Typically, the player with the heaviest tile begins play. The heaviest tile may be either a double or a single. The remaining pips on the tile determine its value.
Origin
Domino was born as the result of a top-secret government program designed to genetically engineer the perfect weapon. Abandoned by her biological mother, she was raised by a Chicago priest. Domino’s mutant “luck” power gives her the ability to change probability, shifting odds to her favor.
The word domino may have been derived from the Latin dominus, meaning master of the house, or it may be based on a hooded cape worn with a mask at a carnival masquerade. Either way, the first dominoes probably appeared in Europe around 1750.
After a year of imprisonment by supervillain Tolliver, the mutant shapeshifter Domino rejoined Cable’s team of heroes, X-Force. An imposter, however, manipulated Domino’s emotions and assumed her identity. The real Domino was able to use her technology disrupting powers to defeat the imposter.
Rules
There are many variations of domino games, but most involve scoring based on the number of pips in opponents’ tiles. A traditional set of dominoes has 28 unique pieces, one for each possible combination of two ends with zero to six spots. Typically, doubles count as one or two, and blank ends have no value.
The first player to play a domino is determined by drawing lots or by seating arrangements. Afterwards, players draw the number of tiles they are permitted to take according to the rules of the game being played.
Players then place their tiles face down so that the other players cannot see the pips on them. If a player notices that a domino has been incorrectly placed, they must call it and notify an official.
Materials
The type of materials used in a domino set plays an important role in how well the pieces perform. This is particularly true for the table and dominoes themselves. You’ll need a sturdy table that can stand up to long hours of gameplay. You’ll also need a writing instrument for keeping score, such as a pencil.
A domino is a small, thumb-sized rectangular block that is marked with an arrangement of dots, or pips, on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other. A complete domino set contains 28 such blocks.
The first dominoes made in the 18th century were crafted from animal bones. Initially, craftsmen drilled shallow holes in the bone and inlaid them with thin pieces of ebony. This allowed them to create a black spot on the white bone.
Variations
There are many different domino games, and the rules of each one vary. Some focus on blocking opponents while others involve counting pips or awarding points for multiples of five. Some are more complex, such as Mexican train, in which players build off a central station and try to complete their own trains of tiles. Others are more strategic, like Chicken Foot or Matador, in which all sides of a spinner must be occupied before play continues elsewhere.
The number of points a player earns depends on the game’s rule variation, but most games are played until a specified score goal is reached (usually 100 or 200). Players also may choose to count the total number of pips left in their opponent’s hands at the end of a hand or a game and award this value to the winner.
Scoring
Domino generates a psionic aura that alters probabilities, giving her the ability to benefit from improbable events while others suffer from them. This power allows her to manipulate the game and gain an advantage in a variety of ways, from winning a football match to sabotaging an enemy machine.
The game is played in a counterclockwise direction, and the objective of each player is to place all their dominoes before the opponent does. Once the players have placed all their tiles, the sum of the ends of each domino (excluding any doubles that are exposed sideways) is counted and added to the winner’s score.
The player with the heaviest domino begins play by drawing a domino from the stock and placing it in front of him. This is the first of many moves to determine seating arrangements and the order of play.
