Domino is a game of skill, strategy and reading your opponent. A good domino player diversifies his hand and avoids keeping too many of the same numbers.
The tiles are shuffled to form a stock, or boneyard, and each player draws one. The first player then begins the round by playing a domino on the heaviest end of his train.
Origin
The exact origin of domino is not known. The game appeared in Europe sometime in the early 18th Century, and it soon became a fad. The game also began to be used in puzzles that required arithmetic calculations based on the pips of each domino.
The name of the game is derived from the hooded garment worn by French priests in winter which resembles the contrasting black dots on a white domino tile. The word also resembles the Latin “dominus” meaning master.
Domino has fought alongside the mutant team X-Force and was recruited by mercenary Leonard Samson to form his own organization, Code Red. She has also served as a bodyguard for the genius Milo Thurman and allied with the time-traveling mutant Cable (Nathan Summers). Domino was manipulated by cyborg Reavers leader Flag-Smasher to become part of their anti-mutant ULTIMATUM project.
Rules
There are many different domino games, each with its own set of rules. Some of these are based on counting pips; others involve blocking the opponents’ hand. Some of them use spinners, doubles, and blank ends.
To decide who starts, players draw dominoes from the stock without revealing them to other players. The player holding the highest double then begins play. Alternatively, the winner of the last game may open the next game.
Before playing, players must thoroughly shuffle the tiles. Any exposed dominoes must be returned to the stock and reshuffled. If a player discovers that an exposed domino has been misplaced on the wrong end, the player must call a UDL Official to resolve the issue.
Materials
Dominoes are made from a variety of robust, hard materials. These include bone (also known as bones, cards, men or pieces) and a variety of woods, as well as metals and other substances such as ceramic clay. They are also often coated in resin for added durability and aesthetic appeal.
The identifying face of a domino is usually marked with an arrangement of spots or pips, like those on a die. There are many different games that can be played with these dominoes, and they help children develop core maths skills while improving motor coordination.
Some sets of dominoes are made from natural materials, such as silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother-of-pearl) or ivory; dark hardwoods such as ebony; and other stone types. These are generally more expensive than polymer dominoes.
Variations
There are many variations of domino. Some involve complex scoring systems, while others are simpler. In any case, strategy plays a large role in competitive domino play. Blocking opponents, tracking tile possibilities, and knowing when to draw are all important skills.
Each domino (also called bones, cards, men, or pieces) features a line in the middle to divide it visually into two squares. Each side has a value, usually represented by the number of dots or pips. Dominoes with more pips are often described as “heavier” than those with less.
The basic game of domino starts with each player drawing seven tiles from a double-six set. The first player places one on the table and then adds a domino to either of its open ends. The goal is to extend the chain until it is a multiple of five.
Scoring
In most domino games, players score points when they create a chain with two or more ends that are divisible by three or five. This is done by playing a domino from your hand onto an already established chain, and counting the number of pips on each end.
Domino’s psionic aura alters probabilities, giving her “good luck” while causing her opponents to suffer from “bad luck”. She can also use this power to manipulate events around her.
A winning player is determined when all rounds are played or a specified point limit is reached. Depending on the game-type and setting, this can be after each scoring play or at the end of each hand. There are many different types of domino games. Some have very similar, or even identical, rules.
