Domino is a tile-based game played by two or more players. There are many different types of domino games with similar, but slightly different, rules.
Each domino has a number on one end and is blank on the other. These identifying marks are called pips. Depending on the rules of the game, dominoes may be bought or passed.
Origin
Domino is a game that originated in China in the 12th century. The name of the game is derived from the Latin word domino, which originally meant hooded mask and later referred to a type of monastic hood. The name eventually became a generic term for a number of games that use the same set of pieces.
The game moved to Italy in the 1700s and gained a cult following with the French. During this period, dominoes were also used to make puzzles. These puzzles involved a pattern and asked players to place tiles on it so that their ends matched. They also required arithmetic properties of the pips, such as totals of lines and tile halves. As a mercenary, Domino has often worked alongside the mutant soldier Cable.
Rules
Players must adhere to the rules and regulations of domino when playing. These rules determine the placement of tiles and the scoring method. Some of these rules are universal, while others apply to specific types of domino.
Usually, the first player to play a tile sets a “two/one” or a “spinner.” After that, players look for one/blank pairs and other doubles to join. Depending on the game, these may be in vertical or horizontal lines, but most are in diagonal lines.
When it is a player’s turn, he or she must reveal two of his hidden dominoes and draw another, keeping them hidden from the other players. Then, he or she plays a domino so that its number matches an adjacent number on a covered domino.
Variations
There are many variants of domino, ranging from simple blocking games to more complex rules for matching and scoring. These variations affect the speed of play and strategy of the game. For example, some variants use doubles as spinners, allowing players to play tiles on all four sides of the tile. Others require that the first tile played be a double, which serves as the only spinner for the rest of the game.
Straight domino is a variation that starts much like block domino, but with the players taking turns to lay matching domino halves end to end. The player scores points when the exposed ends add up to a multiple of five. A few other variations include Matador, muggins, and Bendomino, which uses curved dominoes.
Materials
Dominoes are made from a variety of materials. Some are made of cheap, shiny black plastic while others are made from wood or other materials that are carved to create beautiful domino pieces. A domino has two faces, each bearing an arrangement of spots (called pips) that indicate its value. These pips may be inlaid or painted on the domino.
In the 19th century cheap dominoes were commonly made from tinplate. Later a manmade material called Bois Durci was invented and used to manufacture a wide range of products including dominoes. This material was eventually replaced by the more durable Bakelite.
You can make dominoes from a variety of materials, including wood, aluminum, and even a piece of reclaimed plywood. You’ll need a table saw to cut the dominoes, and a dremel tool with a rounded end for marking dots.
Scoring
Players score by putting dominoes down on the table and linking them with one another in a chain. When the ends of two adjacent dominoes total a number divisible by five or three, you score points for each. The score is added to your hand, and you continue playing until your opponent cannot advance.
To establish who starts a game, the dominoes are shuffled and the player with the highest double usually begins. If there is a tie, the players draw a domino and compare its pips to decide who goes first. The rest of the tiles are returned to the stock and reshuffled.
Afterwards, the remaining dominoes in each player’s hands are counted and rounded to the nearest multiple of five. The winner’s points are then added to their hand score.
