domino (also Dominoes) is a game played with small rectangular blocks that have anywhere from 0 to 6 dots on each side. The dominoes are stood up so that sides with matching numbers match.
There are many different games that can be played with domino. These include blocking games, in which the object is to empty your hand; scoring games; and trick and trump games that draw inspiration from card games.
Rules
Before starting a game of domino, players should determine who will make the first play. This can be done in several ways, including drawing lots or playing with a fixed seating arrangement. Once this has been established, the first player may begin by setting his or her heaviest domino. This domino may be a double or a single.
As the players make their plays, a line of dominoes will be formed on the table. This configuration is called the layout, string, or line of play. A score is made when the open ends of adjacent dominoes match and are joined together. This is called Dominoing and counts as one point in most games.
Some games count the number of pips on the losers’ tiles left in their hands at the end of a hand or a game, and add this to the winner’s score. This scoring method is usually employed in partnership games. Other games use a different counting system, in which the number of matching dominoes count as points.
Variations
There are many variations of domino, from fast-paced train games to strategic connection-style games. Each variation has its own rules and objectives. Some games are easier to score than others, while some require more skill or strategy. Some even require a special type of domino set, such as the traditional 32-piece Chinese dominoes that represent each possible face of two thrown dice.
The basic object of most domino games is to build a line of tiles that matches exposed ends in the line of play. A player scores when one of the exposed ends on a domino matches another tile in such a way that its total number is divisible by five or three.
The earliest domino games were blocking games that required players to empty their hand. Later, scoring was added to these games. Some of these scoring games drew inspiration from card games. For example, cribbage is a scoring domino game based on the counting system used in cards.
Materials
Over the centuries dominoes have been made from a wide variety of materials. The modern mass produced domino sets are usually made of plastics, metals or wood. There are also specialty makers who produce dominoes from other natural materials such as stones (marble, granite or soapstone); stoneware; glass and crystal.
The most common domino set is a double six-sided set with 28 tiles. Each tile has either a blank face or a number of spots, known as pips, in two opposite rows. These pips form one of two suits, the other being the suit of blanks or zero.
The earliest dominoes were hand carved from animal bone, usually ox bones, and later from ivory for the wealthier players. In the 19th century a manmade plastic was invented, first called Bakelite and later known as phenolics or xylonite. This new material was used to manufacture a range of products including dominoes but did not take hold.
Scoring
There are a number of different games that can be played with domino. They can be classified into two broad categories: blocking games and scoring games. Most of the popular domino games are blocking games, requiring players to empty their hands while blocking opponents’ play. There are also a number of scoring games, which require the player to have a certain amount of points before declaring themselves “out” and allowing their opponent to score more.
Most domino sets are numbered, with each domino featuring either a blank face or one to six pips or dots. Each domino is normally twice as long as it is wide and the ends are capped to distinguish them visually. A domino’s value is its total number of pips, often called its rank or weight. A domino with a high rank is “heavier” than a similar one with few or no pips. Dominoes are typically arranged in pairs, touching at their exposed ends; when these pairs make up numbers divisible by five or three they earn points for the player. A running total score is often kept on a cribbage board.
