Domino is a board game where players bid on dominoes and then play them in turn. It’s a fun and challenging game that can be played with family or friends.
There are many different domino games, each with its own rules and variations. These include bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, and round games.
Origin
Dominoes are a popular game played all over the world. It is especially popular in Latin America where it is often a pastime for the poor.
The game originated in China during the 12th century and was based on the results of throwing two six-sided dice. Chinese domino sets had tiles to represent both “civil” and “military” suits.
Upon reaching Europe, the domino game was significantly altered from its Chinese counterpart. European dominoes no longer included duplicates nor did they mimic military-civilian suit distinctions.
European dominoes were also made from a variety of materials, including bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (MOP), ivory, or dark hardwood. These dominoes tended to be heavier and more expensive than the more common polymer-based dominoes.
Rules
A number of rules and regulations apply to dominoes, ranging from those specific to the game being played to more general principles that can be applied to all types of dominoes. These include those involving playing and putting down dominoes, the order in which players play them, and scoring.
In straight dominoes, points are scored by counting the number of pips on exposed ends of the dominoes in each line of play. Points are awarded if the total of the pips on all of the end tiles is divisible by five (e.g., four at one end and five at the other equals nine), which is similar to a scoring variation of 5s-and-3s in British public houses and social clubs.
Another common rule is that players cannot hold back a domino for strategic reasons, so they must play it when their turn comes. This is particularly true in games that require matching suits, such as Mexican Train.
Variations
Dominoes are a common set of game tiles that can be used for a variety of different games. These include layout games in which players add matching tiles from their hand to a layout or table; blocking games in which the goal is to empty one’s hand; and scoring games in which the player lands the most points by creating particular configurations.
There are also several variations of domino, some of which can dramatically affect the game’s outcome. In the Chicken Foot variation, for example, a player must make all of their open ends match with a double domino.
In Mexican Train, players must also match each of their open ends with a domino that is on the start of their personal train. This is a more controllable way to string together dominoes on their personal train and leaves more value for the doubles.
Materials
There are a wide variety of materials that have been used to make dominoes. Some traditional European sets were made of ivory or bone, or a dark hardwood such as ebony with contrasting black or white pips (inlaid or painted).
Other modern commercial dominos are made of plastics or phenolic resins. Several types of these synthetic materials are available, and many mimic the look and feel of stone or wood.
Dominoes are also sometimes manufactured from a nut called tagua nut, which is a close-grained and very hard material. It has been used by craftsmen for over two hundred years to make dice, dominoes, and chess pieces.
Scoring
Dominoes are rectangular blocks marked with groups of spots (pips) on one side. They are usually made of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (MOP), ivory or a dark hardwood such as ebony.
In domino games, points are scored by laying the dominoes end to end. If the number of dots on each exposed end totals a multiple of five, players earn the maximum amount of points possible.
A scoring variant for dominoes, known as “5s-and-3s,” is played in British public houses and social clubs. This game is played in pairs and involves a series of “ends.”
In each end, players must attach a domino from their hand to the end that already exists. If the sum of all the ends is divisible by five or three, the player earns a point.
