Domino is a game that allows players to establish their own path. It also lets them pursue knocking down each domino.

It’s impressive to see a line of hundreds or thousands of dominoes set up in carefully sequence, then all falling with the slightest nudge. Plotting a novel can be like that.

Origin

Domino originated from the Latin word dominus, meaning “lord” or “master.” This name has maintained its authoritative undertones throughout history, and it continues to evoke a sense of dominance and expertise. It is often used as a surname, and it can be found on various products and businesses.

Early dominoes were similar to playing cards and may have developed in China. They later arrived in England in the late 1700s, possibly via French prisoners of war. They were popular in inns and taverns.

Neena Thurman, better known as Domino, is one of the most dangerous mutant mercenaries in the Marvel Universe. Her mutant ability allows her to manipulate probabilities, bringing her good luck or bad. This can vary from having an enemy’s equipment malfunction to simply bringing someone else “good luck.” She also has the ability to read emotions.

Rules

There are many different games of domino and the rules vary by game. Some of them are blocking games, while others involve scoring points by counting the pips in your opponents’ hands. The player with the lowest score is the winner.

Generally, each player gets seven tiles to start the round. The first player begins by putting one of his tiles in the centre of the table. The rest of the players then take turns to add their tiles to the grid. Doubles are placed with their equal ends facing each other, while singles are placed with their opposite ends.

After the tiles are shuffled, each player draws the number of dominoes permitted by the rules of the game and puts them on their own domino board in front of them. Depending on the rules of the game, the player who draws the heaviest tile may make the first play.

Variations

Besides the basic Draw and Block games, there are many other domino variations. Some are connection-type games where players add tiles to a layout. The rules of these games vary, but generally the touching ends must have a certain sum of dots.

Some games, such as Matador and Bendomino, use curved tiles that allow the line of play to branch. Others, such as Mexican train and Chicken Foot, have private and public trains.

In some games, the winner scores by counting the pips in his opponents’ hands at the end of a hand or game. This score is rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 and added to any points scored during the game. In some variants, players draw extra dominoes for their hand if they cannot lay one. These are called overdraws.

Materials

Dominoes are small, flat rectangular-shaped game pieces that have been made from many different materials over the centuries. Each piece has a set number of spots or pips that mark its value, from six pips down to none or blank. They are normally twice as long as they are wide and are designed to stand upright on their edges without falling over.

Some sets of dominos are made from natural material such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or a dark hardwood like ebony with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted on them. Modern plastic such as bakelite, a type of celluloid, was also used in the manufacture of dominoes until it was discontinued. These types of dominos are more expensive than those made from polymer materials such as vinyl or polyester.

Scoring

Domino is a game that requires fast thinking and quick math. Scores are kept by counting the number of open ends in a domino chain. Each time the sum of the open ends is a multiple of five, the player scores one point.

Each time a domino is placed, its free end must match the half of the next domino that will be snapped to it. This is called a spinner and, depending on the rules of the game, a player may be allowed to play a spinner once per turn or on every play.

When playing domino, be sure to make a clear decision before starting. Otherwise, you could be guilty of pencil whooping, in which case the other players’ scores will be added to yours.