Domino is a popular table game played in backyard parties, sidewalk cafes, pubs and at big-money tournaments. It is a fun and challenging game.
Players play dominoes from their hand by matching numbers on each tile with those on other tiles. The player who matches the most pips (or blanks) wins.
Origins
Dominoes are a traditional game that originated in China. It is a popular game in many countries, especially in Latin America.
Originally, dominoes were made to mimic the results possible from throwing two six-sided dice. One half of each domino was set with the pips from one die, while the other half contained the pips from the second die.
Chinese domino sets mimicked the “civil” and “military” suits that were used in dice games. They also introduced duplicates of some throws.
Dominoes eventually made their way to Europe in the 18th century, first arriving in Italy (Venice and Naples). The game then spread to France and Britain.
Rules
Before a domino game begins, each player shuffles the tiles. The player who draws the heaviest tile wins the right to make the first play, or the next highest double in their hand, as the case may be.
The game is played in rounds, each round following the last until all players have made one or more plays. If all players are unable to make a play, the game ends in a draw and each player reports their respective dot counts to their opponent.
Most games of domino use a standard set consisting of 28 dominoes, with 7 doubles (same number on both ends from a double blank to a double six) and 21 singles (different numbers on both ends). There are countless variations of domino, but most are based on these two basic forms.
Variations
There are a variety of different domino games. They can be played by two players or teams, and they have a range of rules.
A domino (pronounced “do-mino”) is a small, flat block made of rigid material, such as wood, bone or plastic. It is usually divided into two squares with a line in the middle. The values of each side can range from blank or 0 pips to 6, and the sum of those numbers is called the domino’s “pip count”.
Most domino sets contain 28 tiles, each with the combination of a single number on one half of its face and another on the other. The most common is a double-six set, but there are also double-nine and double-twelve sets.
Materials
Dominoes are a popular game played by many people around the world. The earliest dominoes were made from animal bones or ivory, but today they are mostly made of plastic and wood.
There are several types of dominoes, including a single tile, doubles, and a set of nine. Each type has a different number of pips, which are the small round marks on each end.
A 3-5 domino has three pips on each half, while a 2-5 has five pips. The pips on each end can be either black or white.
Dominoes are usually played on a table that has a green felt surface, which protects the tiles’ faces and backs. A felt surface is also good for playing card games and other similar games that require a smooth, consistent surface.
Scoring
Most domino games are played with a scoring system in which players count the number of open ends on each of their dominoes. The goal is to have the number of open ends a multiple of five. The score is added to the winning player’s or team’s score after the hand has been played and can be kept on a counter or cribbage board.
Another scoring method is based on Holsey and Tidwell’s X’s. This is a more elegant and intuitive way to score. It starts with a large X representing the first 10 points and then continues with a small x in each of the four spaces around the X. As a result, when the small X’s are complete, the entire symbol represents 50 points.