Domino is the classic game where one small domino can knock over a series of larger ones. It’s a great way to teach the concept of chain reactions.
Good domino tasks are often challenging and take a chunk of time to complete. They also have a big impact on your overall goal.
Rules
The game begins with players drawing an equal number of dominoes (up to 4 if using a double 6 set) and discarding any odd ones. The remaining dominoes are then reshuffled and become the boneyard. The first player to place a domino (determined either by drawing lots or by the heaviest tile) starts play.
Each player must match one end of the first played domino with a second domino, forming a line of play on the table. This is known as a layout or string.
The winner is the player who has all of his or her dominoes out on the table at the end of a hand or game. The score may be determined by counting the pips in the losing players’ hands, or by calculating the total value of all unplaced dominoes in a hand or game. Alternatively, the winner may choose to purchase all of the remaining dominoes from his or her opponent.
Variations
A domino is a flat, thumb-sized rectangular block with either a single or double set of dots (also called pips) on each end. Each domino has a value, usually expressed as the sum of the pips on both ends, from six to none or blank. Dominoes are arranged in groups of two, three or four called pairs.
There are many different variations of the game of domino. These include games that block or score by combining dominoes with one another, as well as games that involve matching an open end on the dominantos. A popular variation of the game is Matador, which uses a double-nine or double-twelve domino set.
A skillful version of the game is known as ko-oh, and it is played in competitions and in leagues. It involves the players trying to be the first to reach a fixed number of points, often 61. The winner scores one point every time the total of the pips on the open ends of the dominoes is exactly divisible by five or three.
Materials
Domino’s powers allow her to manipulate the laws of probability, skewing odds in her favor. She is also a weapons expert and an accomplished linguist. The albino mutant was born as part of the U.S. government’s Project Armageddon to genetically engineer the perfect weapon. During her time in the NSA she worked with Milo Thurman, who was abducted by a Chicago cult.
Domino was later recruited to join X-Force by Pete Wisdom as a proactive black ops team. She was soon possessed by the Undying alien Aentaeros who tried to use her to kill its rival Semijan.
The first domino sets were hand carved from animal bone, typically ox bones. By the 12th century, the ox bones were replaced by ebony wood, probably due to availability and ease of molding the ebony into thin sheets to form the tiles. Dominoes made from wood often have hefty price tags that reflect the quality of materials and workmanship.
Scoring
Domino’s mercenary skills make her an invaluable ally for both heroes and villains alike. She was once a member of Cable’s Six Pack and X-Force. She also served as an operative for S.H.I.E.L.D., though this brief affiliation was short-lived. After a rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agent named Ekatarina Gryaznova planted a neural inhibitor in her head, Domino became unstable and left the team.
In domino, the players draw a number of tiles to establish who starts. They then play a tile that matches one of the free ends of an already-played domino. Depending on the game, this can be either a double or a single.
The resulting chain is scored according to the number of points on the dominoes in each player’s hand. The sum of the spots on all other players’ dominoes is added to the winner’s score (rounded up to the nearest multiple of five). This scoring system is often used in partnership play.