Playing domino can help kids develop spatial awareness and fine motor skills. They will also learn to recognise different colours.
The pips on each domino tile may range from six to none or blank. The player with the lowest pips value is awarded points.
The game is usually won when a player plays their last domino. The winners then add to their score based on the number of opponents’ tiles still in their hands.
Origin
Dominoes are a game that involves stacking pieces together to build lines or trains of tiles. The game has different rules and variations that determine how the game is played. It can be a fun and challenging game for people of all ages.
The word domino may be derived from the Latin dominus, meaning lord or master. It is also a reference to the hooded garment worn by Christian priests, called a domino. The contrasting black and white pips on the domino piece may have been reminiscent of the priest’s hood.
The oldest known set of dominoes was found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen in Thebes, Egypt in 1355 BC. Another early set of dominoes was dated to 1120 AD. The traditional European domino set consists of 28 tiles, with one tile representing each of the 21 results of throwing two dice. A Chinese domino set differs from the European version in that it does not contain blank faces and includes duplicates of some throws.
Rules
Dominos are small rectangular pieces of clay with a unique arrangement of spots on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other. A domino set contains 28 unique pieces: seven doubles (with the same number on both ends from double blank to double six) and 21 singles (with different numbers on each end).
Each player draws 7 dominoes and places them on the table aiming to block their opponent’s play by matching their pips. Players take turns playing their dominoes by joining them to other dominoes in the line. The game continues until a player has completed all of his dominoes and is unable to go any further. The winner is the person whose total value of pips in his hands is the lowest.
Variations
Dominoes are a type of tile that feature a line or ridge in the middle to divide them visually into two squares, each marked with an arrangement of dots called pips. The number of pips on each side determines the value of a domino. Those with more pips are considered “heavier” and therefore have a higher rank.
Draw is the basic form of domino and most characteristic games are elaborations on it. The first player places a domino that starts the line of play, and each subsequent player extends it by placing one matching tile at either end.
In Muggins, players count the exposed ends of the dominoes in a line and score every time the sum is a multiple of five. This variation is played with a special double domino called a spinner, which can be placed at right angles to the other dominoes in the line.
Materials
In chemical process plants, domino effects may result from a variety of hazardous events. Generally, such accidents are due to jet fires, which can impinge on equipment and thereby cause a chain reaction. In addition to this type of accident, a series of incidents on a site can also trigger a domino effect.
Dominoes are usually made of a hard material like wood, bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl) or ivory with contrasting black pips inlaid or painted on them. Some sets are also made of natural stone or metal.
For a DIY domino, you can use a needle point bottle of acrylic paint to dot the dominoes. Make sure that the color you choose is not too opaque. For best results, the dot colors should match the numbers on each tile.
Scoring
The scoring system is important for domino games. It may be based on the number of dots remaining in a player’s hand, or on the total score for the whole game. Players are awarded points when they form chains of consecutively numbered tiles. In addition, the exposed ends of a chain must match: one’s touching ones, two’s touching threes, and so on.
Some variations of the game allow only scores that are multiples of five, while others make no such restriction. Players also earn a bonus for playing the highest double tile, known as the spinner.
When a player cannot play any further tiles, they draw new hands and continue to score until a winning player is determined. The winner may open the next game or, in some cases, begin the game with a “Chicken Foot” match.