Those of you who don’t know what domino is may be wondering what makes it so appealing. The simple answer is that domino is a family of tile-based games. The rectangular tiles have two square ends and are marked with the number of spots on each. Players take turns laying out the tiles in a row until they reach the desired number. Depending on the number of spots on each domino, they are said to be worth one point or one unit.
In a domino game, each player plays a tile onto the table. The tile must touch the end of the domino chain. In some variations, a player may play a tile that contains a particular number on one end of the chain, but not on the other. In other versions, the player must chip out the remaining tiles and then play the last one. Those who reach the lowest score at the end of the game win.
The pips on a domino serve as identifying marks for matching purposes. There are 28 dominos in a set. The faces of each tile have different numbers of spots and pips. The tiles are typically laid down in lines, but can also be arranged in an angular pattern. The rules of dominoes are as simple as those for playing a card game. Its popularity has led to numerous variations.
In a traditional game of domino, a player starts by placing a tile face-up on the table. The next player must match one end of the domino to a portion of the first tile. Sometimes, players can join multiple dominos on the same line. Those who do not have dominoes to play must draw from an empty table or draw from the unused tiles. The winner is the first to complete their chain.
One of the most common versions of domino is the Block game, which involves two players. A player starts with a double-six set of dominoes, and alternately extends the line of play until he or she reaches the desired number of pip values. Upon completing this task, the winner scores the total pip count of the losing player’s hand. This game is played in pairs or fours, and can be challenging for the novice as well as the advanced.
The game of domino originated in China, where the earliest mention of dominoes is found in the Book of Wulin (translated as “the book of dominos”). In the late eighteenth century, the game became popular in France, where it was named after a black and white hood worn by Christian priests during the winter. Interestingly, the domino game is still popular in many parts of Latin America. In the Arctic, Inuits play a game that is similar to Western Dominoes. These games were probably an imitation of Western games.
Regardless of the domino game type, you can find a variety of sets to suit any occasion. Double-six and double-nine sets are commonly used to play “standard” domino games. The standard game is played with double-six and double-nine domino sets, and has four players. This game is popular worldwide, and there are many variations of the game. Just be sure to check out the variations of the game and the rules for the different versions of the game.