Domino (also known as bones, men, or pieces) are small rectangular blocks with a value showing on one end and blank on the other. These are normally twice as long as they are wide.
Once it reached Europe, domino was modified from its Chinese predecessor by removing the duplicate tiles and incorporating rules from existing dice and card games.
Origin
Domino’s psionic aura can alter the laws of probability, shifting odds in her favor. This may be as simple as making her enemy’s equipment malfunction or as complicated as shutting down a powerful machine. She can consciously control this ability but it is sometimes triggered uncontrollably.
The word domino is most likely derived from Latin’s dominus, meaning master of the house. However, the name may also have come from a type of hooded cape that French priests wore over their surplices. The capes were white with black lining and resembled the domino pieces.
A career mercenary, Domino first joined X-Force when she was hired by Pete Wisdom to turn the team into a proactive black ops force. She later reformed the Six Pack with the mutant Grizzly and Hammer and joined Cable’s staff to investigate Rumekistan and the island of Providence, which had been taken over by the anti-mutant terrorist ULTIMATUM.
Rules
Like playing cards, domino pieces have identifying marks on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. The pieces are grouped into sets of seven, with each set having a different arrangement of spots.
Each player must, in turn, play a domino and position it so that its end touches the adjacent end of a chain to add to its length. The first player to do so is known as the setter, the downer, or the lead.
If a player is unable to make a play, he must pass. When a player closes the chain, he scores the total value of the opponent’s unplaced pieces. Alternatively, the winning player may count up all of the pips on his own tiles left in his hand at the end of the game and add them to his score.
Variations
There are many variations of domino games, some incorporating elements from other types of card or board game. Typically, these include block games in which the aim is to empty one’s hand; scoring games which involve creating certain configurations; and trick and trump games inspired by card games.
The Draw Game, also known as the Straight Dominoes Game, is one of the most basic and characteristic forms of this popular game. In this variant, players draw seven tiles from a double-six set to start the line of play. They then alternately add to this line by playing a tile so that its exposed ends match the adjacent ones. When a player cannot continue they simply pass their turn. The winner is the player who has the fewest number of tiles in their hand at the end of the game.
Materials
Dominoes are made from a variety of materials. They are typically crafted from plastic or wood, with contrasting colored pips. Some sets also use different materials, such as metals, ceramic clay, and glass. These sets have a more unique look and can be more expensive than standard dominoes.
In the early 19th century, craftsmen used animal bone and later vegetable ivory (from the tagua nut) for domino sets. Ivory dominoes are no longer available, as a result of the ban on the international trade in elephant ivory.
Standard plastic dominoes are inexpensive and work well for small or large toppling projects. They are also available in a wide range of colors and are easy to store. However, some of these dominoes can be difficult to build, due to rough edges and round corners.
Scoring
The scoring system for domino can vary depending on the game type and setting. Generally, a player wins the game when they have an empty hand. A running total score is usually kept on a cribbage board.
The dominoes are numbered on both ends and may be blank, or have from one to six pips or dots. Each number is assigned a value which is referred to as its rank or weight. A domino with more pips or dots is often referred to as “heavier” than a domino with fewer or no pips.
During each turn, a player places a domino on the table positioning it so that two matching ends are adjacent or touching. A double is placed either endwise or sideways (a cheval). When the game is over, each player subtracts the total pips remaining in their hands from their running total.