A fun and easy-to-play game, dominoes have historical origins and can be played by people of all ages. It’s the perfect game for a family game night or a brunch with friends.
Like playing cards, dominoes bear identifying marks on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. They are used in positional games where players place a domino edge to edge against another, either with the matching number or some specified total.
Rules
There are many different types of domino games, and each type has its own rules. The most popular are the standard block game and the draw game.
In both, players take turns to place a domino in the line, joining it to matching ends. The pips on the open end (end not touching any other tile) are scored.
This is similar to the points you score in a regular domino game, but with the difference that the pips on the open ends are worth one point each rather than two. So if there is one open end with a 5 you would get 9 points instead of 7.
When no player can match a domino, play passes to the next player. Normally this is the player with the most dominoes in his hand, but if there are no more, then runners up are decided by the total value of the pips on the dominoes left in their hands.
Materials
The materials used to make dominos vary widely throughout history. Chinese domino sets from the early 19th century were often made of real animal bone, while more elite players favored ivory dominoes.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, dominoes began to be made from less exotic materials, including metals, plastics, wood, and stone. Today, most mass-produced domino sets are made from synthetic plastics.
These materials are easy to manipulate and have a wide range of uses. They are also lightweight, durable, and can be molded to create unique shapes or patterns.
The materials that dominoes are made from have a significant impact on the way they are played. For example, dominos are a great tool for teaching visual discrimination and matching skills. They are also a great option for sorting and sequencing activities. They can also be used to create fun engineering challenges.
Variations
There are a variety of domino variations, including layout games, blocking games and scoring games. The most popular are those in which players add matching tiles from their hand to a layout in the middle of the table.
These games can be played by a single player, or with partners. Generally, the goal is to be the first to play all of the tiles in your hand.
Some variants also require players to play all of the pips on the end of their train. These can be either straight or curved tiles.
European domino sets are traditionally made of bone or silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (MOP). Other types can be wood or metal, or even frosted glass or crystal. Novelty domino sets, often featuring cartoon characters or other pop images, are also available.
Scoring
In domino, a player can score points by playing the right tiles at the right time. This is especially true for straight dominoes, a type of domino that allows players to lay tiles end to end at an angle. Generally, points are awarded to players who play a tile of the right color at the correct point in the line.
There are many types of dominoes, from Chinese to European, each with its own set of rules and strategy. Some variations of the game are more complex than others. For example, a version of the game played in Britain uses a scoring system that involves a series of “ends” and requires players to attach a domino from their hand to one of those already played so that the sum of the end tiles is divisible by five or three. The most exciting part of the game is attempting to match the correct color and position on each turn.