Domino, a game played with rectangular tiles, has captivated people for centuries. In fact, many people enjoy playing domino for leisure time, while others use it as a form of mental stimulation and challenge. The power of dominos is amazing—a single tile can cause things to topple that are one-and-a-half times their size! It’s no wonder that domino has become so popular, especially amongst adults.
In addition to being fun and competitive, the rules of domino vary from place to place. Some of the rules even have different names in different countries. This makes learning about domino difficult, especially for beginners. However, there are some basic instructions that can be used to make the process of understanding domino easier.
A domino is a piece of a larger set of tiles that have been scored and marked with a series of dots, called pips, on all four sides. These dots are often color-coded to distinguish between different types of dominoes. In most games, a domino can be played only when it has two or more of its pips touching another tile that is already on the table, either on its open end or across it. The number of pips that touch other dominoes on all sides is called the count, which determines the score of a game.
The word domino comes from the Latin “domino” meaning “little father.” The original domino pieces were small clay or wood discs that were stamped with a pattern of pips, and then fired to bake them. Over the years, the size of dominoes has increased. Now, a domino can be made from plastic, metal or even marble. Each type of domino has a different appearance and feel to it, but all have the same basic shape.
When you play a domino game, you start by drawing a tile from the stock to decide which player will make the first play. The player who draws the heaviest tile, usually a double, will play first. Then, other players draw and follow the basic rules of each game to continue playing.
The game of domino has a number of variations, including solitaire games for just one person. The simplest domino game involves drawing one tile for each turn, but more advanced games involve placing a domino on the table and creating chains that grow in length. Each player must play a tile positioning it so that both ends of the chain touch an existing domino, and then adding more to the chain.
Some domino sets are made from natural materials such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory or a dark hardwood such as ebony. These are more expensive than those made from polymer, but they have a more elegant look and feel to them. The materials also have more of a natural weight, making them feel substantial in the hand. In addition, some sets have both the upper half thickness of MOP, ivory or bone and the lower half in ebony, giving them a unique appearance.