Whether you’re new to dominoes or have played for years, there are always some tips and tricks you can try to improve your game. Let’s take a look at some of the best ones!
First, get organized. Arrange your tiles in a way that allows you to chain together your pieces, just like if they were real dominoes.
Origins
Dominoes are a type of gaming device that is similar to playing cards or dice. They are flat, rectangular pieces that bear identifying marks on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other.
Modern domino sets are often made from heavy plastic. Early domino sets were carved from materials like bone, wood or ivory.
The game is believed to have originated in China during the 12th century. The first recorded written mention of dominoes is a document describing the game that was presented to Emperor Hui Tsung in 1120.
Rules
There are two basic forms of domino: the standard or “Block Game,” and the “Draw Game.”
The Block Game is played with a set of 28 tiles. Initially, the players shuffle the tiles and then draw a hand of seven dominoes each.
Each player takes turns placing a tile in the line, joining it to a matching end. Doubles are not allowed to be placed across the line, but they can be joined on the sides instead.
Play continues until one player dominates or no one can make a valid play. The first player with all of his dominoes out on the table is the winner.
Points are awarded when the pips on the open ends of the tiles match a multiple of three or five (for example, if there was one open end with a 4, you would score nine points). In some games, players may also earn points by ending their turn with the open ends of the layout totaling a multiple of five.
Materials
The dominoes we use today are made from a variety of materials. These include wood, plastic, metal and foam.
The material of the domino itself is crucial for stability and the overall feel of the game. It is usually made from lightweight, durable material so it is easy to handle and stack.
It is also possible to find high-end, handmade dominoes, sometimes layered in multiple woods and finely finished. These sets are much more expensive than modern mass-produced sets, but they are often worth the investment for their aesthetic appeal and craftsmanship.
Traditionally, dominoes were made from ivory inlaid with ebony pips. However, the harvesting of ivory caused the near extinction of elephants. Therefore, production of ivory dominoes has been banned since January 1990.
Variations
There are a wide variety of variations on domino. Most of these games have similar rules, but they differ in their line of play or scoring structure.
Several variants of the game are played with sets containing colored pips, making them easier for players with poor vision to see. Other versions have special rules, such as Bendomino, which requires curved tiles to be played.
Chickenfoot is one such variation, where the first round of turns has players placing dominoes in a double chickenfoot shape. Once this train has been placed, it becomes the player’s personal train – and they can continue playing from this position.
Mexican Train Dominoes is another variant, where each train is longer than in Chickenfoot – players move clockwise around the table. If you can’t play a tile on your own train, you may play it on any open public train moving clockwise.
Etymology
Dominoes are flat oblong pieces of wood, bone, or ivory that have been divided into two parts by a line. The faces are either left blank or dotted in the manner of dice.
A game of dominoes is a very popular form of board gaming. It can be played with a variety of different sets of tiles and is also commonly played as a game of concentration, solitaire, or trick-taking.
The word domino comes from the French term domino, meaning a black hood worn by priests in winter. It is also the name of a mourning veil that was once worn by women.