Domino is a game played with small rectangular blocks that have identifying markings, such as dots resembling those on dice. The dominoes are arranged in rows or columns on a flat surface, such as a table or floorboard.
The first player begins the game by placing the heaviest domino. Each player then draws the number of tiles he is permitted to take according to the rules of the game.
Origin
Domino is a game that originated in China around 1120 CE. The Chinese set consisted of all possible combinations (or faces) resulting from throwing a dice, and unlike the Western domino sets of today, they did not include duplicate combination tiles.
The modern European version of the game appeared in Italy during the early 1700s, and later spread throughout Europe. The name “domino” was probably derived from the Latin word dominus, which meant master of the house, or based on a mask worn in Venetian carnivals that was black with white linings.
The game reached Britain in the late 18th Century, and it is believed that French prisoners of war brought it with them. Eisenhower used the domino principle at a press conference to explain his decision to increase America’s support of Ngo Dinh Diem’s government in South Vietnam.
Rules
Generally, dominoes have a number of identifying marks on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. The open end of a domino is called an eye or pip. The number of eyes on a domino determines the number of points it is worth.
Each player takes turns playing a domino on the table. Dominoes are joined to each other in a line of play, with doubles played crosswise and singles lengthwise. The players continue to add to the line of play until it is blocked or no longer possible to make a move.
Before each game, the tiles are shuffled thoroughly on a flat playing surface. The winner of the previous game usually does the shuffling for the next. Players may also draw their hands for the first play by drawing lots or by buying a turn.
Variations
The material used to make dominoes varies from metals to plastics to stone and wood. Some are even made of foam. However, the most common materials used are metal and plastic. These are more durable and can be painted in a variety of colors. Some are even designed to look like real dominoes.
Most domino games are played with a standard set comprising 28 tiles with double-ended ends (called spots or pips). These ends may be either solid or hollow, and the value of each end is indicated by its color and placement.
Some games, such as matador or muggins, have unique rules for matching and scoring. Other games, such as Mexican Train or Bendomino, use curved tiles that allow the line of play to branch due to geometry.
Materials
A domino is a thumbsized rectangular block made of rigid material and used in a wide variety of games for two or more players. Also known as bones, men, cards or pieces, each domino is visually divided into two sides, with one bearing an arrangement of spots (also called pips) and the other blank or identically patterned. A set of 28 dominoes forms a full set.
Domino’s understood that passive community members are useless, so their campaign included clear program instructions and a dedicated landing page that matched the rest of the brand. This helped make the Domino’s Points for Pies promotion feel like a natural extension of their brand community, which in turn contributed to the success of the program.
Scoring
A player scores points by playing a domino onto the layout that makes all open ends total to a multiple of five. For example a double four and two at one end will make the other total to six, a score of nine points.
When a domino is played in a way that it causes other players’ dominoes to block and the game becomes blocked then each player’s hands are counted. The player or team with the least number of pips is declared the winner.
The winning player or team is awarded a certificate with the details of their victory. This can be framed or simply displayed on a coffee table or similar surface. It is also possible to play domino online using a free software application.