Dominoes are a type of game that has both an Eastern and Western origin. Originally, dominoes were a Chinese game of identical tiles that were marked on each end with a number of spots.
Today, dominoes are a popular game that is played in the United States and Europe. They can be used to play a wide range of games and are popular with both children and adults.
Rules
Dominoes is a family of games played with a set of domino tiles. There are several different variations of the game and these vary in the rules that govern them.
In a standard or block game, players take turns matching their pieces to one side of a starting double domino so that they are perpendicular to it. If they cannot match their piece, they must draw a tile from the boneyard until a suitable match is made.
Another variation of the game is a chain game. This involves laying dominoes end to end, each of which has a matching end (one’s touch one’s, two’s touch two’s etc.) If the pips on any of the exposed ends total any multiple of three or five, the player is awarded points for that turn.
A common strategy is to play out larger numbered dominoes quickly, since pips count for points, so playing them out early can lead to a higher score than you might otherwise earn. This is a good tactic, especially for players who are beginners and have trouble doing the required math in their heads.
Variations
Dominoes are a type of tile game that uses a line in the center dividing each piece into two square halves. Each half has a number of spots, known as pips, which range from blank (no pips) to six.
In the game, players take it in turn to lay single dominoes in a line. The value on one half of each domino must match the value on the same side of the next domino in the line, a process called matching.
There are a variety of different variations on the basic domino rules. Some of them include positional games where players try to lay tiles edge-to-edge to create a certain total or cover their opponent’s board.
There are also blocking and scoring games. In these, the player whose hand contains the most pips wins.
Materials
There are a variety of materials that are used to make dominoes. Some of these include plastic, bone, wood, and ivory.
A set of dominoes is usually composed of two rows of tiles. The top row contains numbers, called pips, and the bottom row has blank or decorated sides.
Some sets also have a line across the center that divides the pieces into square halves. The pips can have either black or white markings.
While some of these sets are made from plastic, they can also be made from more exotic materials such as mother-of-pearl or silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (MOP). These types of dominoes have a classic look and are often heavier than polymer dominoes.
There are also sets that have pictures of different objects such as animals, flowers, or food. This can be a great way to reinforce learning skills such as visual processing, language development, and sensory motor integration.
Scoring
The scoring system in domino can be as simple or complex as the game. Usually, a player’s score is determined by the total number of points earned during the course of the game. Some games use a timer and limit the number of turns per game.
Depending on the game, a player’s score may be determined by a combination of points scored during the course of the game and points awarded for particular tiles. Some variants award points for the total pips on a domino, and others count only pips exposed at one or both ends of a chain of dominoes.
For example, in the muggins game (a variant of 5s-and-3s), a doublet containing two fives counts as a triple. Similarly, a pair of double sixes counts as a quadruple. Some players also play a version of a “double-sequence” dominoes containing a number of tiles that represent the most points in the game. Unlike the classic straight set dominoes, these are arranged in a chain that is gradually extended as the game progresses.