Domino has the ability to generate luck in her vicinity. This ability is unconsciously controlled and can be triggered in stressful situations. She has used her powers to thwart many criminals and villains, including Donald Pierce and Lady Deathstrike.
In most domino games, players draw tiles from the stock to form their hands. Each player draws seven tiles.
Origin
The name Domino derives from the Latin word dominus, meaning “lord.” It carries connotations of dominance and control. It was a popular name for people who held powerful positions in ancient Rome, including emperors and senators.
Domino was the result of a top-secret government breeding program designed to create the perfect weapon. Her mutant “luck” power allowed her to survive the program, but she soon found herself in the crosshairs of the Punisher.
She later joined the mercenary group Six Pack, led by Cable. She helped him to assassinate Flag-Smasher in Rumekistan, clearing the way for his takeover of the country. Afterward, she left the group to go her own way, but later rejoined X-Force. She has a psionic aura that alters probabilities, making her very lucky or very unlucky.
Rules
There are many different games that can be played with domino. However, the basic rules of each game are similar. Players take turns placing dominoes that match the number of dots on one of its free ends, adding them to a chain and linking them together. The value of each piece is determined by its placement in the chain, and the winner of a hand scores the total value of all the pieces that remain unplaced.
When a player cannot make a play, the game ends in a block. The winning player counts the pips of all the dominoes left in the opponents’ hands and adds them to his score. If a player plays a double that is not the spinner, it must be marked as such on the UDL official scorecard.
Variations
Domino games offer a variety of challenges and opportunities for players. From fast-paced train games to strategic connections, there is something for everyone. These games are also great for family gatherings.
Each domino has a unique number of spots, or pips, on one face and is blank or identically patterned on the other. This number, which is referred to as the rank or weight, determines its value. A domino with a higher rank is considered heavier than a lower rank.
The simplest basic domino variant is the Block game, which starts with a double-six set and involves two players. Players draw seven tiles each and take turns extending the line of play by matching their tiles to the exposed ends of existing domino halves. A player passes if they can’t match any of their own tiles. The round ends when either a player has no dominoes left or all the players are blocked.
Materials
Dominoes have been made from a wide variety of materials over the years. Throughout history they have been produced using a wide range of robust, hard substances. These materials include:
The dominoes themselves are small, flat, rectangular blocks of rigid material that are stacked together to form rows and columns. They are usually twice as long as they are wide and feature a line down the center that divides them visually into two square halves. The top half of the domino bears an arrangement of dots, known as pips, while the bottom half is blank or may be a different color.
The earliest dominoes were made from animal bones and ivory. Later sets were made from metals and other types of wood. A high end set of dominoes is often handcrafted from multiple woods and features detailed carvings.
Scoring
Domino is played with a set of dominoes that have different values based on the number of spots or pips on each side. These are often referred to as ranks or weights. The more pips a domino has, the higher its rank.
The traditional 32-piece European domino sets did not have blank faces, as Chinese ones do. These sets also did not have the military/civilian suit distinctions of the American set.
Players score by counting the total value of all open ends on their opponents’ dominoes. The player with the lowest count wins that round and adds to their score the total value of the dominoes still held in his opponents’ hands. Players continue scoring in this manner until one player passes 101 points and is declared the winner.