Dominoes are small rectangular blocks with a ridge and an arrangement of dots like those on dice. Each player holds a set of dominoes. When his turn comes, he lays one tile down to the table. The resulting line of play is called the lead, the set, or the string.
Origin
A domino is a small rectangular wooden or ivory block, either blank or marked with pips or dots. A set of 28 such blocks forms a complete domino game.
The origin of domino is somewhat disputed, but it is clear that it can be traced back to China in the 12th century. The earliest written reference to them is in the Former Events of Wulin.
Dominoes also appear to have been used in 19th century rural England for settling disputes over traditional grazing boundaries, but this was probably not because of the domino game.
The name comes from the Latin dominus, meaning lord, and is associated with blocking games where a player has to keep an eye on what their opponent’s next move might be. It was brought to England in the late 1700s from France (possibly via French prisoners of war) and became popular as a coffee house game.
Rules
In this game, each player tries to get rid of all their dominoes while blocking the opponents’. The winner is the first player to score 100 points or more. The players decide on a score goal before starting play. Pairs are formed by tiles with the same number of pips, for example, the 3-6 and the 4-4.
A player takes turns placing dominoes in a line of play, either lengthwise (single tiles joined end to end) or crosswise (doubles joined on their sides). The doubles must be spinners, that is they can be played on both ends of the line. Usually the resulting chain is joined to other dominoes in the same way, which prevents an opponent from playing the same tile. The number of pips on the loser’s tiles is added to the winning player’s score.
Variations
The game of domino has many variations. Players can choose different rules, tile starts, designs, and domino sets. Each variation is played differently and has a unique strategy. The goal is to score more points than your opponent. The highest score wins the game.
The simplest variation is called Block, which requires only a double-six set. The first player places a domino on the table, starting the line of play. Players then alternate extending the line with one matching domino at one of its ends. If a player cannot extend the line, they pass.
Another variant is DRAW, which follows the same rules as BLOCK except that when a player can’t go they draw dominoes from the boneyard until they can. A domino with the same value on both ends is known as a spinner, and it can be used to branch off new dominoes.
Materials
Dominos have been made from a wide variety of materials over the centuries. Some are made of plastic, while others are made of wood or ivory. Some are even made of stone. They are usually twice as long as they are wide. They are also often molded or drilled with an arrangement of spots, known as “pips,” similar to those on a die, except that some are blank or void of pips, which represents the number zero.
Advantages: The Domino Day dominoes are smoother and more consistent, making them well-suited for building lines and fields. However, their light weight increases the risk of the dominoes falling in unexpected directions and their limited number of colors restricts their usefulness for more complex construction projects. Also, they are expensive compared to other sets.
Scoring
Many domino games are based on blocking or scoring. However, there are also several games of a very different character that are played with the dominoes. These include solitaire and trick-taking games. These games were popular in some areas to circumvent religious proscriptions against playing cards.
Keeping track of the scoring tiles is important for winning the game. Usually, the players only score when their opponents cannot make a play on a particular count. The 1.6 and 4.9 board counts are particularly useful for this.
To score, count the exposed ends of the dominoes and divide by five. The result is the player’s score for that end of the chain. The first double played to the line is called a spinner, and future dominoes can branch out from all sides of it.