The domino is a small rectangular block of wood or plastic with pips on one side. It is the basis for many classic board games.
Dominoes (also called bones, cards, men, tiles or spinners) are stacked on end in long lines to form patterns. They are also used for playing games that score points by comparing the values of remaining dominoes.
Origin
The origin of domino is a matter of contention. Some claim that it originated in China in the 12th century, while others point to its Egyptian or Arabian roots. The game’s early development is also disputed. According to Michael Dummett, the European version evolved independently of its Chinese ancestor.
The word “domino” is probably derived from the contrasting black spots on white backgrounds. The earliest attestation to its use is in the 1120 AD Chinese text “Chu sz yam” (Investigations on the Traditions of All Things). The word could also be a contraction of hood, or the Latin dominus (“lord”). Alternatively, the name may have been inspired by a hooded cape worn by French priests. The term is still in use today. Different variations of the game have emerged in different regions with different strategies, tile starts, and designs.
Rules
Players take turns placing dominoes in a line. They may only join dominoes if their ends match (except for doubles which are placed across the end of the line of play).
The game ends when a player’s hand is empty or all the players can’t go anymore. The winning player’s score is the total value of the dominoes remaining in his opponents’ hands.
When the game is over, each player adds his score to the winner’s total. There are many variations to the rules of domino. Some games have very similar rules and are played in different parts of the world under slightly different names. Other games have extremely specific rules. Generally, the player with the highest double makes the first play. This is also known as “the set,” “the down,” or “the lead.” The runner-up can then play onto this tile.
Materials
Over the centuries, dominoes have been made of many different materials. Today, they are most often made of plastic, but wood and bone dominoes have been used in the past. Some sets even had a top half made of silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl) or ivory and the lower half in ebony.
Dominoes have a face that is either blank or is identically patterned to one side, while the other side features an arrangement of dots called pips. These pips are similar to the marks on a die, although some squares are blank, representing zero.
The high end dominoes, crafted by true artisans, are very elaborate works of art. They are often layered in multiple woods and finely lacquered, resulting in pieces that have hefty price tags.
Variations
There are many variants of domino that use different rules for matching tiles. These games may also use a special tile called the matador, which acts as a spinner. They may also require that the line of play start with a double, or they may require that all sides of the first double be used. The object of these games is to be the first player to score a certain number of points.
Most domino games involve blocking one’s opponent’s hand, and the winner is determined by calculating the total number of pips in the losing players’ hands. However, some games allow for play off the ends of standard, non-double dominoes, a practice known as “hectoring”. The difference in pips between the big and small end of each domino is called its rank.
Scoring
Domino is a game that involves strategy, mathematics, and probability. It can be played by two players or more. The player who has the highest score at the end of the game wins.
The scoring system for domino varies depending on the game variant. For example, in the game 5s-and-3s, points are scored by counting exposed ends of dominoes that match (i.e., one’s touch the other’s), and for each time the total of the open ends is divisible by five or three.
The number of pips on each domino varies from set to set, and some sets have more readable Arabic numerals instead of pips. When the game is over, the sum of the opponents’ spots is computed and added to the winning player’s score.
