The Basics of Dominoes

Dominoes are small, flat, rectangular blocks used as a game object. They are usually twice as long as they are wide, and each end is marked with a number of spots or pips (a domino may also be called a bone, men, cards, or pieces). Each side of the domino bears an arrangement of numbers in a particular pattern; this pattern forms a suit, which each piece belongs to. The pips indicate the value of the tile, and when a player adds up all the exposed ends of all of his or her opponents’ dominoes, he or she earns points based on the total of the dots in the suits.

The most basic Western domino games are block-and-draw games for two to four players. A double-six set of dominoes is used for these games. The dominoes are shuffled and then drawn at random for the lead, or “leader,” and each player draws seven dominoes from the remaining set of dominoes, which is referred to as the stock or boneyard. The leader then plays the first domino. Each player then follows the leader by laying down one domino, following the rules of the particular game being played.

Most dominoes are arranged on the table in long, parallel lines. When the first domino in a line is tipped over, it causes the rest of the dominoes to tip, and so on. Eventually, the entire set of dominoes may be tipped over, creating a very complex design. The first person to play all of his or her dominoes wins the game.

In the past, the word “domino” also had a more specific meaning: a loose cloak worn with a mask for the upper part of the face at masquerades. The term is believed to be derived from the Latin dominus, meaning master or ruler.

Stacks of dominoes are also popular as toys, especially among children. They can be arranged in a variety of designs, and the first domino to tip over causes the others to fall in an unbroken sequence. Some people even build structures using dominoes, with the most impressive designs typically including many of the same dominoes stacked together in parallel lines.

While there are many different games that can be played with dominoes, the most common are positional games. In these, the player in turn places a domino edge to edge against another, so that the corresponding ends touch: the one’s of the adjacent dominoes must match (i.e., a one’s touch a one’s, and so on). Then, each time that domino is moved the adjacent sides must match: if all three dominoes are in this state, the player earns points for this.

In addition to these positional games, there are a few simple scoring games that can be played with any set of dominoes. In these, the player who has the most dominoes of any color scores the most points. There are also a few trick-taking games that can be played with dominoes, but these are often not considered to be dominoes in the strict sense of the word.