Dominoes are a family of tile-based games. They are rectangular tiles with two square ends marked with a specific number of spots. A player uses all of these spots to make a row. The game can be played with as many players as they wish. This is because the number of spots on a domino is directly proportional to the number of spots on the adjacent tiles.

Origin

The word domino is thought to have originated from Latin dominus, which means “master or lord”. The black spots on a white background in this game resemble the hoods of Christian clergy. The game first gained popularity in Italy, and spread to southern Germany and Austria. Later, it spread to other parts of Europe, and the French eventually adopted it as a popular game.

There are many accounts of the origin of domino, though the exact story is unproven. Some say that it was a Chinese soldier, Hung Ming, who invented the game in the 12th century to keep himself awake during wartime. Another version cites a nobleman named Keung T’ai Kung, who invented the game during the Ming Dynasty. The Chinese version of the game differs in several ways from the European version. The European version, called “Dominoes”, uses seven extra dominos to represent a blank-blank (0-0) combination.

Rules

The game of domino involves combining the ends of domino tiles and placing them on a flat surface. In each turn, one player draws a tile and positions it so that it touches the end of the chain. A player wins if his or her tile matches the end of another tile. If two players cannot continue, the game ends.

There are several variants of the game. Each variant has different rules, which the players can establish themselves.

Materials

The materials used to manufacture dominoes have come a long way from early days. Historically, European-style dominoes were made of bone, ivory, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell, and dark hardwoods like ebony. But modern dominoes are made with plastics and other cheaper materials. Whether you’re playing a game of dominos for fun or for business, you can find a domino that suits your tastes and budget.

Materials used to create domino jewelry can range from miscellaneous papers to vintage-style buttons. Some people also embellish domino pieces with paint, glitter, and sequins. Others choose to add jewels or antique-style buttons. Whatever materials you use, make sure you choose materials that are durable and will hold up to wear.

Variations

There are many variations of the classic game of domino. The standard version involves two players each holding seven tiles. Players score points by placing a tile on an opponent’s tile. Another variation is the five-up game, which uses a spinner tile and multi-colored tiles. Crazy, on the other hand, uses single-colored tiles. In this version, a player can connect dominos at right angles.

There are also many variants that use different rules. Most variations start with one tile in the playing area and proceed to play matching tiles. Doubles are sometimes allowed, but are not required. Some variants let players block the line of play by placing a double tile on one side.

Variations of the Draw Game

Variations of the Draw Game in domino are games in which players are permitted to draw more tiles during the game. However, they are not allowed to pass before their stock is empty. When the stock is empty, the winning player gets points equal to the number of dots in his hand. Higher player counts are ideal for playing this game. Some variations allow players to play with more than two players, as well as teams.

One variation of the Draw Game involves stringing together dominoes. The players start with seven dominoes, and take turns placing matching domino halves. The game continues until all the exposed ends add up to more than five.