Domino is a game of matching tiles. The name is derived from the Italian word domino, which means “two dice.” The game originated in Italy and spread to Austria, Germany, and France during the 18th century.
In addition to the classic blocking and scoring games, many other variations are played. Some of these include trick-taking, solitaire, and concentration variants.
The rules of some games vary, but the basic concept is the same: each player chooses a number of tiles and then places them on the table, attempting to match those with pips to the ones already placed. A single tile is considered to be a match when all the pips on the opposing player’s tiles are either on it or its short side. Doubles are matched only with other tiles of the same value, and double-blanks can be matched only with other tiles that also have a blank side.
There are many different versions of the game and the rules can vary widely, so it is important to consult a rule book before playing. A common version of the game, which is popular in North America, is a Block game, in which the players take less dominoes in the beginning and then place them in a line on the table, with each player taking a turn to place one domino at a time.
Another variation, which is common in Asia and Europe, is a Draw game. In this game, a player can only place one domino at a time, and if he cannot make a match with any other tile, then he must pick a sleeping tile from the “boneyard.” Then, when the sleepers are all used up, he takes a turn to place his own dominoes in the line.
As a result, it is possible to create a very long line of dominoes with only a few tiles. This can lead to very complicated designs and even to competitions where the best set of dominoes is deemed to be the winner!
The most famous domino set is the double-six set, which contains 28 unique tiles. Each tile contains a number that ranges from 0 (or blank) to 6.
This number is represented by a small tile that has a line down the center of it. The numbers are arranged in a line from top to bottom, and the shortest side is usually the number that represents the dice roll.
There are many different types of dominoes, and the tiles can be found in several colors and shapes. Some are rectangular with a diagonal line down the middle, while others are round. Most of the time, the numbers are printed on each tile in the same way that they are printed on a piece of paper.
In addition to being a fun game, dominoes are a great tool for building creative structures. Many children use them to build intricate patterns and other forms of art with them, a practice that is often referred to as dominoing.