Originally a mask worn by a monastic priest, the name domino was later given to the hooded masquerade costume. This mask became a symbol of a black and white hooded cloak worn by Christian priests in winter. However, in the 18th century, domino became a game, first recorded in Italy and France. It was later brought to England by French prisoners of war.
A domino is a game consisting of two squares, a line in the middle, and markings on one side. The markings are designed to represent the results of throwing two dice. Normally, dominoes are twice as long as they are wide. However, in some versions of the game, tiles can be joined to all four sides.
The first player places his or her chosen tile face-up in the middle of the table. Then, the next player matches one end of the domino to part of the first tile. This is called “stitching up” the ends. Then, the last player knocks out the tile, and the game is over. The final player wins the game if he or she can match two tiles, or if the tower falls over.
To play the game, each player starts with the same number of dominoes, which are usually three or four. The first player draws one domino, which he or she places on the table. The next player picks one domino, which he or she plays. The second player then plays a tile to the left of the first, and so on. The third player plays a tile vertically, and so on. In addition to the dominoes that a player has, he or she can also draw from the empty space.
The goal of the game is to make the tower as stable as possible. Players must agree on the number of points they want to achieve before playing. Typically, a point is awarded for each remaining dot in a player’s hand. Alternatively, players can win by awarding pips on the opponent’s tiles. In the concentration version of the game, players must achieve a total pip count of twelve.
The game can be played by two players, three players, four players, or seven players. When playing with four players, each player draws twelve tiles. In the concentration version, the number of tiles each player draws is based on their total pip count.
There are many types of dominoes. Most are based on the traditional European style, which is typically made of a dark hardwood such as ebony. However, some are made of bone or silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell. In addition, some have decorative backs, and some are blank. The most common version of the game has six pips. It is also possible to play with a double-nine set, which contains 91 tiles. However, if the number of players is higher, the double-nine set should be used.
Dominoes can also be used for many different puzzles, games, and tests of skill. They are especially useful in a number of games, such as a domino puzzle, where the goal is to place the tiles on a certain pattern or in a certain order.