Domino is a game played with a set of wooden or plastic pieces. They are typically rectangular, usually twice as long as wide, and have a line on one side. There are four different types of dominoes.
The most common is the double six set, which has 28 tiles. These are traditionally made of ebony or dark hardwood. Other types include the double nine set, with 55 tiles, and the double twelve set, with 91 tiles.
Before the game can be played, the players must agree on a target score. Each player then picks a number of 12 tiles. For example, if there are five players, the first player would select three tiles. One of the players would have a blank tile, and the other three would have a tile with a number.
The second player picks two tiles, and the other three players have four tiles. This can be the case with any number of players. If a player has a double, they must place the second tile perpendicular to the first. In other words, if the first player has a 6-3, they must play a tile with a 6-7 on it.
To get a tile, the player will either knock or rap the table with a piece. Then, they will place their tile on the table, and the second player must also lay their tile. After they are both done, the third player takes their turn. Sometimes, the player will need to replace a piece, or chip out a domino.
A double may be counted as a one or a two, depending on how many pips the player has. Some games consider all four sides of a double to be open. Others, like the Concentration version, require the total pip count to be twelve.
The game can be played by four or more players, but it’s more popular with two or three. The players take turns adding dominoes to the platform, and the game ends when someone cannot go any further. However, if all the players cannot finish, a sleeping domino will be placed on the edge of the playing area. It isn’t possible to see the value of other players’ tiles, but if they are able to go, the domino is worth points.
The goal of the game is to make a tower of dominoes stable. As the first domino in the line tips over, the next domino will tip over. Once all the dominoes are overturned, the game is over.
Another variant is the Draw Game, which is played in some parts of the world. This variant is similar to the Block game. Instead of a score being awarded to the winner, the players award pips to the opposing players’ tiles.
Another type of domino game is the trick-taking game. Players try to beat their opponents by getting as many points as they can. When they do, they are the winner.
The Inuits of the Arctic have a similar game to Western dominoes. It is probably a form of imitation of the Western game.