Domino is a game played by two or more players. Each domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block with two square ends and each end has a number of dots resembling those on dice. Dominoes are used to create a sequence of “chains” or “snakes” which add up to a player’s total score. The first player to reach 100 points wins. Most Domino games require an optimal balance of strategy and skill, allowing players of all experience levels to enjoy the game.
While Domino has a long history, the word itself is rather obscure. Its origin is unknown, but it may be derived from the French word for mask. The name was probably influenced by the fact that the dominanto piece has a shape similar to a mask or hooded cloak, and the earliest usage of the term in English and French referred to the latter garment.
There are many different Domino games, but most involve adding tiles to a layout or tableau on the table. These layouts or chains of dominoes can be blocking games, in which the object is to empty one’s hand; scoring games, in which the players score during the course of play by creating certain configurations; and trick or trump games, which draw inspiration from card games.
Each turn, a domino is placed on an existing tile so that its matching end touches both the adjacent sides of the previous tile. If the exposed ends match – such as the 1-6 on the 0-4 and the 1-5 on the 3-3 – then a pair is formed, allowing play to continue on both sides of the double. Each time a pair is made the resulting chain develops a new snake-like structure that can be redirected at will to change the direction of play.
In addition to the way the chains develop, the manner in which the dominoes are placed also adds to the game’s enjoyment. Each player must carefully consider which tiles to place on the tableau and must take care not to create a tower that is stable enough to survive one’s turn but precarious enough to fall over for the next player. Such mistakes often result in much giggling and laughter.
The game is over when either a player has laid all of his or her tiles or there are no more matching edges to form pairs. Then, the players count the number of dots on their remaining tiles. The player with the lowest total is the winner.
While learning the rules of Domino is simple, developing a winning strategy is more difficult. There are some general dominoes strategies that work for virtually all games. Some of them you can apply right away, while others will require a bit more practice to master.