Domino is the name of a series of games that can be played with small rectangular blocks called dominoes. These pieces are stacked on their ends to form long lines. When a domino is tipped, it causes the next domino in the line to tip, and so on until all of the dominoes have fallen over. This basic concept gives rise to a variety of complex, and often beautiful, designs that can be created using these simple toys.
The first step in any domino game is to shuffle the tiles, then place them face down on the table. This is known as forming the stock or boneyard. Each player draws seven dominoes from the stock to make his or her hand for that game. The winner is the player who has the most points in his or her hand after all of the players have had a turn playing. The rules for scoring can vary from one set of dominoes to another, but most allow players to count the pips on the tiles in the losing players’ hands at the end of a hand or the game. Some rules also require players to count only one side of a double (i.e. 4-4 counts as only four points).
A Domino is a flat thumb-sized rectangular block with a line or ridge that divides the identity-bearing face into two squares, each bearing an arrangement of dots resembling those on dice. There are generally 28 dominoes in a full set. A domino is usually played by matching an open end of a domino with the closed end of the preceding tile in the line of play. Then, the player adds one more tile to the line by placing it on top of the previous domino. This configuration is sometimes referred to as a string, layout, or line of play.
Domino can also refer to:
1. A person or thing that has a powerful, sometimes catastrophic, effect on others; a chain reaction: “a domino effect”
2. A large, hooded cloak worn with a mask covering the eyes at a masquerade.
3. A system of rules or policies that regulates a company or organization: “Domino’s leadership model is based on the belief that leaders are made, not born. It is a combination of both management theory and behavioral theory.”
4. A game played with a set of dominoes:
The most popular domino games are those that involve the formation of a line or string of dominoes by matching open ends. The line may be lengthwise, with each domino played end to end; or it may be crosswise, with each domino played across the match. In either case, the last domino in the line must be a double. If a player draws more dominoes for his or her hand than are allowed, this is known as overdrawing. The player who overdraws must take the extra dominoes without looking at them and return them to the stock.