Domino is a game played with dominoes, small rectangular pieces of varying colors and shapes that are marked on one side with an arrangement of dots, or pips, like those on a die. The other side of each domino is blank or identically patterned. Most Domino sets include 28 dominoes, although some games have fewer. Also known as bones, tiles, chinese checkers, and spinners, dominoes are used to play a variety of games. They are often lined up in long rows and knocked down.
The most common games are positional, where each player takes turns placing a domino edge to edge against another to make a square or some other specified total. The first person to do so wins the game. There are also scoring games where players get points for each domino that they place on the table and for having the most of a particular number (all threes, all fives).
Most dominoes have two numbers on their ends, but there are a few that have just one (such as the 22 domino known as the sniff). Whenever a double is played it can be joined to either of its neighbours, so that only the number on the exposed end matches. To determine this you look at all of the available neighbours of a domino, and try to find a pair that have the same number on their exposed ends. If you do, then the domino is split (and the pair of adjacent numbers are then available for another player to join).
When a double is played the points that it adds to its neighbours must be a multiple of five. The points are added to the player’s score when it is placed. This is called an adding move and is how most of the scoring dominoes are played.
Some games involve emptying a player’s hand, while others are blocking games, and there are even duplicate card games (which help develop math skills). The basic rules for most of these games are listed here under Line of Play.
Most dominoes are rectangular, but there are a few circular types, too. Round dominoes are generally smaller than rectangular ones, and may have a different pattern of pips or markings. Some are even made of clear plastic, which can be useful for some games.