The Basics of Domino

Domino is a game in which players attempt to make their tower of dominos as stable as possible. The tower is built on a flat platform, with three or four dominos at each end. Each player begins the game by drawing lots to determine their hand. Depending on the version of the game, players take turns adding dominos to the platform. When a player chips out, play stops. However, in some versions of the game, both players must chip out to win.

Dominoes are usually made from a rigid material, such as plastic or wood. Some are blank, while others are painted or decorated. Most are molded to be twice as wide as they are long, and feature a line at the center of each side. They are also referred to as cards, bones, men, or stones. In some versions, the backs of the dominos are blank.

Before playing, each player must agree on a target score. For example, if one player has a score of ten, he must place eighteen tiles on the table. If another player has a score of twenty-one, he must add six to his hand.

Each domino is marked with spots that indicate the number of pips on the face. The number of spots on each face indicates the suit of the tile. A tile with a number of spots on both sides is called a double. This tile is the lightest value in the set, and may be counted as a single or two.

The tiles are placed on a pattern, either asymmetrically or symmetrically. Two dominos are crossed at each end, and the other tiles are placed perpendicular to the long side of the doubles. Once the cross is complete, the domino game continues.

Traditionally, European style dominos were made of ivory, bone, or dark hardwood such as ebony. Today, there are several different types of dominos, including digital dominos. These games are played online and can be played by anyone, even if they don’t have a real-life domino set. Typically, the digital version of the game includes player profiles and stats, which can be shared with other users.

Many domino games are adaptations of card games. There are also games that require players to block each other’s play and then empty their hands. Alternatively, some domino games don’t allow players to take wind blowing cards into their hands. Another type of domino game, called a solitaire game, involves a single player’s objective to create a layout of a specified number of dominos.

Other domino games involve a player trying to create a specific number of tiles, usually by drawing lots or by determining the heaviest hand. A player can also create a pattern by placing a series of tiles at right angles. As these patterns become more complex, it becomes more difficult to distinguish pips.

Dominoes are usually grouped into suits. Five-suit dominoes are a group of three tiles, and a six-suit domino is a group of five tiles. Often, tiles belonging to a suit have the same number of pips on both ends.