Domino is a name for a type of set of rectangular black and white tiles used in different types of games. These rectangular pieces have a line in the middle of them. Each piece is marked with a variety of identifying markings and an arrangement of pips.
The set is designed to represent the results of two thrown six-sided dice. When the game is played, the player attempts to arrange the tiles to produce the specified total. This can include making a specific number of tiles, such as twelve, in a row. Depending on the rules of the game, the tiles can be rearranged, replaced, or flipped. In some domino games, such as Five-Up, players place multicolored tiles in the row.
In most games, each player is given seven tiles from a stock of dominoes. As the set grows, identifying pips becomes more difficult. Some large domino sets use Arabic numerals instead of pips.
There are many kinds of dominoes, but the most basic version requires a double-six set. It is also possible to play with a single-six, single-nine, or double-nine set.
Dominoes are made from either wood, plastic, or bone. Traditional European dominos are made from dark hardwoods such as ebony or mother of pearl oyster shell. However, some of the more modern types of dominoes are constructed from aluminum.
Although there are many games in which dominoes are played, the most popular is one in which a player tries to score points. Another type of game is the trick-taking variant. The player attempts to score a certain amount of points by making a combination of dominoes. One of the simplest versions is played by placing a domino edge to edge against another. During the course of the game, the first domino in the line may tip over, causing the second domino to fall.
In the game of Five-Up, the player attempts to make a combination of tiles that contains the five numbers from 0-12. In a solitaire game, a player attempts to score by placing a tile in the middle of a row. A domino can be played against a computer or against another human.
Although the origin of the game is unknown, it was widely popular in the late 1700s in France, Italy, and England. French prisoners of war brought the game to England. Other countries were soon introduced to the game. It spread to Germany and Austria.
The word domino was first recorded in the Dictionnaire de Trevoux in 1771. In the 1860s, the game appeared in American literature. But by that time, it was considered a fad. Unlike traditional Chinese dominoes, European sets are not marked with suit distinctions.
Although the most common domino variant is a single-six set, there are other types, such as a concentration variant. In this variant, the player attempts to achieve a maximum pip count. Normally, the double-six set is too large to be used in most domino games.
Many people prefer to play with dominoes as a toy. They can be used to create a fun domino course. Others prefer to play with them in games.