Dominoes are black and white rectangles with a line down the middle that divides them visually into two squares, or ends. The ends are marked with an arrangement of spots or “pips” that are similar to those on a die.
A domino has a value that is determined by its position and the number of pips on it. A domino is normally twice as long as it is wide, which makes it easy to re-stack the pieces after use.
There are many games that can be played with a set of dominoes. Some are blocking games, and others involve scoring. Almost all of these games fall into one of four categories:
In some cases, the same game may be played in different parts of the world with very different rules. This is a result of the way in which a game is adapted to local conditions.
The order of play in a domino game is determined by the players themselves and the rules of the game. Generally, the first player to make a play is referred to as the setter, downer, or lead. He is the first to put a tile down on a given side of the table and begins the chain that will eventually grow into the snake-like shape that dominateoes are famous for.
Once the domino chain has been started, each subsequent tile must be placed so that it connects with a previous domino in a way that maintains the shape of the chain and does not cause a tangled mess. This is called playing correctly. The player must also be sure that the two matching sides of a double are touching completely. This is not necessarily true of singles, but it is a good rule to follow.
The winning player is the person who has accumulated the most points. The point system varies between games, but in general, the score is the sum of the pips on all the winning tiles, and the players’ remaining numbers are added to this total. The winner is rewarded with a prize such as a trophy or a cash prize.
If the point total reaches zero, the game ends. Some games require all players to chip out (play their last domino) before this happens, but other games allow for a tie. A tie is broken by drawing new dominoes from the stock, which is then reshuffled. The player who draws the tile with the highest number of pips takes the first seat at the table, while the other players take the next seats in sequence. Then the tiles are reshuffled again and play begins again. This process is repeated until there is a winner. A common rule variation is to call a draw. A draw is made when there are no more tiles to be drawn, and this is often indicated by a knock. This is a signal that the player must immediately draw another domino from the stock and place it down on its proper spot in the chain.