Domino is a game of skill and strategy that can be played by two or more people. Most domino games are based on matching tiles or setting them up so that they form a chain, called a line of play. The player with the most tiles at the end of the line wins the game. Many different variations of domino exist, but most of them fall into one of four categories: blocking, scoring, and positional games.
The earliest records of dominoes date back to the mid-18th century. The word comes from the Latin dominium, meaning “flip-over,” and was used to describe a type of card game popular in some areas because it allowed players to circumvent religious proscriptions against playing cards. The game was also popular with children. Today, dominoes are made of either plastic or wood, and can be made in a variety of shapes and colors. A basic set contains 28 tiles, going up to double sixes.
When playing a domino game, the first step is to determine who will make the first move. The rules for each game will determine this, but generally, the player who has the highest double or single will begin play. If no players have a high double, the winner of the previous game may begin play. Alternatively, the player with the highest double or single can draw new hands from the stock.
Next, each player draws the number of tiles specified by the rules for the particular domino game being played and places them in front of himself. The player may then choose to buy tiles from the stock if the rules permit it, but is not required to do so. Buying tiles from the stock allows a player to add more pips to his hand, but the amount of points he gains is based on the number of matching pips in his opponent’s hand.
Once a player has enough pips to match a tile, he makes the play and places it in the line of play. If the domino is a double, it is placed crosswise; if it is a single, it is placed lengthwise. Once a domino is played, it remains in the line of play until its holder matches and plays a tile or the game ends.
In most domino games, the losing player’s pips are counted at the end of the hand or game and then added to the winner’s score. The pips are counted for each tile in the losers’ hands and for each multiple of five. In some games, a player may choose to ignore the edge numbers of a domino and simply replace each edge number with the number of a multiplier.
The word domino can also refer to a type of clothing worn together with a mask during carnival season or at a masquerade ball. Earlier, the word denoted a long hooded cloak that was often worn over a surplice. The term was likely derived from the color of a black domino and the ivory face, which reminded some viewers of a priest’s hooded cape over his white surplice.