Domino is a classic game that many people have enjoyed over the years. It is easy to learn, doesn’t take a lot of practice to master, and can entertain a large group of people for hours while they socialize, snack and drink. It is a great way to learn strategy, counting and matching all at the same time. It is also a good way to relieve stress and get some exercise while having fun with friends or family. There are many different games that can be played with dominoes, and each one has its own rules and objectives. The most extensive book of domino rules is called “The Great Book of Domino Games” by Jennifer A Kelley, which contains a large variety of games that can be played with any standard double-12 domino set.
In most domino games, the goal is to reach a certain score before your opponent does. The player that does this is declared the winner of the round. The number of points awarded varies from game to game, but it usually includes the number of pips on opposing players’ tiles (doubles count as one or two, and double-blanks may count as either zero or fourteen).
To start a domino game, all dominoes are shuffled together face down to form the stock or boneyard, then each player draws seven dominoes for their hand. These are then placed on the table so that only the players can see them. Each player must then play a domino in turn, matching it to the open end of the tile already on the line of play. This arrangement of the tiles is called the layout, string or line of play.
If a player cannot make a match on their turn, they must draw an additional domino from the stock and add it to their hand. This is known as buying the tile and is sometimes done for strategic purposes or to block your opponent from making a play. The player who does this the most is the winner of the round.
Some games allow the players to “buy” as many tiles from the stock as they can, while others stipulate that only a certain number of tiles may be bought. In either case, any dominoes remaining in the stock at the end of a round are added to the winning player’s total.
A common domino variant is the Train game, which can be played with any double-12 domino set. A dime is often used to mark the train or engine, which is the first domino played in the line of play. The players then draw dominoes for their hands, and the player with the highest double starts. Each player then tries to block the other players so that they cannot make a play. This is a very quick and exciting game, and it can be played with as few as two players. A larger physical train set is available for public use, and some people even prefer to play it with a full deck of cards instead of dominoes.