A domino is a small rectangular block of wood or plastic with a face divided into two squares and marked by dots resembling those on dice. Dominoes are normally twice as long as they are wide and can be stacked on top of each other to form a line that is sometimes called the “line of play.” A domino’s value is determined by its number of pips, or spots, and a domino with more pips is considered to have a greater rank or value than one with fewer pips. The number of pips on a domino may also be used as a means of identifying the player who is to make the next move in a game.
There are many different games that can be played with a domino set, and the rules of these games often vary from place to place. The game most often associated with the word domino is a counting game where a chain of tiles or cards is created, and each tile must be matched to an adjacent one either end-to-end, side-to-side, or both. In addition to the basic counting game, there are also games that involve blocking or scoring. There are even some games that are similar to solitaire and trick-taking, although these are not generally considered to be dominoes.
Dominoes are traditionally made of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory or a dark hardwood such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips. More recently, sets have been produced from a variety of other materials, including metals, ceramic clay and even frosted glass or crystal. These sets are usually more expensive than those made from polymer materials, but they can add a unique style to a home’s decor.
Once a player has arranged his dominoes on the table, he begins playing by placing one of his tiles face up on the line of play. The other players then take turns placing their tiles so that the open ends of the tile match those on the previous domino. This configuration of tiles is referred to as the domino chain, string or layout, and it forms the basis for most of the counting and matching games played with dominoes.
If a tile has a double showing, the matching halves of that domino must be placed perpendicular to the domino touched. A double that cannot be played to is known as a spinner, and it must be surrounded by the matching halves of other dominoes when it is played. This is how the domino chain develops its snake-line shape as the game progresses.
Depending on the rules of a particular game, when all of the players have completed their hands, the winner is the person who has the highest count. If the count is tied, the player holding the heaviest double starts the next round. Alternatively, the player who was given the first turn to play may begin the game.