Dominoes are small blocks of wood or plastic with a number of spots, or “pips,” on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other. They are most often used in games that require strategic placement or that involve a lot of counting. Like playing cards, dominoes are typically arranged in sets of matching pairs.
There are many different types of domino games. Some have very similar, or even identical, rules in different parts of the world; others have radically different rules. Some, for example, have no set scoring system at all, while others are played using a point system. In general, dominoes are played by two or more players in turns, with each player taking it in turn to make a play. The first player to score wins the game.
The rules for different domino games vary from one to the next, but most fall into four categories: bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, and round games. Many of the most popular domino games are bidding games, with each player trying to get rid of their tiles before the other players have a chance to do so.
Once a domino has been placed, it can no longer be moved, and the next player in turn must place another domino on its matching pair of ends. Usually the open ends of the domino must be with the line of play, but some games allow doubles to be played across the line of play. If the domino being played is a spinner, then its matching halves are also considered ends of the line of play.
When the dominoes are arranged on the table, they are sometimes set up in straight lines or curved lines that form patterns when the dominoes fall. They can also be stacked in rows or made into structures such as towers and pyramids. In some cases, the structure may be painted to form a picture.
Before a domino game begins, the players should draw their hand of dominoes from the stock. The player who draws the heaviest domino, which is determined by the rules of the game, will make the first play. If there is a tie, the tie may be broken by drawing new dominoes from the stock and adding them to one’s hand.
After the player has drawn his dominoes, he must determine which ones to play and in what order. If he is unsure how to proceed, he may ask the other players for advice. If the other players are unable to answer his question, he should draw another tile from the stock and continue the game.
Some domino games have rules for buying extra tiles from the stock, while others do not allow this. If a player draws more than the amount that he is allowed to take, then he must draw the excess dominoes back into the stock before the next player makes his play.
As a result of the physics involved, it only takes a tiny amount of force to knock over a series of dominoes. This is known as the domino effect, or the amplification of input into output.