If you want to learn the history of dominoes, you have come to the right place. Here you will find out more about the Origin, Rules, Variations and the Pieces used in this popular board game. Before you start playing, read through these essential pieces of information:

Origin

There are many theories on the origin of the domino. Some people say it was invented by Chinese nobleman Hung Ming, who ruled during the 12th century. Others say it originated in ancient Egypt, during the reign of Tutankhamen. Whatever the case, a Chinese nobleman named Kao Tsung introduced the game to the rest of the world, making it popular throughout the 19th century. But regardless of the real origin of the domino, the game was definitely influenced by the ancient Chinese culture.

Rules

To play this game, you should know the rules. There are two basic types of dominoes: scoring and block. Some tiles have pips on one side and blank spots on the other. When playing with scoring dominoes, your objective is to collect as many spots as possible in one game. If you succeed in doing so, you win the game. The rules for block dominoes are similar to those for scoring dominoes. You must be careful not to overplay the tiles because this may result in a losing round.

Variations

There are many variations of the popular game of domino, each with its own unique rules and variations. The standard game starts with one tile on the playing area and players play their tiles in an order to make a line of seven tiles. Some variations, including five-up, use multi-colored tiles and include a spinner tile. Crazy domino, however, uses a single-colored tile and allows players to make branches with different colors. The game is won by the player with the highest score.

Pieces used

A domino set typically consists of 28 pieces and is divided into squares with numbers on one face. Some dominoes have a line, ridge, or square end. Some sets feature contrasting colors on each face, such as black or white. The pieces are also referred to as suits or decks. Usually, domino sets include one-third of the same kind of pieces in all suits. Some sets are made of ivory, marble, or granite.

Variations of the game

Almost all variations of domino involve different rules for the line of play. Most games begin with a single tile, but sometimes players can choose to force doubles to be played on the side of the line. In such cases, they may not form a line of play, and instead must be stringed together. Other variations allow players to block the line of play in one direction. Here are a few examples. Listed below are the rules for some common variations.