Domino is a set of small rectangular tiles arranged in a specific way and used to play various games. They are usually twice as long as wide. The most common game is played with a double-six set, although there are several other sets available.
In the most basic of games, two players take turns adding dominoes to a platform. When one player has reached his or her target score, the play stops. Players must agree on a target before the game begins. If a player is out of dominoes, he or she draws from the remaining tiles.
There are four common sets of dominoes: double-six, double-twelve, double-nine, and double-15. Double-six has a total of 55 tiles, while double-twelve has 91, and double-15 has 136. Often, a larger set is chosen because it allows for more players.
The first player selects a tile, and places it face up in the middle of the table. The second player matches the number of pips on the first domino. After the first player has completed his or her turn, the other players draw a single tile. Depending on the rules of the game, the other players then either add the tile to an existing line or knock the other player’s tile.
The next player then draws a tile and places it to match one of the pips on the first domino. If a double has been laid, the player must place the second tile perpendicular to the end of the double. The third tile is vertically placed.
The fourth tile is a double with open ends of 4 and 5. If the first player played a domino with the same number on both sides, the next player must play another domino with the same number at each end.
In most domino games, the players are unable to see the value of the other players’ tiles. However, some versions of the game require that both partners chip out. Other games allow a player to place a tile against the long side of a double.
The double-six is the “heaviest” of the dominos. If the first player draws a domino with the same number on each end, he or she is said to have “stitched up” the ends. Another variant, called concentration, is based on the number of pips. It is a specialized form of the basic game and requires a total of 12 pips.
A popular version of the game is the Inuit game. In this version, the player must move the tile to a point where the other player cannot hit it with his or her card. Some Inuits even play the game with bones.
Whether the domino was an invention or a copy of another card game, it came to Europe in the mid-18th century. French prisoners of war brought the game to Britain. In the 1860s, dominoes were also widely published in American literature.
During the 18th and early 19th centuries, there was some debate over whether or not the domino came from China or was an independent invention. Regardless of where it originated, the tiles have been found in Europe, the United States, and Latin America.