Domino is a game that is played by two or more people. It begins with one player placing a domino face-up on a flat surface such as a table or floorboard.
The succeeding players must match the ends of their dominoes to parts of the first tile. If a double is placed, both sides are counted.
Rules
Dominoes are a set of small rectangular tiles that are marked with a pattern of dots or pips on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. They are placed on a domino board and, depending on the rules of the game being played, may be positioned horizontally or vertically. Each tile has matching ends and when a domino is played, it is positioned so that the matching ends are touching. The resulting chain of dominoes can grow in length or, as in the case of doubles, develop into a snake-like shape.
The first player (determined either by lot or by the player who holds the heaviest domino) places his or her domino onto the table. The other players then play tiles to the left or right of that domino. When the domino chain has reached a point where it can no longer be extended, the players must draw from the boneyard and the player with the lowest total domino value wins.
Materials
The most common domino materials used in modern mass production are plastics, metals, and wood. However, a variety of other materials can also be used in the construction of individual domino tiles and sets.
Dominoes (also called bones, cards, men, or pieces) are small rectangular blocks of rigid material that feature a line down the middle and each end bearing a number of dots resembling those on dice. There are usually 28 unique dominoes in a complete set.
In the 19th century, a new material called Bakelite was developed. It was a more stable and affordable alternative to tinplate and basic aluminum. Then, in the 20th century, a plastic made from petroleum was introduced and this eventually replaced Bakelite as the dominant material for making domino racks and tiles.
Traditionally, dominoes were made from natural materials such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), or ivory. Today, more sophisticated sets are crafted from exotic woods such as ebony and are available in many different color tones.
Variations
Many different games are played with dominoes. Each has slightly different rules, but most have the same general structure. Each domino is twice as long as it is wide, and each side has a number of dots (also called pips) from six to zero or blank. This value determines the value of a domino, and a domino with more pips is “heavier” than a lighter one.
Each player draws a hand of seven dominoes from a stock, also known as a boneyard, and begins play. The player drawing the highest double goes first. If no double is drawn, the player holding the heaviest single starts.
The line of play is a chain of dominoes that runs lengthwise down the table. Some games have rules for the shape of this line. For example, in Chicken Foot, all sides of a double must be occupied to prevent it from blocking the line. In other games, like Bendomino, the doubles serve as spinners and cause the line of play to branch.
Scoring
There are many ways to determine the winner of a domino game. You can draw lots or begin the game with the heaviest domino. You can also play in a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation. If you’re playing a blocking game, you can score low by making sure that your opponent can’t empty their hand.
Another scoring method is to count the pips on exposed ends of the dominoes in your line of play. If the pips on the two exposed ends of the first double, referred to as the spinner, total any multiple of five the player earns that number of points.
A Domino database tracks scores in a variety of games. A typical model includes a table with columns for game_id, player_id and round_id. This table is populated with data after each move. The data in this table can be sorted and filtered to find specific information about moves and player scores. It can also be analyzed to find trends in player behavior.