Dominoes
Dominion is a game that is played by placing tiles onto a flat surface. The tiles are usually rectangular and are about twice the size of each other. They have identifying marks on one side. These markings are referred to as spots.
The domino’s name is derived from a French word, dominus, which means hood or mask. Originally, the domino referred to a long-hooded cloak that Christian priests used in winter. Later, it became associated with a masquerade costume. Eventually, it was also associated with playing cards. However, its origin is somewhat unclear.
Dominoes are small, rectangular pieces made of ivory or bone. Traditionally, they are manufactured in dark hardwood, such as ebony. Some are blank, and others are marked with a particular pattern.
The first domino is often a double-six, which has two sets of pips on either half of its face. In this case, a player must place a tile so that it touches one end of a chain of dominoes. As the number of pips increases, identifying a domino becomes harder.
Each of the nine different dominos in a set has a different number of pips. For instance, a 3-5 domino has five pips on the right and three pips on the left. A double-18 domino is 190 tiles. This set is a little too large for most domino games.
There are many variations of the game, but most of them are based on the idea of using a set of tiles. A player can take turns randomly adding tiles to a platform. Before the game begins, the players must agree on a target score. If a player reaches this target, he or she is the winner.
Unlike other games, dominoes can be played against just one opponent, or against a group of people. The game can be played against a computer, too. Typically, the aim is to create a tower that is stable enough to fall to the next player. After this, the game ends.
In some games, the goal is to make the tower so unstable that it falls down for the next player. Often, the player who lays the first tile in the chain is known as the spinner. Other versions allow the doubles to be placed cross-ways, which is the same as laying them perpendicular to the line. Those who play the doubles with the same number on each side are known as stitched-up.
If the first player knocks out a tile, the second must then match that tile with one of the ends of the domino chain. Once the player has made this match, he or she must then place a new tile in the same direction as the original. Usually, the third tile is placed vertically.
After the second player has finished, the player who shuffled the pieces draws a hand. He or she then draws one domino to determine who plays first.
A domino’s name is derived from its hood, a black-and-white cape worn by Christian priests. It is possible that the game was originally played in northern France, where the hoods were worn. By the late 18th century, dominoes were being produced in France. During this period, dominoes were also being imported from Italy and England.
