History of Dominoes
Domino is a popular game played with 28 pieces (or dominoes) that are similar to playing cards. The pieces are shaped like rectangles and come in various colors, shapes, and sizes.
In addition to being a fun game, dominoes have an interesting history. In China, they are known as pupai, and the word can also be translated as “game.” It is unknown when dominoes were first played in Europe, but they likely arose in the 18th century and rapidly spread in France.
The earliest recorded use of the word domino is 1771, in the Dictionnaire de Trevoux, where it is defined as the “long hooded cloak” of a priest worn at masquerades. There is no evidence that this origin was originally referred to the game of domino, however, and it may be that the name is a derivative of the hooded cloak or mask, rather than from a specific meaning for the playing piece.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “domino” is derived from the Italian term domicilia, which means “hooded.” This could have been a reference to the long hooded cloaks that were common in Italy at the time or to the hooded hoods of priests wearing them during a masquerade.
It is possible that the game of domino originated in China and migrated to the West, but a more likely explanation is that it was a European import of Chinese dominoes. European dominoes, while still patterned with identifying marks, do not have the military-civilian suit distinctions or duplicates that are found in traditional Chinese dominoes.
To play dominoes, two players start by shuffled a set of 28 tiles and form the stock or boneyard. The first player draws seven dominoes from the stock, and the second player must then choose one of their dominoes that has a value that matches the first domino. If the second player does not have any dominoes that match the first domino, they must draw from the boneyard until they do.
The first player then plays their domino, and the second must then play another of their dominoes that has pips or values that match the first domino. The pattern continues until either the first or the second player has all of their dominoes that have pips or values that match the previous domino.
In this way, dominoes are a great example of a recursive process. The first domino creates a second, which leads to a third, and so on until the end of the set.
This is a good example of how the chain reaction of changes can lead to an overall positive effect. For example, if you cut back on sedentary activities and exercise more, your health habits will improve as a result.
You can even change your eating habits and lose weight just by cutting out a few foods and adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet. The result will be that you’ll feel better and be able to focus more on other things, such as work and social activities.
