Domino is a game played by two or more people, in which each player lays down a domino edge to edge against another, so that the adjacent sides are identical or form some specified total. The first person to do this wins the hand. There are many different games that can be played using domino, some of which involve a large number of tiles and may require much strategy. Some of the games also have a great deal of luck involved, and others can be very fast-paced and exciting to play.
Dominoes are small rectangular tiles, usually twice as long as they are wide. They have an identity-bearing side with a pattern of dots, called pips, and an opposite blank or “no pips” side. Each domino is valued by the number of pips on its identity-bearing side, which is often referred to as its rank or weight. A higher rank is usually accompanied by a larger number of pips, but a domino with fewer pips may also have high value.
The basic rules of most domino games involve forming a line of tiles as players make their plays, called the line of play. The first domino placed in the line is known as the set, down, or lead. If a player has a double domino and the next player has no double, the player with the higher rank may begin the line of play. This rule applies to most games that involve more than one player, but not all of them.
Some domino games require players to draw from a boneyard, or pool of available dominoes, before playing their first tile. The person who draws the highest ranking domino, usually based on the number of dots or pips, opens the game and begins play. In some cases, a player may choose to draw additional tiles from the boneyard before beginning his turn.
Depending on the rules of a particular game, the winner may earn points by adding up the total number of dots left in his opponents’ hands at the end of a hand or the game. Some scoring methods involve counting the number of dots on each double (called a spinner) as it is played, and others simply count all the pips remaining in the losing player’s hand.
Dominoes can be used to create artistic designs, such as curved lines or grids that form pictures when they fall, and even 3D structures like towers and pyramids. Creating domino art can be a fun way to spend an afternoon or a day with family and friends. The art pieces can be simple, such as a straight line with a first and last domino, or more complex, such as a map of the world or a city. Many of these can be framed and hung to make beautiful wall art. Creating and enjoying domino art can be a rewarding experience for anyone who loves the game of domino.