A Beginner’s Guide to Dominoes
Whether you are an expert in domino or a beginner just getting started, the game can be enjoyable for everyone. There are several games to choose from, each with a different purpose and strategy. Some are designed to be a quick, simple game of chance while others require strategic thinking and planning ahead. There are also many forms of domino art, including curved lines that look like art when they fall, grids that create pictures, and 3D structures such as towers and pyramids.
Each domino, sometimes called a bone, card, men, or pieces, is a rectangular block of wood, plastic, or other rigid material. The identifying face of each domino is marked with an arrangement of dots, similar to those on a die, while the other face is blank or identically patterned. Dominoes are normally twice as long as they are wide, making them easy to stack one on top of the other.
In most domino games, a player places a domino edge to edge against another in such a way that the adjacent faces form either a match (e.g., 5 to 5) or some other specified total. The matching ends of the two dominoes are often called pips, although in some games they may be called points or something else. When a tile cannot be played, it is tapped or “knocked” and play passes to the next player.
Most games of domino fit into one of four categories: bidding, blocking, scoring, or round games. Each of these games has its own unique rules, but all depend on the underlying principles of probability and strategy.
The game begins when a player draws a domino from the stock, or set of unused tiles. The player who draws the heaviest domino makes the first play. If there is a tie, it is broken by drawing new tiles from the stock. Depending on the game, some rules state that the first play must be made by the player who has a double or a higher number of pips in his hand.
As more tiles are added to the line of play, a shape develops that can be called the Domino’s Snake Line. The line of play can run lengthwise, with the dominoes stacked end to end; across the line, with the dominoes placed side to side; or diagonally from one side of the table to the other, with the dominoes placed in a “V” shape with the open sides touching.
As the Domino’s Snake Line develops, it may be possible to form a “chain” of dominoes that runs all the way around the entire table. This may be an important goal of the game, or it may not be. Either way, the process of seeing a long chain of dominoes collapse on its own provides a satisfying experience for players. Many videos have been posted on the Internet of such chains, with some of them showing hundreds or even thousands of dominoes.