Domino is a game of skill where each player is trying to win a predetermined number of points. It can be played with one, three, or five opponents. The winner is the partner with the fewest spots on their dominoes.
Players take turns picking and laying dominoes from a stock of tile. The first player lays their tile face up in the center of the table. Another player then takes a turn placing their tile in a line. They move their tile randomly, or in an order, and the other players see their own tiles and can see which tiles are in their hand.
In some variants, the player who places the first tile must match one end of the domino to one part of the first tile. In others, the player can place the tile anywhere on the line. However, in all versions of the game, there are a certain number of rules that must be followed in order for the tiles to be played.
Typically, the tiles are laid perpendicular to the line, unless they are played to a double. If a player is playing to a double, they must place the tile perpendicular to the other double’s touch at the middle.
If a player is unable to play any of the tiles in their hand, they may draw from unused tiles. This is called “smacking down the bone” in domino aficionados’ jargon.
There are many variations of the game, and most games are adaptations of card games. Some of these include the Concentration variation, which requires a total of twelve pips, or 35 points, for a winning score. Other variations involve adding tiles to a line or forming a “L” by placing tiles at right angles.
Most of the domino games in common use are based on the western version of the game. This variant is played with a double-six set of tiles. Each tile has a number of pips, which count toward the total in a player’s hand.
For example, if the first tile is a six, the second tile will be a 6-4. Similarly, if the first tile is a 4-6, the third tile will be a 5-5. Any tile with five or more pips counts toward the total in a player’s hands.
In addition, a player can count pips on both ends of a double. These counted pips are sometimes referred to as weight. A player may also score if a tile has a double-blank, which may be numbered either as a 0 or 14.
In the most basic of all variants, the Block game, players are paired in teams of two. Two players take turns drawing from a double-six set and adding tiles to the board. Once a set of five or seven tiles has been drawn, each of the other players must shuffle their own set, or leave the same number of pips in their hands.
Depending on the type of domino set, the pips can be counted as a single or double. In most domino games, a double-six count is the first tile to be placed on the table.