How to Play Dominoes
Dominoes are small rectangular blocks or stones that are used in playing games. They are usually about twice as long as they are wide. There are different sizes of dominoes, depending on the game you play. For example, a double-18 set has 190 tiles and a double-12 set has 91 tiles. These are the most common types of domino sets. You can also get a larger or smaller set, depending on how many players you’re going to play with.
Before the game begins, the players must agree on the score they are going to try to achieve. The winning player is the one who gets the most pips on his or her tiles. However, you can also win by chipping out. This means that you take out one of the other player’s pieces. Depending on the rules, you can chip out the entire hand or you can only chip out one piece.
The game of Dominoes grew from its European origin. It was first introduced in France in the mid-18th century. By the 1860s, the game appeared in American literature. French prisoners of war may have brought the game to England. In the later part of the 18th century, the game arrived in Britain.
Traditionally, European-style dominoes were made of dark hardwoods, such as ebony, ivory, and bone. Spinners were attached to the face of the dominos, which made it easier to rotate the pieces in place.
Most of the games of Domino are adaptations of card games. Unlike playing cards, which only have two suits, there are several sets of dominoes. Each set has a different number of pips. Some domino sets are blank, but others have a set of sixes or nines. Other sets have Arabic numerals instead of pips.
When a domino is played, the player is supposed to place it in such a way that it touches one of the two ends of the chain. The domino chain is divided into two squares, called ends. Normally, the end of the chain is the only side that is open for play. If the player is not able to place his or her dominoes in an appropriate position, they may rap the table or knock on it.
Players take turns adding and removing dominoes to the platform. Sometimes, the player can add or remove tiles from any part of the layout, while in other versions, he or she must be able to match the end of the domino to part of the first tile.
If a player has a domino with the same number on both ends, they are said to have “stitched up” the ends. If there are no pips on the other side of the domino, the player must take a different tile from the unused tiles in the set.
Alternatively, a domino can be placed in an arbitrary direction. Typically, the second player will place a tile perpendicular to the first. Another player must then place a tile that is perpendicular to the end of the domino that is touched by the first player.
