Domino is a game in which players place domino tiles, side by side, edge to edge. When a tile is matched with another tile by its exposed ends, the resulting total number of dots (known as the total value) forms a score. The game can be played with a set of 28 or more tiles. Players draw from a stock, called a boneyard, and each player draws seven tiles at the start of the hand. The player with the highest double leads, and other players take turns attempting to play their best tiles before the leading player has to lay one.
The game is a useful tool for teaching the concept of commutative addition. The fact that the total number of dots on a domino doesn’t change no matter which way the domino is oriented helps students make the transition from using moveable manipulatives to adding with only written symbols on a page. The game can also be used to reinforce the arithmetic rule of multiplication.
When playing Domino, you’ll want to set up the tiles on a hard surface, such as a table or floor. The tiles should be placed on their edges with the ends touching each other so that you can see how many pips are on each end of each domino. If you’re playing with more than two people, a larger domino set may be needed.
If you’re new to the game, the first thing you should learn is that you can only lay down one domino at a time. Each player takes his or her turn in a clockwise fashion, and if a player has a playable domino, that player must lay it down when the next player’s turn comes. Attempting to hold back a domino for strategic reasons is not allowed, because doing so would delay the completion of the game.
In some scoring games, a player accrues points by completing certain configurations or moves or by emptying his or her hand. These scoring games are more complex and require more planning. The goal is to build a domino chain that will reach your opponent’s “knob” (called a trumbone). You must have a good understanding of the rules and strategies of each game you play in order to win.