Domino is a popular board game that involves balancing the numbers on top of each other. Players begin with a platform of three or four dominoes, and take turns placing dominoes on top of it. The goal is to create a tower that will be as stable as possible, but still precarious enough to fall. If the tower falls, the game ends, and lots of shouting and giggling ensues.
The game came from the Middle Ages in France, and is said to have been brought by French prisoners of war. The French name domino derives from the word for “hood worn by Christian priests during the winter.” The game is also found in Latin America, but it is not exclusively a European game. There is evidence of the game being played by the Inuit, who play a version with bones that resembles the Western Dominoes.
After the game ends, each player turns up the unplayed dominoes in their hand, and counts how many dots are left on each one. The player with the lowest number of dots wins a hand, and receives a score equal to the total number of dots in their opponents’ hands. Generally, the winning player gets the most points.
There are four types of dominoes. The first type, known as combination domino, is named for its combination of numbers on one side. The second type, called a 3-5 domino, has three pips on one side and five on the other. Then there is the double-six, which has the same value on both sides.
There are a variety of versions of the game, and some have a complicated history. Some are based on Chinese influences, while others have European roots. The original Chinese version did not develop into the modern game. Some sources suggest that the game was brought to Europe by Italian missionaries. However, this is not proven.
Double-six domino sets have twenty-eight tiles, while the double-nine set is 55 tiles. Larger sets are popular for games that have several players. Different variations of the game are played using different sizes of the sets. In general, though, the most popular type of domino games are block and layout games.
A domino game is a fun game for both adults and children. The first step in playing domino is to choose your dominoes. When you are ready to play, place them on the table in the order of play. The game moves clockwise around the table. When the player’s turn comes, they must play all their dominoes. If they do not play all of their dominos, they will lose their hand.