Regardless of the style, a domino is a tile-based game that consists of a set of rectangular tiles, each with two square ends marked with a number of spots. A domino is played by sliding tiles along a board or table to form sets of four, five, six or seven tiles. The player who completes all sets wins the game.
European-style dominoes
Traditionally made of ivory or bone, European-style dominoes are a family favorite. They are also available in darker hardwoods and marble.
These wooden pieces have pips on both sides, and each tile has a number of spots. The goal of the game is to score the most points in a short time. The first person to score a point is the winner.
The most basic domino variant is for two players. Each player is given seven dominoes. The first player to pick a domino begins the game. The other players take turns picking from a stock of dominoes. They must match the number on one end of the domino to the number on the other end. Then the player moves the domino to the other end to make it fall.
Chinese dominoes
Unlike the Western dominoes, Chinese dominoes are not played with a spinner. Instead, the tiles are laid out face down and then stacked on top of each other. This allows the tiles to be shuffled much better. However, Chinese dominoes have a different length and width than European sets.
Chinese dominoes are used in several tile-based games. These include Pai Gow, Tien Gow, and Che Deng. They are also used in Kap tai shap and Tiu u.
Chinese dominoes are considered to be the ancestor of Mah Jong. Although there is no direct historical connection between the two, some sources claim that Chinese dominoes were invented by Fan Lai. They are also said to have originated during the Yuan Dynasty. They were later discovered by European travelers during the Renaissance. They are still popular in Asian countries.
Variations
Originally a Chinese game, domino has made its way to North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia. Although the game’s origins are unclear, it has been credited to a brave soldier named Hung Ming. In the 12th century, he presented a game of domino to the Chinese emperor, Hui Tsung.
The basic game of domino involves two players. Each player takes seven tiles from a set of double-six dominoes. They then draw one tile at a time from the playing field. The goal is to play the tile on the table and make it touch an end of the domino chain.
There are many variants of the game. Some have multiple colors, while others involve scoring. Some are more popular than others.