Known as dominos or cards, these rectangular blocks are used in a wide range of games. They were first played in Italy and France in the 18th century. In fact, the name domino was first used in the French Dictionnaire de Trevoux in 1771. The word was then borrowed into English as the French word for a masquerade mask.
Dominoes are also used in a number of traditional Chinese games. These include Tien Gow, Che Deng, and Pai Gow. Unlike other dominoes, Chinese dominoes are not marked by pips. Instead, they are marked by a line down the middle, which separates the ends into two squares. These are used to play a variety of games, including layout, block-and-draw, and trick-taking.
When playing a game of dominoes, players draw seven tiles from stock. They then play them into a trick, which counts as one point. The player who has the fewest pips in their hand wins the game.
In the United States, dominoes are also used in a game called boneyard. The pieces left behind are called stock. Players can also create their own course. However, most games involve using traditional dominoes.
The most popular domino games are those that involve scoring. A player scores a point if they have any domino that is a multiple of five, a total of pips, or if their opponent has a domino with the same number. These scores accumulate to a total score, which is often kept on a cribbage board.
Other games use dominoes as a substitute for a card. A common variant is 5s-and-3s, where a player scores a point if they can divide five or three tiles into two. This game can be played with two to four players.
Traditionally, European dominoes are made from bone, ivory, and dark hardwood. They lack Chinese suit distinctions. Some of the larger sets use Arabic numerals instead of pips.
In Texas, dominoes are usually used in a game called 42. This game has four players paired into teams. Each player draws a different number of pieces from the stock, and they play them into a trick. They then draw seven more pieces from the stock. This allows each player to create a unique course.
Another domino game is called Concentration. It is played with a double-six set. Each player draws a different number of tiles from the stock. They then play them into a “five count.” A total of five count and seven tricks equals 42 points. This game is similar to the card game spades.
Some people have a different interpretation of the game. For example, a person who plays a 5s-and-3s game in England may draw four tiles and then try to divide each tile into two. Similarly, a person who plays a game of cribbage may draw six tiles and then try to divide them into two. In either case, the person with the fewest pips wins the game.
Dominoes can also be stacked on end in a long line. When the first domino in a line falls, the next domino falls, and so on, until all the dominoes have fallen.