Domino, also known as dominoes, is a game with a long history. It arrived in Britain during the late 18th Century, probably via France (it seems that French prisoners of war brought the game with them) and became very popular in inns and taverns. It has since spread throughout the world. It is a very versatile game that can be played by two to twenty-two players in rounds. It is a great social game for groups of people and it can even be used as a teaching tool for maths.
The most common set for commercial sale is the double-six set, which contains 28 tiles with a combination of dots from 0 to 6 (also called pips). This is the set that is usually used in most domino games. Larger sets exist, containing up to 55 dominoes. These are often used for games that require longer domino lines or for multiple players.
Most domino games are ‘blocking’ games where one player tries to empty his or her hand before the opponent can do so. A score is determined by counting the total number of pips in each losing player’s hand. Some games are played with teams; in these, the score is calculated as the sum of the scores for all team members.
Each domino has a front with identifying marks and a back that is blank or identically patterned. The front face of the tile is divided into two square halves, and each half is marked with an arrangement of dots, or pips, like those on a die. Some of the squares are filled with pips, while others are blank.
In order to play a domino, the player must have a matching pair of dominoes. This pair is then placed next to each other on the table, with the matching side facing up. The dominoes may be stacked, touching but not overlapping, in lines or columns. The dominoes must be arranged in such a way that when the first domino is laid down, it will create a line that will then continue to grow in length until it reaches the end of the row or column.
When the first domino is laid down, much of its potential energy turns to kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion. Some of this kinetic energy is transferred to the second domino, giving it enough of a push to knock over that domino as well. This process continues, domino by domino, until the last domino falls. This is a very simple explanation of the mechanics of how a domino works, and it is not always completely accurate or precise. The actual dynamics of a domino’s movements can be quite complex. Nevertheless, the fundamental principles of motion are generally understood and applied in most domino games. It is this that allows for the wide variety of games that can be played. In addition to the blocking and scoring games, other kinds of domino are also played, including solitaire and trick-taking types. Most of these are adaptations of card games, which were once very popular in certain places to circumvent religious proscriptions against playing cards.