Dominoes << DOM uh nohz >> are small, flat, oblong tiles used to play a variety of games. Dominoes were probably invented in China, then introduced in Europe in the 1700’s. Most sets of dominoes are made of bone, ivory, plastic, or wood. A regular set consists of 28 dominoes. A line divides each domino into two sections. Each section of 21 of the dominoes is marked with from one to six dots. Both sections of another domino are blank, and the six remaining dominoes have one blank section and one section with dots. Every possible combination of dots appears in a domino set, and no two dominoes are alike.
The most common domino game is called “Draw Dominoes.” In this game, the players first place all the pieces facedown and mix them well. Then each player chooses a certain number of dominoes, usually seven if there are two players, or five if there are three or four players. The player with the highest double domino (piece with matching sections of dots) usually plays first. Suppose it is the 4-4. The player at the left plays next by matching any domino with four dots in one section to the 4-4 domino. For example, the matching domino may be the 4-6. The following player may then match a section with six dots to the 4-6 domino, or a section with four dots to the 4-4. Single dominoes (pieces with different sections of dots) are placed end to end. Double dominoes are placed at right angles to the line of pieces. Plays can be made on either end of a single domino. Plays can be made on both sides of a double, but not on the ends.
If the players cannot match from the dominoes they have chosen, they draw from the boneyard (pile of unused tiles) until they find one that will match. After the boneyard is reduced to two dominoes—or in some games, is used up—players who cannot match must miss a turn, or pass.
The game ends when one player runs out of dominoes or when no player can match any of the remaining dominoes with those he or she still holds. A player who goes out scores points equal to the number of dots on the other players’ pieces. If no one goes out, the player with the fewest dots on his or her unplayed dominoes scores the difference between this number and the total number on the opponents’ unplayed dominoes. In most games, the first player to reach 100 points wins.
