Domino is a game that involves placing dominoes end to end in long lines. When a domino is tipped over, it triggers the other dominoes in its line to tip over as well, and so on. This can create very elaborate designs that are fun to watch. It is also a popular game for children. Stacking dominoes in this way is what led to the phrase “domino effect,” which refers to a chain reaction that starts with one small action and eventually leads to larger–and sometimes disastrous–consequences.
There are many different types of domino games, and most fall into one of two categories: blocking games and scoring games. In blocking games, players try to prevent their opponents from playing a domino with the number showing on its face. In scoring games, players win by completing chains of dominoes with certain numbers showing on their ends. These chains can be scored by counting all the dominoes in a particular suit, or by adding or subtracting the numbers shown on each end of the chain.
In addition to blocking and scoring games, there are also positional games where a player places a domino edge to edge against another in order to form some specified total. This type of game was popular in Britain in the late 18th Century, where it may have arrived via France (or perhaps French prisoners). The word domino is thought to have originated in France, where it originally denoted a black and white hood worn by priests over their surplices.
The most common domino sets sold today are double six or double nine with 28 tiles and 55 tiles respectively. Larger sets exist and are often used for games that involve multiple players or for people who want to play dominoes longer than usual. Occasionally, larger sets are used to make domino art. This type of art can be simple, with straight lines or a grid that forms pictures when the dominoes fall. Other artists can create very intricate, multi-layered structures that look like 3D pyramids or towers.
Regardless of what kind of domino set is used, there are some rules that must be followed to ensure that the game is fair and enjoyable for all players. For example, a domino is considered a valid tile only if it has the same number of pips on each half of its face. This means that a domino with three pips on one half and five pips on the other is considered to belong to the 3 suit, while a domino with seven pips on both faces is part of the 5 suit.
A player must also make sure that his or her tiles are positioned on the table correctly. If a player plays a domino with the number showing on only one end of the domino, this is called playing it “incorrectly.” This results in a penalty, or “knock,” and the next player must play a correct tile.