Dominoes are a set of small square or rectangular blocks, marked with a number or arrangement of spots. The pieces are typically made of dark hardwood, such as ebony, and the faces are usually ivory. They are used for a variety of games. These include matador, Mexican train, and trick-taking domino games.
Dominoes are one of the oldest tools for game play. Some versions of the game do not require matching tiles. In addition, they can be stacked on end in long lines.
Before the game begins, players agree on a target score. If a player misses his or her goal, he or she must chip out. Once the player has chipped out, the next player must match one of the two ends of the domino to a part of the first tile. When the second player cannot do this, the first player must pick a sleeping domino. Eventually, the sleeping domino runs out, and the first player has to choose a new one.
The first player begins by placing his or her chosen tile in the middle of the table. Then, the second player places the same tile on the other side. This creates a domino chain. Each side of the domino has an arrangement of pips, and each number of pips represents a certain amount of spots.
Depending on the type of domino, the numbers on either side are different. Typically, the lower numbers are listed first. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For instance, Chinese dominos do not require matching tiles.
European style dominoes are traditionally made of dark hardwood, such as ebony, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell, and mother of pearl. Unlike the Chinese dominoes, these pieces have identifying marks on each side. The markings represent the results of throwing two dice.
The standard European-style dominoes have 55 tiles, but some versions can have a total of 91 or 190. The heaviest value of these is double-six. A double-six is considered the heaviest value of any domino. Other versions of the game have a single-six, which is the lightest value.
Two types of dominoes are commonly played: Chinese and Western. The European-style dominoes are more commonly used for positional games. Because of the way the dominoes are designed, they can be used to play tricks. Players can also use the tile to make a line. To do this, the player must place the domino on the table so that it touches one of the end of the chain. It can be placed in any direction, though it must touch one of the ends.
Generally, the heaviest tile is the double-six. Doubles are also laid perpendicular to the line. If you want to count a double, you must count the number of pips on both sides of the tile.
The most common variation is that of six pips. However, doubles are also numbered as one or two. Counting the pips on both ends of a double determines its weight.