Basic rules
Whether you are learning to play this ancient game for the first time or looking to improve your skills, the basic rules of domino are pretty straightforward. The objective of domino is to build a line of matching tiles that is long enough to make a circle, with a maximum of seven tiles. The game’s basic rules apply to both games, and players take turns drawing seven tiles from a stock. Doubles, or pairs of two tiles, are placed crossways across the end of the chain, so that any tile played to them must be perpendicular to the double at the middle. This produces a snake-line shape.
The basic rules of domino involve two players and a game board with 140 square tiles. There are two basic types of scoring in this game, depending on your skill. Scoring in a single game depends on completing a line of three tiles from your own hand, or completing a circle with your opponent’s tiles. You can set the scoring rules of your domino game to be higher or lower throughout a game session.
Variations
The classic game of dominoes can be played with a number of different variations. Traditionally, two players hold seven tiles each. If a player places one of his or her tiles on an opponent’s tile, they score points on that tile. In five-up variants, players use a spinner tile in addition to multi-colored tiles. The craziest variation is Crazy domino, which uses a single colored tile to make different-colored branches. The player with the highest score wins the game.
The scoring system for domino games varies by version. Some games are based on blocking and scoring, while others are based on concentration. In Bergen, players need to arrange their tiles in an open end configuration, while Muggins requires a multi-pip configuration. Some games also involve doubles to act as “spinners”, allowing players to play in multiple directions. Some of these games also require players to pick seven dominoes at a time.
Materials
While there are no specific rules governing the materials used in domino manufacturing, the history of the game has revealed the use of various materials. From bone and ivory to robust plastics, dominoes have evolved over the years to include a wide variety of materials. Learn more about these materials and their uses in domino manufacturing. The following list provides a brief overview of the history of the game. The materials used in domino manufacturing span the 20th century, from the earliest known examples to modern-day alternatives.
Traditional dominoes were made of bone, ivory, or ebony. But in the early 19th century, dominoes were made from rosewood and black or white pips. Modern dominoes are made of plastic, stone, and metal, but there are many other materials, including Tagua nut, which grows on six species of palms. Tagua nut is almost as durable as ivory and is widely used for giant yard dominoes.