Did you know that dominoes are a family of tile-based games? These rectangular tiles each have two square ends, each marked with a number of spots. The object of the game is to place the tiles in descending order, completing sets. The first player to do so wins. You then take turns moving the pieces around to build your set. You may also want to learn about the rules of dominoes and the variations you can play.

Origin

The origin of domino is disputed, but the word is most likely derived from the Latin dominus. It then went through a variety of spellings, including French, English, and Scottish. The word domino first referred to a monastic hood, but later became a term for a mask or masquerade costume. The term came to be used in the United States and Europe. While the exact origins of the game are not entirely known, it is believed to have originated in the Chinese Empire in the 12th century.

Rules

The Rules of Domino are relatively simple. You start with an equal number of domino tiles, and take turns extending the playing area with tiles. The objective of the game is to build cells, or blocks, with dominos that match numbers on opposite ends of the playing board. If you play a tile wrong, the player who misplayed it will score the difference between the two tiles. In the same way, if you play a tile backward, you will lose all your tiles.

Variations

The main objective of variations of domino is to accumulate as many tiles as possible and form a single empty hand. Lines of play differ in different versions, but the basic objective remains the same: to collect as many tiles as possible, the player must collect as many tiles as possible before reaching the empty hand. Doubles are sometimes used as spinners, allowing them to block the line of play in one direction or the other.

Sets

A set is a set of dominoes with identical shapes. Generally, sets of dominoes are also known as tableaus. Depending on the number of pieces in the tableau, a set may contain two or more dominoes. The dominoes must be in the same shape and have the same size. A set of dominoes that contain two identical pieces is called a segregated tableau.

Pip dominoes

The term “Pip” was originally used to refer to a character in the novel “Great Expectations.” It is also used to refer to a dot or mark on a playing card, such as the four of spades. The word “pip” has a number of other uses outside of dominoes, including the name of a small hard seed from some fruits. Whether or not you decide to use “Pip” for dominoes, it is best to familiarize yourself with its history and how the game evolved.