How to Play Dominoes
Dominoes are double-sided squares with dots or pips on one side and a blank or solid surface on the other. They can be stacked in a line and knocked over to form a chain, a pattern, or an intricate design. They are used to play a variety of games, both board and tabletop. The word domino comes from a Latin word meaning “heavy.” Some of the larger sets include additional, progressively larger numbers of pips on each end. This allows for the possibility of more and more combinations, or “ends.”
Some domino games are played with two or more players. The rules for these games differ, but many of them require the players to draw a domino from the stock. The player who draws the heaviest tile makes the first play. This domino may be a double or a single, and it is referred to as the lead. The player who plays the first tile is said to make a “set.” A play made after the set but before the lead is called a “down.” A double played as the lead or as the only domino in a hand is called a spinner.
The value of a domino is determined by its number of pips, which are sometimes called points or spots. Each domino has one or more of these, ranging from six pips down to none or blank. The higher the number of pips, the more valuable the domino is. Each domino also has a color, which is used to identify the type of game being played.
When a domino falls, much of its potential energy transforms to kinetic energy and is transferred to the next domino. This energy pushes the next domino over, and so on. This process continues, with each domino transferring energy to the one after it until the entire line is complete.
Lily Hevesh started playing with dominoes when she was 9 years old. Her grandparents had a classic 28-pack, and she loved setting them up in a straight or curved line and flicking the first one to watch it fall. Now, at 20, she’s a professional domino artist with more than 2 million YouTube subscribers who admire her mind-blowing creations. Hevesh follows a version of the engineering-design process to create her stunning installations.
There are hundreds of different games that can be played with dominoes, but most of them fit into four categories: bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, and round games. Most of these games are played with a fixed number of tiles, which is usually defined as either 55 or 91. Larger sets have more pips on each end, and are called extended dominoes. They can be combined in multiple ways to produce more than 91 unique combinations of ends and pieces. This allows them to be played with more than four people.
Dominoes are double-sided squares with dots or pips on one side and a blank or solid surface on the other. They can be stacked in a line and knocked over to form a chain, a pattern, or an intricate design. They are used to play a variety of games, both board and tabletop. The word domino comes from a Latin word meaning “heavy.” Some of the larger sets include additional, progressively larger numbers of pips on each end. This allows for the possibility of more and more combinations, or “ends.” Some domino games are played with two or more players. The rules for these games differ, but many of them require the players to draw a domino from the stock. The player who draws the heaviest tile makes the first play. This domino may be a double or a single, and it is referred to as the lead. The player who plays the first tile is said to make a “set.” A play made after the set but before the lead is called a “down.” A double played as the lead or as the only domino in a hand is called a spinner. The value of a domino is determined by its number of pips, which are sometimes called points or spots. Each domino has one or more of these, ranging from six pips down to none or blank. The higher the number of pips, the more valuable the domino is. Each domino also has a color, which is used to identify the type of game being played. When a domino falls, much of its potential energy transforms to kinetic energy and is transferred to the next domino. This energy pushes the next domino over, and so on. This process continues, with each domino transferring energy to the one after it until the entire line is complete. Lily Hevesh started playing with dominoes when she was 9 years old. Her grandparents had a classic 28-pack, and she loved setting them up in a straight or curved line and flicking the first one to watch it fall. Now, at 20, she’s a professional domino artist with more than 2 million YouTube subscribers who admire her mind-blowing creations. Hevesh follows a version of the engineering-design process to create her stunning installations. There are hundreds of different games that can be played with dominoes, but most of them fit into four categories: bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, and round games. Most of these games are played with a fixed number of tiles, which is usually defined as either 55 or 91. Larger sets have more pips on each end, and are called extended dominoes. They can be combined in multiple ways to produce more than 91 unique combinations of ends and pieces. This allows them to be played with more than four people.