Domino is a game of skill and strategy. It has become a popular family pastime, and it is often used as a teaching tool in schools. In addition to being an excellent way to exercise motor skills, domino provides opportunities for students to practice their arithmetic.
Unlike many other games, domino can be played with one or more players. The rules for each game vary, but most are simple to learn. Each player draws a certain number of tiles and then places them in front of him. Depending on the rules of the game, these tiles may be placed in a line to form a chain called the line of play. Usually, the first tile to be placed must match the pips on both ends of the domino that is already in place. This is known as the lead.
The remaining tiles are then placed in the stock. The number of pips left in the stock determines the winner’s score. Some games have a fixed score, while others give the winner the number of points earned by all players who have not yet reached a set point total.
While domino is a relatively new game, the word has been in use since at least 1750. It is a contraction of the earlier sense of the word, which meant a long hooded cloak worn with a mask at a carnival or at a masquerade.
When a domino falls, it triggers a cascade of actions. For example, a domino block in the middle of a pond may cause a ripple effect that disturbs the water’s surface and moves rocks or other objects downstream.
In fiction, the domino effect occurs when a single action leads to subsequent events that seem logical to the character involved in the story. When a character does something that is against what most readers would consider logical, the domino effect fails.
Dominoes are also used as instructional ot therapy tools in many educational settings. Children with autism, for example, enjoy playing dominoes with photos of familiar people or objects. They can name the pictures on the dominoes as they play to reinforce their learning.
While some domino games are played by teams, most of them are played alone. Generally, the winner of the last game played starts the next game by drawing new hands. Alternatively, the player with the highest hand begins. If no one holds a high hand, the player with the heaviest double plays first.
There are many different kinds of domino sets available, with materials ranging from bone to silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, and dark hardwoods such as ebony. Some dominoes have a unique design, such as a patterned top layer with contrasting black or white pips. Some sets are even made from stone or ceramic clay. These sets have a more elegant look than polymer dominoes and tend to feel heavier in the hand. They are also typically more expensive.