The domino is a variant of the traditional game of cards. It is commonly played with 28 pieces and is used in a variety of games. They are arranged in rows and can be stacked on end in long lines. They are also called tickets or bones. They are usually made of dark hardwood or ivory. They are usually marked with a series of pips on one side.
The origins of the domino are somewhat obscure. However, it has been noted that the word first appeared in 1771 in the Dictionnaire de Trevoux. The French word originally meant a long hooded cloak. The term also came to mean a masquerade mask worn by priests. During the late 1700s, a game of domino was popular in France and England. The game was later introduced to other countries. In the United States, a form of domino known as the boneyard is often played.
The first recorded Western dominoes were imported from Italy in the mid-18th century. By the 1860s, they had been widely published in the United States and Europe. By the middle of the 19th century, they had become a fad in France. Some of the early games involved the use of crude woodcuts on paper. These became popular among peasants.
The domino has a number of nicknames, including tiles, bones, and tickets. In the United States, the term “boneyard” is often used to refer to the pieces that are left behind.
The basic version of the domino game requires two players. A pair of players will begin the game with three, five, or seven tiles. The player with the least number of pips wins. If a player can’t place a tile, he or she will be forced to pick a sleeping piece. The remaining pieces are called stock.
A double set of dominoes allows for more branching. A set of doubles always has at least one cross-way tile. The value of an adjacent face is the number of spots. If a player plays a piece to a double, he or she must place the tile perpendicular to the double touching at the middle. The double is also a spinner.
During play, the dominoes can be knocked down in long lines or stacked on end. The first domino in a line to be knocked down will begin a chain reaction, starting with the next domino in line. This is called a domino effect. When the next domino is tipped over, a domino will start the chain again. The process continues until all of the dominoes are knocked down.
In the United States, some children prefer to play with the domino as a toy. They will often knock down the pieces by flicking them. They can also be used for games like trick taking and solitaire.
The most basic form of the domino game is called block and draw. During this game, two to four players take turns placing a number of tiles on the table. In this variation, the highest total pips of the players’ tiles is the lead piece. The players then try to knock down other tiles to reach their goal.