Dominoes Explained

Dominoes are small, flat blocks used as gaming pieces that can be arranged in long lines and then tipped over to create chains of events. These chains may be simple, such as a single tile being tipped over after another, or very complex, such as a set of overlapping dominoes that form shapes like hearts, houses, and flowers. In the latter case, the resulting domino effect is sbobet88 sometimes described as “a snowball effect,” meaning that one small action leads to larger–and often more dramatic–consequences.

Most people have probably played domino at least once in their lives. Young children often enjoy stacking the tiles on end in long lines and then knocking them down. More sophisticated designs can also be made, including a number of different games. Dominoes can also be arranged to create patterns and figures, and many people use them to decorate homes.

In domino, players take turns placing tiles edge to edge on the table so that each has a number showing at one of its ends. The resulting chain of dominoes then gradually increases in length, and a player is allowed to only play tiles that match the number shown on one of their ends. If a player plays a tile that does not match an end of the chain, it is known as a misplay and must be recalled.

Each game has a unique set of rules that determine how the tiles should be laid out on the table and how they are counted. For example, a double tile cannot be placed diagonally across a chain because this would break the chain and make it unplayable. Moreover, the matching halves of the tile must touch fully.

Some games require the player to place a single domino edge to edge against another domino that has an identical number of spots or forms a specific total. In these positional games, the total of all the spots on a player’s remaining dominoes is the score.

Other games involve scoring points by placing dominoes on the table in a variety of shapes and positions. In some of these games, players may be required to “chip out” when the total value of their remaining dominoes reaches a specified amount.

When a player chips out, the game is over and play passes to the other players. Some games also provide for ties to be broken by drawing new tiles from the stock (see “Passing and Byeing” below). In addition, a player may purchase additional dominoes from the stock, depending on the game’s rules.