A domino tile features multiple black or white dots embedded within its surface, inlaid or painted on, for use in various competitive and skill-based games. People may use these tiles to play these different games with differing rules that may appear under similar names but possess quite distinct rulesets.
There are various varieties of domino sets. Some are constructed from natural materials such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or dark hardwood such as ebony; while others use resins or synthetic materials. A popular variant includes 28 tiles in which each player receives seven tiles to shuffle together into a “stock” or “boneyard.”
At the start of a game, each player draws one tile from the stock. Whoever draws the highest double or one with an even number divisor makes the first play; otherwise a new hand is drawn and play resumes from there; should there be any tie, the player who had drawn a higher value single or double begins play immediately (this first act in any given game is often referred to as the “set, down,” or lead”).
Rules for domino games vary, but most involve placing a series of dominoes that form a path toward scoring total points. When placing the leading domino in line, its open end must connect to either another domino already placed, or with its counterpart from earlier play; any doubles counted twice!
Dominoes can also be stacked end to end to form long lines. When one domino falls over, it causes all the others to come tumbling down as well; creating an entertaining complex pattern. A large setup may take several minutes until all its dominoes fall entirely; watching its collapse could even prove nerve-wracking!
Dominoes are an engaging pastime enjoyed by people of all ages. Children often enjoy creating artistic domino sets resembling animals, vehicles or buildings; professional artists create spectacular domino art displays for movies, TV shows and events; Hevesh has amassed over 2 million YouTube subscribers and worked on projects requiring over 300,000 dominoes!