Dominoes are a type of tile game where tiles are arranged in long lines. When the first domino in a line is tipped over, it creates a chain reaction and other dominoes in the line will tip over as well.
There are many different games that can be played with dominoes. Some of these are very simple and others can be quite complex with many rules to follow.
The most common types of games that involve dominoes are blocking and scoring games. These are games where the player has to match a certain number of tiles from their hand to a number of dominoes already on the table.
These games are usually played with a set of 28 or 55 dominoes. Larger sets are often used when multiple players are playing, or for longer games.
Some people play dominoes to make art – straight or curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, and 3D structures like towers and pyramids are all possible.
Another popular use of dominoes is as toys that can be stacked on end in long lines and tipped over, creating very intricate designs. This is also a great way to teach children how to stack dominoes and how to play the games that can be played with them.
In the game of domino, a double is any tile that has a matching number on both ends. This is called a “doublet.” A double-six (with two 2s on each end) is the heaviest domino.
A single-six is a lighter domino and the lowest value in a set of dominoes. Typically, the lower number of pips on a domino is listed first, with the higher number following.
Unlike playing cards, which are marked with the numbers that correspond to a suit, dominoes do not have a particular suit; instead they are either blank or identically patterned on both sides. This can be confusing, so some people choose to use Arabic numerals rather than pips for larger domino sets.
The most common sets of dominoes are double six (with 28 tiles) and double nine (55 tiles). There are also larger sets that have up to a thousand pieces.
Some of the earliest recorded games that used dominoes were described in 1602 by Zhang Pu. These Chinese games are still being played today in various forms.
In the 18th century, dominoes started to surface in Italy and then rapidly spread to Austria, southern Germany and France. The word “domino” did not exist before this time.
As the game developed, it became a fad in France. In the 1880s, a French physicist named Stephen Morris discovered that standing a domino upright provides it with a little potential energy, or stored energy that is then converted to kinetic energy when it falls.
It’s this effect that can be used as a personal strategy, a metaphor for how concentrating your attention on one activity can help you “knock over” other interests. It’s a concept that can be used to improve your health and happiness, too!