Domino - Match & stack tiles

Dominos, also known as dominos, is a board game that utilizes rectangular tiles called "domino" tiles.

Domino Description:

Domino has always been a relaxed and enjoyable form of entertainment, particularly suitable for short breaks. These games typically have simple and easy-to-understand rules with fast-paced gameplay that doesn't require extensive learning or investment. Leisure games come in various forms, including puzzle games, time management games, and casual racing games, among others. 

Domino provide a way to instantly unwind and have fun, catering to players of all ages. Whether you're on public transport, during a lunch break, or spending leisure time at home, leisure games offer a pleasant choice, allowing people to find moments of tranquility and entertainment in their busy lives. These games not only provide a brief respite but also contribute to mental agility and stress relief, making them a healthy form of entertainment.

Key features include:

- A selection of ten different domino games (including classic dominoes, block game, draw game, Mexican train, Muggins (All fives), naval kozel, jackass, human-human-wolf, kozel, bergen, and cross), with the promise of additional games in future updates (such as Chicken foot and blitz).

- Three distinct online multiplayer games (block game, draw game, Muggins (All fives)).

- Daily bonus rewards.

- Suitable for 2-4 players.

- User-friendly interface.

- Challenging AI opponents.

- Global cloud leaderboard.

- Detailed single-player statistics.

- The upcoming inclusion of Mexican Train for multiplayer mode.

Domino gaming pieces comprise a set, often referred to as a deck, pack, bones, cards, tiles, tickets, stones, or spinners. A traditional Sino-European set consists of 28 dominoes, each being a rectangular tile divided into two square ends by a line. These ends are either blank or marked with spots representing numbers. Similar to playing cards or dice, domino sets are versatile gaming devices suitable for a variety of games. Extended sets like double 9 and double 12 cater to specific games like Mexican train and Chicken Foot. Different countries have their own localized domino games, such as Muggins (All fives) in England, Bergen in Scandinavian countries, Mexican Train in Mexico, and Matador in Spain.

The origins of dominos can be traced back to China's Song Dynasty. While the exact evolution of Chinese dominos into the contemporary game remains unclear, they made their debut in Italy in the 18th century.

How to play Dominoes for Beginners?

How many dominoes in a set?

The most common domino set is the double-six set, consisting of 28 dominoes, each having a combination of dots from 0 to 6, coming to a total of 28 tiles. Other variants include the double-nine, double-twelve sets, used in certain games.

How many dominoes do you start with?

The quintessential domino game is the 2-player blocking game. Typically using a double-six set, all tiles are shuffled face-down, and each player draws a number of tiles, typically 7 tiles. The remaining tiles form the boneyard, and are placed in front of each player I a way where other players are unable to see the tile faces.

Determining Turn Order

The player to go first can be decided using a dice throw, but mostly, the dealer is decided via a draw from the boneyard, with the higher number of dots winning the draw.

Gameplay

The game begins with a tile being placed at the center of the table. Each player then takes turns matching dots where each match has a side of the same dot count. If a player is unable to make a match, or as the terminology goes, “extending the line”, then they are required to draw from the boneyard.

The game continues until a player manages to clear his/her hand of tiles. The winner then gains points equivalent to the number of dots in their opponent’s hand. For higher player counts, using a double-nine set is recommended.

Matching Tiles

The matching of tiles follows a simple rule. As long as one end of the domino has a matching value, you can make a match. An example is shown below:

This shows a basic match using a pair of 2s.

Since Dominoes includes doubles, one can also match doubles in a special way:

The significance of using this method is due to the ‘blocking’ aspect. This makes it so that only one tile can be used to extend the match, as opposed to more, as shown below:

These matches are allowed and should be avoided to increase the chances of winning.

Note that apart from specific games, such as Chicken Foot Dominoes, tiles have to be played vertically or horizontally. Diagonal matches are not allowed. An illegal match is shown below:

The above picture shows an example of a “Chicken Foot” as seen in that Domino variant. This is normally not allowed except in that specific game-variant. 

General rules for dominoes include:

Blocking Game - typically played by two players using a double-six set, where each player draws seven tiles from the stock. Gameplay involves playing tiles on-edge, ensuring all players can see their tiles but not others'. The game progresses with players matching adjacent tiles until one wins by emptying their hand or when gameplay is blocked due to inability to play.

Scoring Game - players earn points during gameplay based on certain moves or configurations. For instance, in Muggins (All fives), players aim to create multiples of five with open ends of the layout. Failure to declare "domino" before laying a tile may result in penalties.

Draw Game - players can draw multiple tiles from the stock before playing, and final scores are calculated based on the losing player's remaining pips plus those in the stock.

Mexican train will soon be available, adding to the variety of gameplay options in this comprehensive dominos experience! Enjoy playing domino online for free with Draw game, Block game, and Muggins (All fives)!