Traditionally, European style dominoes are made from dark hardwood, ebony or ivory. However, a variety of materials are used today, including plastic and bone.
These dominos are divided into two squares. They are also marked on one side with an arrangement of spots. The number of spots in each tile represents its value. In some games, players add tiles to any line of dominoes. In other games, players must match a domino to a specific part of another tile. In some games, a tile is played with a certain number of spots on one side and no spots on the other side.
Players must first decide what number of points they want to earn. A total of six points is earned when the total of the dominoes is divisible by five or three. Usually, a player wins when the total of his or her dominoes is divisible by five. A player can also win when the total of his or her dominoes matches the total of the opponent’s.
After players decide what they want to achieve, they take turns picking dominoes from stock. Each player picks a set of seven tiles. The last player draws the last hand. If the first player is the first player in the game, he or she is called the leading player. If the first player is not the leading player, the player who shuffles the tiles is called the drawing player.
A single domino represents one of 21 results of throwing two 6-sided dice. Chinese dominoes do not require matching. However, they are longer than typical European dominoes. Chinese dominoes are divided into two classes, military and civil. Some sets contain duplicates of some throws.
The first tile played is usually double-six. This is considered the “heaviest” tile in the game. The player who leads the next double leads with the next heaviest domino in the suit. A player may also lead with a double-four. The next player must play a double to the left of a 6-3 or a 6-4. The fourth tile played is a 5-5 or a 6-5. A player may also lead with a tile with a double on both ends. The tile with a double on one end is called a double, and a tile with a double on both sides is called a double-blank. Depending on the game, players may also count a double as one or two.
The first player places the tile face-up in the middle of the table. The next player then extends the line of play with the same tile. Alternatively, the second player can place the tile on the opposite side of the first tile. The player who plays the tile with the same number on both ends is said to have “stitched up” the ends. A player who has doubles on both ends of a domino is also called a spinner.
After all the players have picked their seven dominoes, they each take turns drawing the tiles from their hands. The winning player picks the first domino. A player who has the first double can play that domino and the second player can play a tile with a double on both end.