DOMINOES FAQ: Learn More About This SIMPLE, STRATEGIC, AND SOCIAL CLASSIC GAME

Dominoes has straightforward rules and a quick learning curve, making it accessible to a wide range of players, including children and those unfamiliar with complex games. 

While seemingly simple, dominoes involves strategic thinking, planning, and problem-solving as players try to match and block their opponents. 

Scoring is done only at the end of each hand. The player (or team) who plays all the dominoes in his hand first, or “dominoes,” scores the total count of the tiles still held by his opponent(s).

One reason for dominoes’ popularity is that the game can be played just about anywhere. That’s because dominoes sets are small, easy to carry, and all you really need are the tiles and a flat surface to start a game. You’ll see people playing games in the park, while traveling, at rooftop bars, and everywhere in between.

Dominoes has numerous variations and can be played with different sets (double-6, double-9, etc.), allowing for diverse gameplay experiences and accommodating various player counts.

A set of domino pieces is sometimes called a deck. The most popular domino set used in the modern game is the double-six set. The tiles contain all possible combinations of 0 (blank), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 pips. Crisloid manufactures a completely handmade, 28-piece set of double-six dominoes.  Our sets feature a sturdy paperboard box with a magnetic flap closure and ivory resin tiles that are classically proportioned and polished for smooth gameplay. Two blank tiles are included that can be returned and machined to replace any lost pieces.

A domino is named for the pips, or dots, on each half of its face. For example, a domino with 6 pips on one half and 4 on the other is called the 6-4 domino. 3-2 is called the Trey Deuce, and 6-1 is the Six Ace, etc. Dominoes with the same number of pips on each half of the face are known as doubles. You’ll pick up the lingo as you play more games.

Similar to playing cards, the face of a domino shows the tile’s value (pips), and the back is either blank or has a design. The face is split by a centerline line that separates the tile in half. Numbers are represented the pips – no pips on a tile represents zero.

Most popular domino game variations fall into these categories: Bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, and round games. Many versions are blocking games, where the goal is to empty your hand while ‘blocking” your opponent’s ability to place his tiles. Scores are generally tallied by counting the pips in the losing players’ hands.

The earliest evidence of dominoes comes from texts written in China during the 13^th century. Modern dominoes appeared in Italy during the 18th century, but this version of the game is different from the Chinese one in many ways, and there’s no concrete link between the two. European dominoes either developed independently or Italian missionaries returning from China may have brought the game to Europe where it took on a new variation.