Domino is a type of tile game, typically played by two or more people. It is a popular game that is often used as an alternative to card games and is considered an educational toy.
The origin of domino dates back to the early 18th century, when it first surfaced in Italy. It soon spread to Austria, southern Germany and France. It was also popular in the United States by the mid-1800s, and variants of the game were invented.
Many different types of dominoes are available, ranging from very small sets to very large ones. The smallest sets have only eight pieces and are usually made of plastic or resin. The largest are made of wood or porcelain and have a plethora of colors and patterns.
Some of the larger sets contain more than 28 tiles. These sets are called “extended” because each end can have a greater number of spots, allowing more unique combinations to be created.
As a player plays their turn, they must try to play a domino that has on it a number that shows at both ends of the chain, if possible. If they cannot, they must choose another domino from their stock (boneyard) and move it to the end of the line of play.
If they do, they must play that domino and continue until either one player has a complete set or both players have a set. The player with the least amount of pips on all their remaining dominoes is the winner.
This is a variation of the Block game, but with a twist. Once the first doublet has been played, all four of the next tiles must be played against that doublet so that a cross is formed.
After this, the player can play any of their own tiles, as well as sleeping tiles they have in their hand. If they do not have a matching pair of dominoes, they must pick up a sleeping tile from their boneyard and add it to their set.
The game of dominoes was a form of social entertainment in the United States and other western countries for several generations. Its popularity was due in part to the widespread availability of a good supply of dominoes and the ease with which it could be taught to children.
In the early 19th century, dominoes were played in public places such as cafes and hotels. They were even played at ballgames.
Some of the most famous dominoes were designed by Italian artist Pietro Annigoni and are now in collections around the world. Others were designed by a German artist named Max Teichmann.
A fad for the game began in France in the mid-18th century and was popular in Europe and America. The word domino does not appear before 1771, when it was recorded in the dictionary Dictionnaire de Trevoux, but earlier it was used to describe a long hooded cloak worn by priests during carnival season or at masquerades.