Domino is a game in which players arrange domino pieces on a table to form a chain of squares. Each domino has a number of spots, called pips, on it that indicates its value. The spots range from six pips to none or blank. A domino is normally twice as long as it is wide, but can vary in size.
Each player has a hand of dominoes, and the winner is the first to make a play that connects with the other dominoes in his or her hand and causes them to fall over. Depending on the rules of the game, one or more players may make a play simultaneously. Once a player makes a play, the other players must follow the direction of the resulting chain. This configuration of dominoes is known as the layout, string, or line of play.
Before starting a domino game, the players must decide how they will determine which of them will make the first play. In most games, the first play is made by the player who has the highest double in his or her hand. Other games have rules that dictate that the first play must be made by the player with the heaviest domino, whether it is a double or a single.
The players also need to determine how they will seat themselves at the table, if they are playing in teams. Usually, the players seat themselves in a circle or in opposite rows facing each other. If there are more than two players, the players may also choose to sit in pairs.
When the dominoes are shuffled, each player draws a tile from the stock. The player who draws the tile with the most pips seats himself to the left of the player who holds the next highest numbered domino in his or her hand. If there is a tie, the players must draw additional tiles until someone wins.
Some players use the stock to buy other dominoes from other players, a process called passing and byeing. The players may also decide to leave some of the tiles in the stock for later scoring. In some games, the unused dominoes are counted at the end of a hand or game and added to the winning player’s score. The unused tiles are then returned to the stock and reshuffled before the players draw their hands again.