Dominos are small rectangular blocks used in gaming. They are similar to playing cards but have a unique feature: each domino is marked with spots or pips. When a domino is pushed, it is often lined up in a long row, creating an interesting shape. The object of the game is to make sure that the last domino in the line falls, or at least tips over.

Dominos are made of bone, plastic, or wood. They are normally twice as long as they are wide. Although a domino set may have as many as ninety tiles, it is not uncommon for a set to have fewer than fifty. Typically, a traditional domino set contains one unique tile for each of the possible combinations of two ends with zero to six pips. Depending on the type of domino, a single piece may belong to a suit, such as threes or blanks.

There are many different kinds of games that you can play with dominos. Probably the most popular type is the scoring game. Each player draws the number of pieces required for the game. If a player draws a number of pips that is less than the previous player’s, he or she wins the game. A player may also be awarded a bonus tile if a double tile is drawn on the opponent’s hand.

Traditionally, European dominoes were made of dark hardwoods such as ebony. In the 18th century, French prisoners of war brought them to England. However, the first recorded use of the word domino was in the Dictionnaire de Trevoux in 1771. It was later used to describe a cape worn by priests.

Western dominoes are most often used for positional games, in which a group of players try to get the number of pips needed to win by using a combination of dominoes. Some large domino sets are based on Arabic numerals rather than pips. These games are typically played with a group of two to four players.

Dominoes can be played online and against a computer. The objective of most games is to draw a number of pips that will total seven if added to an end. Sometimes the goal is to use all of the pips in the set.

Traditional Chinese dominoes are played differently than European ones. Rather than requiring a matching of pips, the set is arranged so that each of the tiles with a number is in the suit of that number. For example, if a player draws a 0 in the first round, he or she will have to place a tile in the suit of threes.

Similarly, the Concentration variant of the game requires a player to make a combination of twelve pips on a double-six set. This includes a lead piece that has the highest total pips, a double tile, and an extra tile.

Other variations of the game include a trick-taking variant in which a player is allowed to use double tiles on the hands of the opponent. Another variant is the Hector’s Rules, which is a Singapore variant of the game.