Dominoes are a family of tile-based games played with domino sets. They are hugely popular in the United States and other parts of the world, and there are many different ways to play them. There are even online domino games where players can compete against casinos or other human opponents.
A domino game is usually started by shuffling all the domino tiles and distributing them equally amongst the players. In most cases, the player with the highest double (a domino with two identical pips on either end) is allowed to make the first play. This may vary according to the rules of the specific domino game in question, however.
After the initial play, each player takes turns adding dominoes to a chain of dominoes. This chain can be their own personal train – which they build by matching dominoes to the central double until they can no longer make a move – or a public train, in which case any player can add to it. A marker can be placed on the end of a personal train to indicate that it is not being added to, and thus other players cannot use this domino in their turn. Alternatively, the marker can be moved to another part of the train to indicate that it is now a public train and can be added to by other players.
Most domino games allow players to make mistakes when playing their turn, and these mistakes are normally not penalized, although in some situations they can be punished with a “knock”, or rape of the table, which means that all the remaining tiles must be reshuffled and the next player must then play out of turn. Most games also have some form of “bonus” to be awarded to the player who is able to play a particular tile, such as a single double or a pair of triples, which allows them to score extra points in the game.
There are a number of different online domino games available, but most of them can be grouped into four categories: bidding games, blocking games, scoring games and round games. Most of the different games have similar or the same rules, but they can be slightly altered according to the preferences of the players.
One of the most popular online domino games is the free Dominoes & More app by Jogatina. It has several versions of different domino games, including All Fives, Draw and Block, and you can play against users or bots. It’s a great option for anyone who loves dominoes but doesn’t want to invest in a physical set.
Another great option for those who enjoy playing online domino is GameColony, which allows players to compete in tournaments against opponents from around the world. This site offers both free and real money games, and its interface is extremely user-friendly. It’s easy to create an account and start playing immediately, with no download necessary. It’s also possible to play on your mobile device or tablet.