The game of dominoes is one of the classic past-time activities we enjoy with our family, friends and colleagues. Before online games were invented and born, children loved to play dominoes with their classmates and siblings. Thus, with the birth of the web, comes the online version of the domino game. Truly, we just can’t get enough of dominoes!

Perhaps, the foremost reason why we all enjoy this game is due to the simple dominoes rules. Although there are so many versions of this game, its rules stay the same: easy and simple. The rules vary according to its country of origin.

But before you can master the dominoes rules, you have to learn the basics first and its history.

History of the Game and Dominoes Rules

Basically, dominoes are copied or have been inspired from the rolls of a dice. This is very evident as you can see the numbers in a regular set of double-six domino represent all the possible combinations of a two six-sided dice. According to some experts, the game of dominoes started in China during the 12^th century. There are also some speculations that it has originated from Egyptians and Arabians.

The word “domino” was said to be copied from the tiles’ appearance which is black dots on a white background. In Italy, domino is the name of the hood worn by priests.

Dominoes first appeared in Italyduring the 18^th century. It spread to the rest of the European continent throughout the remainder of the 1700s. Since then, it has become the most popular game in family parlors and pubs.

Today, domino games are being played worldwide especially in Latin America. Carribean countries named domino as the national game. Domino tournaments are being held in many countries annually.

Basic Standards of Dominoes Rules

Dominoes is a game generally played by two or four persons. There are several types of dominoes including Block Dominoes, Draw Dominoes, Chicken Foot, Concentration and Mexican Train.

Draw Dominoes Rules

In the dominoes rules of draw games, the domino player is required to lay a  domino match adjacent to the preceding domino. If the first player started the game with a double-six, the next player should play a domino with a six on it. Otherwise, he has to draw a domino of matching value from the boneyard (stock of unselected dominoes on the table). If the player still has no dominoes to play, he must pass his turn. The player who runs out of dominoes first is considered as the winner.

Block Dominoes Rules

Dominoes rules of block dominoes are somehow very much the same with the dominoes rules of draw games. But, the domino player in this game is not required to pick dominoes from the boneyard. So if he has no matching tile, he must pass his turn.

Chicken Foot Dominoes Rules

Chicken foot domino came from Texas. In this game, the players can place dominoes diagonally on one side of a double to form a “chicken foot”. The player with a double-nine places the domino on the table. The next player to the left must place a matching domino. If the player does not have a matching domino, he must pick 1 domino out of the chicken yard. If they still can’t play, they should pass their turn.

The round ends when a player runs out of dominoes. In chicken foot dominoes rules, the goal is to get a low score as possible. Double-blank is equal to 50 points in the dominoes rules.