Dominoes are a popular board game that can be played by two or more players. A variety of games can be played using dominoes, including the standard Block, Draw, and Five-Up games. Each game has its own set of rules that may vary slightly from one to another. The basic rule that applies to most of these games is that each player must play a tile that matches the open end of an already-played tile. The resulting chain of dominoes is called the line of play.
The line of play in dominoes is usually a straight or diagonal line, although there are exceptions. The open ends of the dominoes should be matched, not crossed, and the double tiles should be placed perpendicular to each other. This is sometimes referred to as stitching up the ends.
Each player begins the game with a certain number of dominoes, depending on the game being played. Each player then takes turns placing their dominoes on the table. As each domino is played, it adds a new open end to the line of play. This allows the domino chain to grow in length.
As the dominoes are placed, they become part of a larger chain that gradually develops into a snake-line shape. When a player plays a tile and it results in both ends of the domino chain showing the same number, it is said that the domino has been “stitched up.”
If a player does not have a matching domino to play, they can choose to pass or buy (See passing and byeing) the next turn. Alternatively, they can take a risk and try to make the first play of the next turn. However, they must remember that if the next player plays a domino to an end of the line of play that is not connected to any other dominoes it will bury those two ends.
After all of the tiles have been played, there will often be a number of sleeping dominoes that are not used. These dominoes are referred to as a “hand” or a “game.” If the winning player has cleared all of their opponent’s dominoes by counting the total value of the remaining tiles left in the losing player’s hand at the end of a game, they win.
Many of the online domino games available on Coolmath Games are based upon this principle. Players are rewarded for their success by earning stars that can be exchanged for various prizes. In addition, players can check their weekly, monthly, and overall online rankings to see where they stand against other users.
For a more interactive experience, some of the online domino games offered on Coolmath Games allow you to play against opponents from all over the world in real time. These games require no downloads and feature full chat and instant messaging functionality. They also offer a free trial period so that players can decide whether the games are right for them before deciding to pay for a subscription.