Domino is a game played by two or more players. It involves the use of a set of dominoes that are arranged in a line on a table. The player makes a play by matching the pips on an open end of one of his or her tiles to those on an already-played tile. The total number of pips on the open ends is used to determine if a player scores, which is accomplished by placing the first piece of a new domino on the top of an existing chain, called a line of play, and then counting (with doubles counting twice) each time the total is exactly divisible by either 5 or 3.

Dominoes come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and materials. They may be made of polymer, such as acrylic or bakelite; a material such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother-of-pearl), ivory, or a dark hardwood, such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted onto the surface; or other natural materials like marble, granite, soapstone, or woods such as redwood or cedar. There are also ceramic clay, brass, and crystal dominoes.

A skilled domino player can create intricate patterns and structures with the pieces. These can be simple lines or curved structures, such as the 15-color spiral that Lily Hevesh built in 2017. Hevesh has been fascinated with dominoes since she was 9 years old and began with her grandparents’ classic 28-pack.

Some players are famous for their ability to build elaborate and imaginative domino reactions and effects in front of live audiences of fans. In domino shows, builders compete to build the most impressive and complex lines of dominoes, sometimes using hundreds or thousands of pieces in careful sequence.

The rules of domino vary widely, even among games that have the same name in different parts of the world. These variations often reflect local culture, traditions, and the physical limitations of the playing area. For example, some domino games involve drawing hands before play begins, while others use a specific order in which the tiles are picked from the stock.

Before the start of a game, it is necessary to determine who will make the first play. This is usually done by drawing lots or beginning with the heaviest tile. Once the player has been determined, play passes clockwise. If the first player cannot make a play, he or she “chips out” and the game continues until it is won by the player whose combined total of all the pips on his or her remaining dominoes is the lowest.