Originally a masquerade mask, dominoes have come to represent playing cards, but are not actually cards. They are marked with identifying marks on one side and are grouped into different sets. Some dominoes are blank on one side, but the rest are marked with a number of spots.

The game of dominoes originated in Europe, but they were not widely known in the West until the mid-18th century. The first recorded game was played in Italy, but the game quickly spread to France, England, and other countries. Traditionally, dominoes were made of ivory, mother-of-pearl oyster shell, and dark hardwood.

The earliest games of dominoes were puzzles, which required players to place tiles on a certain pattern. However, the use of dominoes in puzzles declined as the set grew. Rather, the arithmetic properties of the pips allowed players to place tiles in an order that created a specified total.

Typically, the goal of the domino game is to create a tower that is precarious enough to fall to the next player. This is done by placing the tiles in a row or line. The first tile that is placed is a double-six, and the next is a vertical tile. The third is a 5-5, and the fourth is a 6-6. Each tile that is played produces open ends of four and five.

As a rule, each domino is twice as long as wide. The shape of the domino chain depends on the limitations of the playing surface. When the first domino falls, the chain is interrupted and a pulse is emitted that travels in one direction. It is similar to a firing neuron. The pulse moves at a constant rate. If it is not interrupted, the domino is reset, and the game continues.

Many modern versions of dominoes are adaptations of the game of cards, and include tricks as a way of scoring. This is especially true in the USA, where All Fives is one of the most popular dominoes games. The player who reaches their target score wins the round. There are several variants of the game, such as trick taking and the concentration variant.

The Concentration variant is played with a double-six set. The set must have a total of 12 pips for the game to be played. Then, the first player draws seven tiles. The next player draws eleven tiles, the second player draws twelve tiles, and so on. The last player draws nine tiles.

Another variation of the domino game is the trick taking domino game, in which the aim is to find two dominoes that add up to 12. The next player plays the corresponding tile to the left of the six-six, and then the player to the right of the six-six, and so on. The winner is the partner with the least spots on their dominoes. Often, the player who wins the round awards a set of pips to the opposing player.

The game is most commonly played with a double-six set. It is designed to allow for the possibility of larger teams, and is a popular party game. Alternatively, the game can be played with a set of double-twelve or double-15.