
A standard double-6 domino set consists of 28 tiles: 7 doubles and 21 singles. Each combination of pips occurs only once in a set. Most game rules, however, can easily be modified for play with a larger or smaller set of dominoes.Įvery set of dominoes includes all possible combinations of two numbers, from zero (blank) up to the highest number of pips in the set (for example, 12 in a double-12 set), as well as a double for each suit. Many of the new and popular party games are designed to be played with the larger sets (double-9, -12, and -15 sets), allowing for a larger number of players. Most domino games are designed to be played with the double-6 set. The set is named after the domino in the set with the highest number of pips. The four most common domino sets are the double-6, double-9, double-12, and double-15 sets. In some domino games, however, the number of pips on a domino is used strictly for matching purposes.Ī set of domino pieces is sometimes called a deck. In most domino games, the number of pips on a domino are added or subtracted for scoring purposes. For example, the 3-5 belongs to either the 3 suit or the 5 suit. Each double belongs to only one suit singles belong to two suits. A single domino, also referred to as a combination domino, has a different number of pips on each half of the face.Īll tiles in a set that have the same number of pips on one end make up a suit. For example, a domino face with 3 pips on one half and 5 pips on the other half is called the 3-5 domino.ĭominoes with the same number of pips on each half of the face are known as doubles, or doublets. However, the most common color combinations are white dominoes with black pips and black dominoes with white pips.Īn individual domino is named for the number of pips it has on each half of its face. Domino sets can be found in almost any color combination. When dominoes are made, the pips are uniformly molded or drilled and then painted. Numbers are represented in each half by spots, commonly called pips, or the absence of spots, which represents zero. The face of each tile is divided by a line across the center separating the piece into two square halves.

The back of each tile is either blank or decorated with a design. Like a playing card, a domino has a face and a back. A domino may be of any size, but an ordinary domino is about one inch wide and two inches long.

Domino pieces are usually twice as long as they are wide and are usually made to be exactly half as thick as they are wide so that they can stand on edge without falling over. Many different materials over the centuries have been used to make dominoes, including plastic, wood, bone, ivory, and stone. The individual domino pieces of a set are usually called dominoes or tiles.ĭominoes are small, flat, rectangular-shaped game pieces.
