Dominoes Guide

Extracted from: The Innocents Abroad (1869) by Mark Twain
(Samuel Clemens, 1835-1910)
http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/5/6/9/5693/5693.htm

CHAPTER LIX.

We were at sea now, for a very long voyage–we were to pass through the entire length of the Levant; through the entire length of the Mediterranean proper, also, and then cross the full width of the Atlantic–a voyage of several weeks. We naturally settled down into a very slow, stay-at-home manner of life, and resolved to be quiet, exemplary people, and roam no more for twenty or thirty days. No more, at least, than from stem to stern of the ship. It was a very comfortable prospect, though, for we were tired and needed a long rest.

We were all lazy and satisfied, now, as the meager entries in my note-book (that sure index, to me, of my condition,) prove. What a stupid thing a note-book gets to be at sea, any way. Please observe the style:

“Sunday–Services, as usual, at four bells. Services at night, also. No cards.

“Monday–Beautiful day, but rained hard. The cattle purchased at Alexandria for beef ought to be shingled. Or else fattened. The water stands in deep puddles in the depressions forward of their after shoulders. Also here and there all over their backs. It is well they are not cows–it would soak in and ruin the milk. The poor devil eagle–[Afterwards presented to the Central Park.]–from Syria looks miserable and droopy in the rain, perched on the forward capstan. He appears to have his own opinion of a sea voyage, and if it were put into language and the language solidified, it would probably essentially dam the widest river in the world.

“Tuesday–Somewhere in the neighborhood of the island of Malta. Can not stop there. Cholera. Weather very stormy. Many passengers seasick and invisible.

“Wednesday–Weather still very savage. Storm blew two land birds to sea, and they came on board. A hawk was blown off, also. He circled round and round the ship, wanting to light, but afraid of the people. He was so tired, though, that he had to light, at last, or perish. He stopped in the foretop, repeatedly, and was as often blown away by the wind. At last Harry caught him. Sea full of flying-fish. They rise in flocks of three hundred and flash along above the tops of the waves a distance of two or three hundred feet, then fall and disappear.

“Thursday–Anchored off Algiers, Africa. Beautiful city, beautiful green hilly landscape behind it. Staid half a day and left. Not permitted to land, though we showed a clean bill of health. They were afraid of Egyptian plague and cholera.

“Friday–Morning, dominoes. Afternoon, dominoes. Evening, promenading the deck. Afterwards, charades.

“Saturday–Morning, dominoes. Afternoon, dominoes. Evening, promenading the decks. Afterwards, dominoes.

“Sunday–Morning service, four bells. Evening service, eight bells. Monotony till midnight. –Whereupon, dominoes.

“Monday–Morning, dominoes. Afternoon, dominoes. Evening, promenading the decks. Afterward, charades and a lecture from Dr. C. Dominoes.

“No date–Anchored off the picturesque city of Cagliari, Sardinia. Staid till midnight, but not permitted to land by these infamous foreigners. They smell inodorously–they do not wash–they dare not risk cholera.

“Thursday–Anchored off the beautiful cathedral city of Malaga, Spain. –Went ashore in the captain’s boat–not ashore, either, for they would not let us land. Quarantine. Shipped my newspaper correspondence, which they took with tongs, dipped it in sea water, clipped it full of holes, and then fumigated it with villainous vapors till it smelt like a Spaniard. Inquired about chances to run to blockade and visit the Alhambra at Granada. Too risky–they might hang a body. Set sail–middle of afternoon.

“And so on, and so on, and so forth, for several days. Finally, anchored off Gibraltar, which looks familiar and home-like.”

It reminds me of the journal I opened with the New Year, once, when I was a boy and a confiding and a willing prey to those impossible schemes of reform which well-meaning old maids and grandmothers set for the feet of unwary youths at that season of the year–setting oversized tasks for them, which, necessarily failing, as infallibly weaken the boy’s strength of will, diminish his confidence in himself and injure his chances of success in life. Please accept of an extract:

“Monday–Got up, washed, went to bed.
“Tuesday–Got up, washed, went to bed.
“Wednesday–Got up, washed, went to bed.
“Thursday–Got up, washed, went to bed.
“Friday–Got up, washed, went to bed.
“Next Friday–Got up, washed, went to bed.
“Friday fortnight–Got up, washed, went to bed.
“Following month–Got up, washed, went to bed.”

I stopped, then, discouraged. Startling events appeared to be too rare, in my career, to render a diary necessary. I still reflect with pride, however, that even at that early age I washed when I got up. That journal finished me. I never have had the nerve to keep one since. My loss of confidence in myself in that line was permanent.

The ship had to stay a week or more at Gibraltar to take in coal for the home voyage.

It would be very tiresome staying here, and so four of us ran the quarantine blockade and spent seven delightful days in Seville, Cordova, Cadiz, and wandering through the pleasant rural scenery of Andalusia, the garden of Old Spain. The experiences of that cheery week were too varied and numerous for a short chapter and I have not room for a long one. Therefore I shall leave them all out.

END

Author: Twain, Mark, 1835-1910
Title: — Volume 06
Date: 2004-06-16
Contributor(s): Ross, James [Translator]
Size: 252572
Identifier: etext5693
Language: en
Publisher: Project Gutenberg
Rights: GNU General Public License
Source: http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/5/6/9/5693/5693.htm

While most modern domino pieces are rectangular and made of ceramic or heavy plastic, they were historically carved from ivory or animal bone with small, round pips of inset ebony.

The game’s name comes from the pieces’ resemblance to Venetian Carnival masks known as domini, which were white with black spots. These masks were so named, in turn, because they resembled French priests’ winter hoods, being black on the outside and white on the inside. The name ultimately derives from the Latin dominus, meaning “lord” or “master.”

The oldest domino sets have been dated from around 1120. Modern dominoes, as most of the Western world knows them, however, appear to be a Chinese invention. They were apparently derived from cubic dice, which had been introduced into China from India some time in the distant past. Each domino originally represented one of the 21 results of throwing two dice. One half of each domino is set with the pips from one die and the other half contains the pips from the second die.

Chinese sets also introduce duplicates of some throws and divide the dominoes into two classes: military and civil. Chinese dominoes are also longer than typical European dominoes. Over time Chinese dominoes also evolved into the tile set used to play Mah Jong, a game which swept across the United States in the early to mid 1920s.

The early 18th century witnessed dominoes making their way to Europe, making their first appearance in Italy. The game changed somewhat in the translation from Chinese to the European culture. European domino sets contain neither class distinctions nor the duplicates that went with them. Instead, European sets contain seven additional dominoes with six of these representing the values that result from throwing a single die with the other half of the tile left blank. Curiously, there is also a seventh tile with both halves set as blank. Perhaps this was done for symmetry’s sake so that each of the resulting suits would contain seven dominoes each.

Extracted from Wikipedia
Dominoes
Licensed under the
GNUFDL

The Fédération Internationale de Domino (FIDO) [Dominoes International Federation] announces the forthcomming dominoes’ matches in Germany.

The FIDO Deutschland will host the Domino Weekend on 23rd to 25th May 2008 in Schwarmstedt/Germany

The website also features the Mary Theresa Cup, Results, Players, Game forms, Rules, Events, World Championship, German Championship, Simultan Cup, and World Rankings.

http://www.dominospiel.de

Dominoes rules are pretty simple, but they make it also a very fast and interesting skill game.

• Introduction
• The game
• Game sample
• Variations
• End Game

Introduction to Dominoes

Dominoes is a game for two to four players consisting of 28 dominoes.
All the dominoes have two ends, numbered from 0-6, with a number on each end. There is always one, and only one, of each combination.

The Dominoes game

Each player starts with seven dominoes. All the remaining pieces not dealt out before the hand form what is called the pile.
The player who picks the domino with the highest double starts the game by playing that piece. If no one has a double, then the player who picks the domino with the highest number value starts the game playing it.

Play continues as the other player adds one of his/her dominoes to either end of the starting domino by matching the number of dots on his/her domino to the number of dots on the starting domino.
If the player does not have a matching domino, he/she must pick up one from the pile until he/she can match it.

If he/she can’t play and the pile is empty, he/she must pass the turn. When a player puts his/her last domino on board wins the round, adding to his score the remaining dominoes of his opponent.

When both players have no dominoes left to be played, and there are no left dominoes in the pile, the round is over. The player whose unplayed dominoes are minor than his opponent wins the round, adding to his score the remaining dominoes of his opponent.

The game is over when one player reaches 100 points (or 50, depending of game options).

Dominoes Game sample

Player 1 plays a domino 1/6, player 2 is allowed to play one domino that contains a 6 or 3.

In this case the player 2 played a 6/4 domino.

Variations

Five-All

Known also as all-five or muggins. When this rule is applied players score when the total of the ends of the chain is divisible by five.
The sum of the ends is called board countand is shown on the right side of the board.

If you place a domino that sets the board count to a multiple of five, you score that many points.

Spinner

Some tiles are double. They have the same number in both ends. When a double tile is played, it shall be placed transversally on the board and its both ends shall be summed up at the end of the board count.
The first double tile that is placed in a round shall receive the name of spinner

Once the spinner tile has been placed, any of the players is allowed to place tiles on each one of its four sides.
Once the spinner is played the board will be redrawn with the spinner in the center.

End Game

Dominoes consists of several rounds or hands. Once a player’s total reaches 100 points (or 50, depending of game options) the game is over and the player that reached or exceeded the total is the winner.

Taken with permission from g4d.info

Hi, this is our new blog, and it is aimed to be a guide to online domino playing.

It will also include news and tips about online dominoes.

Enjoy and welcome back!

The Dominoes Guide