There are several ways of playing Dominoes, but the following game is
the most simple:
The dominoes are placed on the table, face downward, and each player
takes up one, to decide who is to play first. The one who draws the
stone with the highest number of pips on it takes the lead. The
two stones are then put back among the rest; the dominoes are then
shuffled, face downward, and the players choose seven stones each,
placing them upright on the table, so that each can see his own
stones, without being able to overlook those of his opponent.
As there are twenty-eight stones in an ordinary set, there will still
be fourteen left from which to draw.
The player who has won the lead now places a stone, face upward, on
the table. Suppose it be double-six, the other player is bound to
put down a stone on which six appears, placing the six next to the
double-six. Perhaps he may put six-four; the first player then puts
six-five, placing his six against the opposite six of the double-six;
the second follows with five-four, placing his five against the five
already on the table; thus, you see, the players are bound to put down
a stone which corresponds at one end with one of the end numbers of
those already played. Whenever a player has no corresponding number he
must draw from the fourteen that were left out for that purpose. If,
when twelve of these fourteen stones are used up, he cannot play,
he loses his turn, and his opponent plays instead of him. The two
remaining dominoes must not be drawn.
When one of the players has used up all his dominoes, his opponent
turns up those he has left, the pips are then counted, and the number
of pips is scored to the account of the player who was out first.
If neither player can play, the stones are turned face upward on
the table, and the one who has the smallest number of pips scores as
follows: If the pips of one player count ten and those of the other
player five, the five is deducted from the ten, leaving five to be
scored by the player whose pips only counted five.
The dominoes are shuffled again, the second player this time taking
the lead, and the game proceeds in this way until one or other has
scored a hundred, the first to do so winning the game.
This game is generally played by two only, though it is possible for
four, five, or even six to join in it; but, in that case, they cannot,
of course, take seven stones each, so they must divide the stones
equally between them, leaving a few to draw from, if they prefer it;
if not they can divide them all.
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