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Historical Background: The Inuit game of "Á ma zú a lát" is similar to the game of dominoes. The Eskimo name for dominoes means "standing upright side by side." The European game of dominoes seems to have been borrowed from the Chinese, but only the math elements were retained.

Dominoes have had shapes other than the flat, small pieces we now know. In Korea, dominoes were long, cube-shaped, bone-faced bamboo pieces. In India, "pase" dice-looking dominoes are long rectangular, cubed dice with pointed ends and are made of bone or ivory prisms, marked on four sides.

Dominoes may have originally been used as counters in dice games or in a method of fortune telling with dice. In the year 1120 A.D., the dominoes we know today existed in China and it is believed that dominoes descended from dice around this time.

The game of dominoes was a popular game during Colonial American times and continues to be a favorite American game. Dominoes are as popular with adults as they are with children. Many Irish pubs feature domino games and sponsor domino contests.

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