Dominoes are made in sets known by the number of pips on the highest domino or bone in the set. The standard set is double-sixes and contains twenty-eight bones. Some persons use double-nines. In the double-six set there are seven "suits," each named after some number from six to blank. In each of these suits there are seven bones, but each domino in a suit, except the doublet, belongs to some other suit as well. The lower figure on each domino shows the other suit to which it belongs.
All games of dominoes, except matadore, are based on the principle of following suit or matching. The first player "sets" a certain domino, and after that each player must play one of the same suit, the suit called for being always that of the exposed or open end.
BACKGAMMON
The object of each player is to get all his men into his home table, and as soon as they have all arrived to throw them off the board altogether. The one that succeeds in doing this first wins the game. Each of two players has fifteen men, known as black and white, and each should have his own dice-box. Almost all of the folding checker boards are marked on the reverse side for backgammon, and the fifteen men of each color in a checker set are intended for backgammon players. The two sides of the board nearer the players are called tables, and the table with only two men on two of the points is called the inner table. It is also the home table of the player who sits with that side of the board nearer to him.
It does not matter which way the board is turned, as the arrow points are alternately light and dark all the way round in either direction, but it is usual to place the side of the board with only two men on points nearest the window, so that there shall be a good light on the home tables. The points in the home tables are known by their numbers, which correspond to the faces of a die, and are called: ace point, deuce point, trey point, four point, five point, and six point.
The point immediately across the bar which divides the two tables is called the "bar point," not because it is next the bar, but because it bars the two adverse men in your home table from running away with double sixes if you can "make it up."
CHECKERS
The object of the game is to capture all the opponent's men and remove them from the board, or else to pin them up in such a manner that he cannot move. If neither player can accomplish this, the game is drawn.
A board divided into sixty-four squares is used. These are of dark and light color. Each player receives twelve men, known as white and black. At the beginning of the game the board is so placed that each player shall have two of his men touching the edge of the board at his left. The men are set on the black squares.
The squares upon the board are supposed to be numbered from one to sixty-four, beginning at the upper left-hand corner upon the side of the board occupied by the black men.