Multi-directional and multi-planar dominoes

Abstract

A domino game having domino game pieces that include double-sided tiles having pips provided on a front surface and a back surface, and a plurality of slots or grooves at peripheral longitudinal and lateral edges thereof that permit, during game play, connection to other game tiles. Such a connection between game tiles permit multi-directional and multi-planar configurations during game play.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A domino game apparatus, comprising:
 a tile including at least one longitudinal groove at peripheral longitudinal edges thereof and at least one lateral groove at peripheral lateral edges thereof, each at least one longitudinal groove and at least one lateral groove being configured to receive a corresponding groove of another tile to permit connection to one or more tiles in a multi-directional and multi-planar configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tile comprises:
 a front surface and a back surface; and   first indicia providing on the front surface and the back surface, the first indicia including a line to extend laterally at a geometric center of the tile, to thereby divide the tile into a first tile section and a second tile section, the first tile section and the second tile section being provided with a blank designation or second indicia including pips of numerical value in a range between one and six.   
     
     
         3 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one longitudinal groove comprises:
 a first longitudinal groove at a first longitudinal edge of the first tile section; and   a second longitudinal groove at the first longitudinal edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         4 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one longitudinal groove comprises:
 a third longitudinal groove at a second longitudinal edge of the first tile section; and   a fourth longitudinal groove at the second longitudinal edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         5 . The domino game apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one lateral groove comprises:
 a first lateral groove at a first lateral edge of the first tile section; and   a second lateral groove at a second lateral edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         6 . A domino game system, comprising:
 a plurality of tiles, each tile in the plurality of tiles including at least one longitudinal groove at peripheral longitudinal edges thereof and at least one lateral groove at peripheral lateral edges thereof, each at least one longitudinal groove and at least one lateral groove being configured to receive a corresponding groove of another tile to permit connection to one or more tiles in a multi-directional and multi-planar configuration.   
     
     
         7 . The domino game system of  claim 6 , wherein each tile in the plurality of tiles comprises:
 a front surface and a back surface; and   first indicia providing on the front surface and the back surface, the first indicia including a line to extend laterally at a geometric center of the tile, to thereby divide the tile into a first tile section and a second tile section, the first tile section and the second tile section being provided with a blank designation or second indicia including pips of numerical value in a range between one and six.   
     
     
         8 . The domino game system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one longitudinal groove comprises:
 a first longitudinal groove at a first longitudinal edge of the first tile section; and   a second longitudinal groove at the first longitudinal edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         9 . The domino game system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one longitudinal groove comprises:
 a third longitudinal groove at a second longitudinal edge of the first tile section; and   a fourth longitudinal groove at the second longitudinal edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         10 . The domino game system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one lateral groove comprises:
 a first lateral groove at a first lateral edge of the first tile section; and   a second lateral groove at a second lateral edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         11 . A method of playing dominos to be played by two or more players, the method comprising:
 creating a multi-directional and multi-planar configuration by connecting a drawn tile to another drawn tile having a common numerical suite, each tile including at least one longitudinal groove at peripheral longitudinal edges thereof and at least one lateral groove at peripheral lateral edges thereof, each at least one longitudinal groove and at least one lateral groove being configured to receive a corresponding groove of another tile to permit the connection of the tiles in the multi-directional and multi-planar configuration.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, prior to creating the multi-directional and multi-planar configuration:
 drawing at least one tile from a blind pile of a plurality of tiles.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each tile in the plurality of tiles comprises:
 a front surface and a back surface each having first indicia providing thereon.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first indicia includes a line to extend laterally at a geometric center of the at least one tile, to thereby divide the tile into a first tile section and a second tile section. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first tile section and the second tile section are provided with either a blank designation or second indicia including pips of numerical value in a range between one and six. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each connection is formed at the grooves of corresponding tiles. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one longitudinal groove comprises:
 a first longitudinal groove at a first longitudinal edge of the first tile section; and   a second longitudinal groove at the first longitudinal edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one longitudinal groove comprises:
 a third longitudinal groove at a second longitudinal edge of the first tile section; and   a fourth longitudinal groove at the second longitudinal edge of the second tile section.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one lateral groove comprises:
 a first lateral groove at a first lateral edge of the first tile section; and   a second lateral groove at a second lateral edge of the second tile section.