Don't expect to set in motion long rows of oblong objects successively colliding as if someone nudged over a miniature Stonehenge.

Do expect some resentment at the "boneyard," basic addition and quite possibly $100, if you play the tiles right.

High stakes gambling makes its debut at SF State on March 25, with the Campus Recreation Department's first dominoes tournament.

Taking place in the Cesar Chavez Student Center from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., the tournament has a $7 entrance fee and is single-elimination.

"We wanted to move outside the box of what you typically think of as recreation," said Ajani Byrd, the department's director.

According to Byrd, over 1,200 students participated in intramural soccer, volleyball and basketball this semester. These games are meant to encourage fun and competition, but not everyone looking for something to do is a sports nut.

"What happens if you don't participate in these activities? Well here's one of our solutions," Bryd said.

A Chinese invention, early domino sets have been dated around the 12th century.
Players start with seven tiles each and dominoes are played flat on the table, face up. The idea is to match the numbers of a tile with a tile that's already been played.

Each player plays a tile, if they don't have any matching numbers, they take dominoes from the pile, or "boneyard" until a playable tile is drawn.

Players score points by making the ends of tile chains add up to a multiple of five. The first player to 150 points wins.

"The idea for this tournament came from CSU East Bay, which runs a pretty successful dominoes competition," said Ryan Fetzer, intramural and sports club coordinator.
First place is $100, if enough people participate, and space is limited to 48 players.
Getting a new project off the ground is always a daunting task, admits Byrd, "but even if we only have a few people attend it will be a success."

"If there were more events like this [on campus], I'd probably hang out more," said business major, Gabriel Lowe, who says he plans to check out the tournament.
Byrd has been mulling expanding intramural outdoor events, starting with soccer and flag football.

The department is continuing with its one-day tournament idea, holding a dodgeball event in the gym April 15.

"The possibilities are endless really," Fetzer said of new campus recreation activities. "We just need to know what the students want so we can give it to them."