What is Domino?
Domino is a small block of wood or plastic, with a square face bearing a pattern of spots like those on dice. A domino is usually twice as long as it is wide, which makes it easy to stack them side-by-side in rows. When a domino is tipped over, it causes the next one to tip, and so on until the entire row falls. The term is also used for any sequence of events that lead to a larger consequence, such as the effect of a car crash or a nuclear explosion. It is a common symbol for chain reactions, and it has been the inspiration for many games and fanciful artworks.
Dominoes are normally used for positional games, in which a player places a domino edge to edge against another so that the adjacent faces either match or form a particular total. The value of a domino is determined by the number of dots on its two ends (called “pips”). A domino with six pips on both sides has more value than a domino with five pips on one end and none on the other (a double-six set).
The most well-known form of Domino is the game of Draw, in which players take turns placing tiles across the table so that their chains of adjacent dominoes grow in length. A player can only place a tile on the table when it has a matching value on both of its ends, or when it can be played against a domino that already has four adjacent pips (in which case the first player to complete the cross wins).
Another popular domino game is Block, in which each player takes turns placing a new domino on the edge of the row, positioning it so that its corresponding dominoes match up. In this game, players can only play a domino with a matching value on both of its ends, and they cannot move any existing dominoes to make their match.
If a player cannot place a domino, they pass their turn to the next player. In this way, the game continues until any player can no longer place a domino and then stops. This is a good game for beginners because there are no penalties for failing to score points by placing a domino, and a player can start with fewer dominoes than in the Draw game.
The Block game can be made more challenging by introducing the use of sleeping dominoes. When a player can no longer go, they must pick a sleeping domino to add to their set. This can be a great strategy for increasing the amount of power a player has in a hand and for creating more complex domino chains, but it can also reduce the pace of the game.
If you’re a writer, think of every plot beat in your novel as a domino. One simple action can cause a series of much greater consequences—even if the results aren’t always pleasant.
Domino is a small block of wood or plastic, with a square face bearing a pattern of spots like those on dice. A domino is usually twice as long as it is wide, which makes it easy to stack them side-by-side in rows. When a domino is tipped over, it causes the next one to tip, and so on until the entire row falls. The term is also used for any sequence of events that lead to a larger consequence, such as the effect of a car crash or a nuclear explosion. It is a common symbol for chain reactions, and it has been the inspiration for many games and fanciful artworks. Dominoes are normally used for positional games, in which a player places a domino edge to edge against another so that the adjacent faces either match or form a particular total. The value of a domino is determined by the number of dots on its two ends (called “pips”). A domino with six pips on both sides has more value than a domino with five pips on one end and none on the other (a double-six set). The most well-known form of Domino is the game of Draw, in which players take turns placing tiles across the table so that their chains of adjacent dominoes grow in length. A player can only place a tile on the table when it has a matching value on both of its ends, or when it can be played against a domino that already has four adjacent pips (in which case the first player to complete the cross wins). Another popular domino game is Block, in which each player takes turns placing a new domino on the edge of the row, positioning it so that its corresponding dominoes match up. In this game, players can only play a domino with a matching value on both of its ends, and they cannot move any existing dominoes to make their match. If a player cannot place a domino, they pass their turn to the next player. In this way, the game continues until any player can no longer place a domino and then stops. This is a good game for beginners because there are no penalties for failing to score points by placing a domino, and a player can start with fewer dominoes than in the Draw game. The Block game can be made more challenging by introducing the use of sleeping dominoes. When a player can no longer go, they must pick a sleeping domino to add to their set. This can be a great strategy for increasing the amount of power a player has in a hand and for creating more complex domino chains, but it can also reduce the pace of the game. If you’re a writer, think of every plot beat in your novel as a domino. One simple action can cause a series of much greater consequences—even if the results aren’t always pleasant.