Domino, from domino effect, refers to the way a single action can have a chain reaction of consequences that eventually affect our lives. While the term is often used in business, it can be applied to any situation or circumstance where an initial act has a ripple effect, leading to subsequent effects that build upon one another. The Domino Effect is a powerful concept that can be used to achieve our goals and reach our full potential.
The domino is a flat thumbsized rectangular block with identifying markings on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other (called its “end”). The identity-bearing side of each domino contains an arrangement of dots, similar to those on a die, that vary in value from one to six. The pips alternate in color, from white to black; this is what gives the domino its unique visual appearance. A domino set typically includes 28 tiles, each with a matching pair of end pieces.
Dominoes can be made of a variety of materials, including polymer (such as Bakelite or PVC) and ceramic clay. More traditionally, however, European-style sets were made of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or dark hardwood such as ebony with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted on them. The more upscale versions of this game are often made from these natural materials, which provide a much richer feel and a heavier weight than polymer sets.
Traditionally, a domino is played on a flat surface such as a table. Each player draws a hand of dominoes, each hand being distinct from the others. Once the draw is complete, play begins with each player placing a domino on the table (or other playing surface). The first tile placed must be a double – a domino with two matching ends. Additional tiles are placed to these doubles, either straddling the open end or cross-ways depending on game rules.
As more tiles are played, the domino chains develop a complex, snake-like shape. This is due to both the whims of players and limitations of the playing surface. Usually, a domino can be positioned vertically, horizontally or diagonally – but never in a straight line.
The most common types of domino games involve positioning the tiles in a layout and scoring them according to their value. The player who scores the most points in a given number of rounds wins the game. Points are calculated by counting the numbers of pips on opposing player’s tiles (a double-blank counts as 0, for example). In some cases, the winning player is the person who has all of his or her tiles on the table at the end of play.
Lily Hevesh began collecting dominoes as a child, but it wasn’t until she was 9 that she started setting them up in curved and straight lines on the floor. This led her to start a YouTube channel where she creates spectacular domino setups for movies and TV shows. She now has over 2 million subscribers to her channel, Hevesh5.