Domino is a small rectangular block of wood or plastic, the face of which is blank or marked with an arrangement of dots resembling those on a die. A domino is typically twice as long as it is wide. Dominoes (or dominoes) are used in games to create chains of play, and to establish points or totals in various ways. The most common game uses a set of double-six dominoes. Other types of dominoes are available, such as a double-twelve or double-15.
In general, dominoes are arranged in a row or stack to form a tableau. The first player, determined by drawing lots or by determining who holds the largest domino in his hand, places the first domino on the table. He then places each additional domino in a line across the row or stack so that it touches one end of a previous domino. A domino can be played only if both ends of the chain show the same value, or if it forms some other specified total with the other end of the chain.
The value of a domino is determined by the number of spots or pips on its two opposing faces. The value on each side is also known as its rank or weight, and a domino with more pips on one face than the other is usually referred to as being heavier or having a higher rank than another domino. Each domino is named according to the number of pips on each half of its face. A domino with a single-six or double-six rank has six pips on each of its two sides.
A domino has a total of 28 possible values, but only 28 of them are commonly used in most domino games. Larger sets of dominoes are available, with each new progressively larger set adding additional rows of ends to the total number of unique combinations. The most common extension sets are the double-twelve and the double-nine, which both contain 91 dominoes.
Domino has been a popular pastime since the early 18th century. The earliest mentions of domino in Europe came from Italy and France, but by the mid-19th century they were widely used in England as well. In modern times, domino is mostly played in groups or at parties. Some individuals prefer to use a computer or tablet to play online domino, while others enjoy competing with friends in face-to-face games of skill and strategy.
The Domino Effect
Whether you are a plotter who writes outlines in Scrivener or a “pantser” who composes the whole manuscript without an outline, the way your novel progresses is ultimately determined by how the scenes impact each other. If a scene doesn’t add tension, build upon the last scene or have a clear impact on the scenes ahead of it, then you may need to rework that scene.
In addition to the standard white or ivory dominoes, there are many different sets of dominoes made from other natural materials, such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, a dark hardwood like ebony, or even frosted glass or crystal. These sets are often much more expensive than their polymer equivalents, but they offer a more unique look and feel to the game.