Domino is a word used to describe the effect of one thing knocking over another. It is the basis for a popular game where players place dominoes on end in long lines so that when one is tipped over it will cause the next domino to tip over and so on until the entire line topples. Stacking dominoes in this manner creates a very elaborate pattern and is often used as art. It has also led to a variety of games where the dominoes are tipped or slid across the surface of the table in order to form shapes and other patterns.
The most common set of dominoes consists of twenty-eight tiles with squared edges, each bearing one or more rounded dots or spots. These are called “pips” or “marks,” and each domino has a value that ranges from six pips down to none (or blank). The sum of the number of pips on both sides of a domino is its rank, or weight. This value is often used to determine a winner in a game, with a player holding the heaviest domino winning.
A game of dominoes is a complex series of turns that can involve blocking, scoring and strategy. The most familiar domino game is probably the classic battleships in which two opponents race to place their pieces so that they connect with other players’ lines of pieces. There are many other games, however, that use dominoes as their primary material, such as solitaire and trick-taking games. These are adapted from card games, and were once popular in certain areas because they permitted play in the face of religious proscriptions against playing cards.
In a game of domino, each player takes five tiles or seven when playing with three or more people and lays them down on the table in front of him. The rest of the dominoes are pushed aside to form a boneyard, from which a player may draw when he does not hold a domino with a matching value to the one he plays. Normally, the first player to win all of his pieces will win the game; if the total score is equal, play continues until someone “chips out” or cannot lay any more dominoes.
Despite the complexity of domino, it is very simple to understand. The key is to pay attention to the rules of the game and the rules that are specified for it, so that one can make wise choices in a timely manner. This is especially important for a beginner to avoid frustration and failure.
In writing, the domino image is also a good analogy for how a story works. For example, if a character does something that is immoral or goes against the expectations of his community, it is not likely that the reader will continue to find him as a sympathetic hero. The writer needs to give the character sufficient motivation or logic for his behavior in order to overcome this obstacle.