Dominoes, also known as bones, cards, men, or tiles, are a type of flat rectangular pieces that feature a line across the center to visually divide them into two square ends. One end has an arrangement of dots or pips (like a die) and the other is blank or identically patterned. Each domino has a specific value based on its configuration of pips. A domino that is completely filled in with pips is called a double, while a blank or empty domino is considered a zero.
A set of dominoes has a variety of games that can be played on them, ranging from simple blocking and scoring games to complex puzzles and creative constructions. Many domino games are adaptations of card games, and were originally popular in some places as a way to circumvent religious prohibitions against playing cards.
In the most basic game, players take turns placing a domino on the table so that its exposed end touches a matching end of an adjacent tile. The player then adds another domino to the chain, if possible, so that all exposed ends match. Eventually, a snake-line of dominoes develops across the table. Each domino may have a different number of pips on its end, but all ends must be matched to avoid having an incomplete chain.
The most common domino sets have 28 tiles, which are sufficient for most of the games that can be played. However, more advanced domino sets are available that contain additional tiles. These are typically referred to as “extended” sets because they introduce additional dominos with more pips on their ends. Generally, each additional pair of pips increases the total value of a domino by three.
Whether you are enjoying a game of domino in the privacy of your home or with friends at a coffee shop, the key to enjoying this timeless pastime is paying attention to each small victory. The beauty of this game is its ability to create chains of dominoes that build and build until the final climax. Just like a well-placed shot in a movie that sends several other characters hurtling over the top of their own avalanche, each small win can have a dramatic effect.
The most important thing to remember when writing a story is that a domino chain must fall smoothly and continuously without hiccups or breaks in logic. If the dominoes don’t all fall over in a smooth flow, readers will become bored and lose interest in the plot. This is a very common problem in novels and stories, and it can easily be corrected by carefully crafting each scene to ensure that all the dominoes line up in an effective manner. For example, in a story about a tough-talking sheriff who has no mercy for criminals, the main character’s hard-line moral standards must be established at the beginning and remain consistent throughout the plot. This will help the reader to connect with the story and understand the plot.