Domino is a game in which players place dominoes edge to edge against each other until a row of the entire set is complete. There are many different games of domino, each with its own rules and strategies. Some games involve scoring points, such as bergen and muggins, while others are blocking games, such as matador, chicken foot, Mexican train and the double-six domino. Many domino games also teach children number recognition and counting skills.
The term domino can also refer to a series of events in the history of a nation or company, such as the rise and fall of the pizza chain Domino’s. Domino’s struggled with poor leadership and financial trouble, until it was saved by a series of changes, including replacing its CEO.
A domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block with either a blank face or one to six dots resembling those on dice. There are 28 such pieces in a full set of dominoes. The word is also used to describe the games played with these small blocks, which are sometimes known as bones, cards, men, tiles, spinners or tickets.
When a domino is standing upright, it has potential energy, which is stored in the way that a battery stores energy in its cells. When a domino is knocked over, much of that potential energy is converted to kinetic energy and the rest of it causes other dominoes to fall. This creates a chain reaction that can continue for a long time.
Dominoes have been around for centuries, but the modern form of the game was developed in Europe during the mid-18th century. The first sets were usually only 28 pieces, with each piece representing the result of a single roll of two six-sided dice. Later, newer sets were created with more combinations of ends, and larger numbers of pips per end. These extended sets were more difficult to play and eventually disappeared.
While it is not impossible to build a set of dominoes with more than 28 pieces, it is very impractical. Each additional domino requires more space to store and more force to push. In addition, the more pips on a domino, the harder it is to see and place accurately.
In the English language, the word “domino” also has an earlier sense of a hooded cloak worn together with a mask during carnival season or at a masquerade. In French, it has an even earlier meaning of a cape worn by a priest over his surplice.
While writing a novel, it is helpful to think of each scene as a domino. If a scene does not add to the overall plot, or if it doesn’t have a clear impact on the scenes before and after it, consider revising the scene. Also, if you are a pantser, or do not make a detailed outline of the plot before beginning to write, it is essential to use tools like Scrivener or outlines to prevent a chain reaction of unnecessary or repetitive scenes.