Domino – A Game of Tiles
Domino is a game with a set of small rectangular tiles with a number printed on each, inlaid or painted. It is a tile-based strategy game played by two or more players. The dominoes are arranged to form lines and rows, either in blocks or in parallel rows with each end touching the other. The open ends of the tiles are marked with pips resembling those on dice, and each numbered tile belongs to a suit: a single suit or multiple suits. Each player has his or her own dominoes, although there are some variants that allow players to share a stock of tiles.
The most common domino sets contain 28 tiles. The tiles are normally made from wood, bone or ivory with a contrasting color of white or black inlaid on each side to distinguish the different types of tiles. The pips are sometimes inlaid or painted in a design or pattern, but also can be screen-printed on the surface of the tile. The earliest documented use of the term “domino” occurred in China in the 12th or 13th century.
Historically, there have been several ways to determine who makes the first play of a game. These include drawing lots, letting the player with the lowest score make the first move or, in some games, counting the number of pips left on all of the losing players’ remaining tiles (counting one side of a double is acceptable). The winner is the player who has accumulated the most points.
Some domino sets are made from materials other than wood, including stone (e.g., marble or granite); other types of wood such as ebony, alder or mahogany; metals like brass or pewter; and ceramic clay. In the past, carved and etched designs have been used on dominoes as well.
The idiom domino effect refers to any event that causes a chain reaction that results in more and more events, often with dramatic consequences. This is a popular metaphor for political events such as the fall of a dictatorship, or a country’s reaction to an invasion by another nation, which may lead to more countries falling under its control.
In fiction, we may use the image of a domino effect to describe how scenes in a story relate to each other, and influence the next scene. Whether you are a pantser or a plotter, using this visual aid helps ensure that your scenes work together to drive the story toward its satisfying climax. When the dominoes are all in place, your readers will appreciate the smooth, seamless action that leads to your ultimate conclusion. You can even plan out your own Domino Art for your walls! Creating this kind of artwork is fun and can help motivate you to get your writing done. Dominoes can be arranged to create straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures, stacked walls or 3D structures like pyramids. You can create as many designs as you like, or just start with a single straight line and see how it fits in your space.