Dominoes are small square pieces of wood or other material that can be stacked on each other in long lines. When the first domino is tipped over, it triggers a chain reaction that causes the rest of the pieces to topple as well. They can be arranged in complex patterns to create designs and are used as toys for children to use their imagination. Dominoes can also be used in educational activities to teach math and other subjects.
There are many different games that can be played with dominoes, but most fall into one of four categories: blocking games, scoring games, and round games. Most domino games involve matching tiles and then playing them in a line, which is sometimes called a string or a string of play. In some games, a domino can be played at an open end of the line of play, but in others, it must be played on an closed end or on an empty space.
Most modern sets of dominoes are numbered and marked with an arrangement of dots, which is called a pip count, on one side. The other sides of the tiles are blank or identically patterned. This arrangement is similar to the markings on a die, but there are some differences. The numbering system varies among sets, but most modern sets are designed to be easily read from either direction.
If a player has no domino in his hand when the game starts, he must draw a new domino from the stock to make the first play. The player with the highest double begins. If there is a tie, the winner is determined by drawing new hands according to the rules of the specific game.
In the early 1990s, Domino’s CEO Tom Doyle decided to take a risk and try something completely different. He stopped using old-fashioned phone lines to take orders, which meant customers could order by texting an emoji or using devices like Amazon Echo. This was a huge shift in the company’s culture, but it paid off because the Domino’s app is now the best way for customers to order pizzas.
In writing, the domino image can be used to illustrate how scenes should work together. If a scene isn’t moving the story forward or doesn’t have enough impact on the scene ahead of it, it’s a bit like a domino that falls off the edge of the table. If the next scene doesn’t raise tension or increase suspense, it’s time to rethink the order of the scenes. For pantsers, the image of a domino can also help them weed out unnecessary scenes by making them fall several times to see how they behave before they’re written. To test a scene, set up the dominoes and slowly begin to push them with your finger.