Domino is a game in which players build chains of domino pieces edge to edge on the table. Each domino shows a number, usually from 1 to 10, on its face and has a corresponding number of spots (or “pips”) on the end of each side. When a player plays a tile, it must touch one of these ends in order to continue the chain. Then, other players may play on top of the chain in turn, continuing the process until the chain is complete.
The word domino is also used to describe a sequence of events in which something happens to cause another event, often of greater magnitude. This can apply to a story as well as to a situation in real life.
For example, when a child is bullied, the consequences can have a domino effect. A single incident can trigger a series of events, such as bullying, retaliation, and then revenge, which can spiral out of control. This can lead to the victim becoming a bully and then being bullied by others.
A domino effect can also be seen in the workplace, where one person’s actions can affect a number of people in an organization. This can be seen in a company’s culture, the way it conducts business, and its ability to retain employees. In the case of Domino’s, the company created a new pizza-delivery vehicle to address a customer complaint—and in the process upended decades of tradition. This upheaval had a domino effect on the brand and the company as a whole.
The term domino has become popular in the context of describing chain reactions, but the game of domino itself dates back centuries. The earliest known use of the word comes from France in the 1750s, but in English it’s been around for much longer. The name likely stems from the fact that a piece of a long hooded cloak worn together with a mask resembles a domino piece.
There are many different types of domino games, and the rules for each vary by location and game type. However, in general, players place a domino into the line of play so that the number of dots on one end matches the number of dots on the other. Once this is done, the player begins playing a tile by placing it in such a way that the top edge of the domino touches one of the ends of the line of play. Then other players follow in turn, positioning their tiles so that the numbers on the ends of the lines match up.
Some modern domino sets are made out of polymer materials, such as plastics or resins, while traditional sets can be made from a variety of natural materials. These include silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or ebony with contrasting black or white pips; stone (e.g., marble, granite, soapstone); metal; ceramic clay; and even glass or crystal.