Dominoes are small, rectangular blocks with a number of spots or pips on one face and a blank or identically patterned face. They can be made from a wide range of materials, including bone and silver lip oyster shell (mother of pearl, MOP), ivory, or a dark hardwood such as ebony; and they may have contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted. The spots or pips are sometimes referred to as the domino “marks.”
When you flick a domino in a line and it falls, much of its potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, the energy of motion. Some of this energy is transmitted to the next domino, giving it the push it needs to fall, and the process continues. The resulting chain reaction is also known as the Domino Effect. The term can be used either literally—describing a sequence of actual collisions—or metaphorically, to describe causal linkages within systems such as global finance or politics.
A domino set is a collection of domino tiles that can be used to play several different games. The most common set has 28 tiles; it can be expanded to include larger sets that contain up to a hundred or more dominoes. Many people enjoy arranging the dominoes in a straight or curved line and then knocking them over. Others like to create intricate domino art or use them to teach children counting and motor skills.
There are many different rules for laying dominoes, but the basic idea is that a player scores points by putting down dominoes end to end such that the exposed ends match: one’s touch two’s, and two’s touch three’s. Often, additional tiles are placed straddling the long side of a double to allow for future dominoes to be added.
Dominos can be played with both hands or with just one; the first player to score wins. Normally, players draw their tiles before playing, and the first domino is then placed on the table (either by drawing lots or by who holds the highest-value tile). The player then places his or her hand over the first domino to prevent it from being seen.
Some domino games require that all of a player’s tiles be played before the next person can begin; this is called being out. If you’re out, you must “knock” or rap the table to signal that you can no longer continue. The remaining players then take turns placing their dominoes, attempting to make as many matches as possible.
When a company experiences low employee satisfaction, it’s important for leadership to communicate with employees. This is what Domino’s Pizza CEO Don Meij did on the television show Undercover Boss. Meij worked in a busy Domino’s restaurant and talked to delivery service drivers. By listening to employees and addressing their complaints, Domino’s was able to improve employee morale.
When you’re writing a story, each scene domino represents a point that advances information or an argument. Using this technique, you can ensure that your story flows smoothly from one scene to the next.