Domino is a word that evokes the image of an intricate series of falling, stacking and toppling objects. It’s a good name for a game that requires careful planning and execution. In fact, domino teaches some very important life lessons, such as the importance of considering the impact of one’s actions on others. The concept of domino extends to all aspects of life, including the business world. For example, a company’s decision to change its policies can have a domino effect on its employees and customers.
Dominoes are rectangular pieces of clay, wood or plastic marked with an arrangement of spots, or pips, on both sides. They’re a lot like playing cards, but they have the added advantage of not having to be hidden from other players because of religious proscriptions against playing with card games. There are many different kinds of domino games, and some require more players than others. In general, though, the basic rules of domino are straightforward: a player makes his play by placing a domino onto another tile or a line of tiles that has been previously set down. There are a few exceptions to the basic rules, but for the most part, the order of play is decided by drawing lots or by seating arrangements. The heaviest domino is often referred to as “the lead,” and it’s generally played first, or made into a double before any other tile is placed on top of it.
When a domino is placed, it must be placed so that the two matching ends touch fully. If a single is played to a double, it must be laid in the middle of the double. Unless the game’s rules specify otherwise, any tile may be played to a double; however, if it is not possible for the next player to play his tile, he must wait until his turn comes up and then try to make the best play he can with his current hand of dominoes.
In addition to the blocking and scoring games, there are also a number of other, simpler, domino-like activities that involve more than one player. For example, there are domino solitaire games that can be played to build lines of matching pips. The game of slapjack is another variation that requires more than one player.
Some of the most interesting and complex domino arrangements are designed for display purposes. These can include straight and curved lines, grids that form pictures when the dominoes fall, or even 3-D structures like towers and pyramids. Some of these are created by professionals who use a process similar to the engineering-design process. For example, Lily Hevesh, who has become a well-known domino artist, creates her mind-blowing installations by making a model of the layout. She also films each section so she can see if it works before putting it together.
When a domino is knocked over, its potential energy transforms into kinetic energy that is transmitted to the next domino in the line. This energy then provides the push needed to bring that domino over, too, and so on until the last domino falls. This principle of energy transfer is also the reason why it can take several nail-biting minutes for some of Hevesh’s largest installations to tumble to their natural conclusion.