Domino is a game of skill and strategy, not luck. The player wins by being the first to complete a set of dominoes in a designated area, a pattern or board, without the opposing players removing any of their own dominoes. Dominoes are a great way to get children interested in math, as they are easy to count and add up. They also teach children about patterns and sequences.
A domino, also called a bone, is a rectangular tile with a line down the middle to visually divide it into two equal square ends. Each end features a number, from 0 (or blank) to 6 in the most popular type of domino. Each domino is a member of one or more suits, each suit consisting of the numbers of its own tiles.
The most common types of dominoes are double six and double nine. Larger sets exist and are used for games with more than four players. The most common layout games fall into two main categories, blocking and scoring.
To play a blocking game, the first player places a domino in front of an opponent’s stack of dominoes. Then, in turn, each player adds a domino to the adjacent side of the stack that matches the value of the previously played domino. This continues until no one can play a domino and the player passes his or her turn.
A scoring game is a bit more complicated. The players each start with a certain number of dominoes (for example, two players begin with seven each and three players with five). Each player takes turns placing a domino against an opponent’s stack of dominoes so that the adjacent sides match in value or form some other specified total. Players continue playing in this manner until a player reaches zero dominoes or the players reach a predetermined winning condition.
You’ve probably seen video clips of amazing domino chains in which hundreds or even thousands of individual dominoes are lined up and then nudged with only the slightest of nudges to set them all in motion. It’s exciting to watch, and it gives you an idea of how powerful momentum can be in a chain reaction.
When you’re writing a novel, it’s important to consider the effect that each scene has on the scenes ahead of it, just like the domino effect. Whether you’re a pantser who writes off the cuff or take your time with an outline and Scrivener, it’s crucial to consider how each scene can affect the story as a whole.
A man who couldn’t do arithmetic in college was able to graduate by memorizing the rules of Domino. He could visualize the entire domino arrangement in his head, and then mentally add each domino to the previous one. This method works for a lot of people, and it’s the reason why Domino’s Pizza has endorsed this simple and effective way to learn arithmetic. However, this is a poor substitute for actual schooling in the classroom.
