Domino is a game of chance and skill. Each player takes a turn playing a domino onto the table positioning it so that one end of the domino touches a number on the end of an existing domino chain. This starts a chain that increases in length until it reaches a point at which it cannot continue. At that time, the winner is the player who has the least number of pips on his or her remaining dominoes.
The term “domino” has also been used to describe a pattern of events whereby one small event leads to larger-scale outcomes: “The Domino Effect.” In Domino, each tiny action builds upon itself to create a cascade of new behavior that changes identity. For example, when Jennifer Dukes Lee began making her bed each morning, it was a small commitment that led to a more organized and clean home. It also gave her the self-image of being a person who makes her bed daily. This new identity-based habit influenced her other behaviors, including the way she treated herself.
In addition to the obvious blocking and scoring games, there are many other domino variants based on the same general idea of connecting adjacent dominoes with each other. These include concentration-style games, where two tiles are considered to match if the number of pips on one or both ends matches, and other tricks that involve matching numbers on the sides of the dominoes or connecting them at right angles.
For many people, the most fascinating aspect of domino is how it can be arranged to make elaborate and beautiful configurations. Lines of dominoes can be set up in straight or curved lines, and if each domino is placed carefully it can be tipped to cause the next domino in the line to tip, creating amazing structures that can even form 3-D shapes. This is the sort of thing that domino builders compete for at domino shows, where builders try to create the most complex and impressive domino reaction before a live audience.
Domino can be played on any flat surface, but it is most commonly played on a tabletop or game board. To begin play, each player chooses a domino from the available selection (each set contains 28 dominoes). The dominoes are then laid out on the table so that each side has an open end to receive a tile from another player. The tiles are numbered on each end, and the higher numbered domino is played first. When all of the tiles have been played, the winner is the player who has the most total points of all the pips on his or her remaining dominoes.
It is important to remember that domino is a game of chance, and the outcome of a game depends not only on the skill of the players but the luck of the draw. If you are not careful, a single misplaced tile can ruin your entire strategy. Usually, the game stops when one player chips out or loses all of his or her pieces. But there are some variations where the winning partner is determined by the relative total points of each of the partners’ remaining tiles.