The Basics of Domino
Written by
Domino is a game played by sliding or placing dominoes on a line or string and then knocking them over. Some domino games have very specific rules, while others are flexible and can be adapted to the player’s situation. Generally, however, the most popular domino games fit into four categories: bidding games, blocking games, scoring games and round games.
The basic domino is a rectangular wood or plastic block, typically 28 to 32 pips in length. One side is blank or has a pattern of dots, resembling those on dice. The other is marked with pips in a specific sequence and arrangement. There are many different types of domino, but all have the same basic structure: the number of pips and their arrangement on each face.
As a domino is moved along the table, it forms a line of play that must be completed before another tile may be laid. This line of play can be in any direction, and it is sometimes referred to as the layout or string. Usually, the open ends of the dominoes are joined together to form the line of play, although this is not always true in all games. In some games, the number of ends is used to count a score; for example, if a domino is played on both 5 and 5, it would have ten total pips (ends). In other games, only the numbers of the matching halves are counted.
When a player cannot lay a tile, he or she “knocks” the table, or raps it, to notify the opposing players that the turn is passed. Then the next player has the option to play or to pass. If the number of dominoes on a player’s hand is fewer than that of the other partner, that player is the winner.
Generally, a game is won when a player’s combined total of all the spots on his or her dominoes is the lowest. In partnership games, the winning pair is determined by the combined score of each partner’s remaining dominoes.
When determining seating arrangements for a game, one way is to draw lots. The player who draws the highest domino has first choice of seat, then the next-highest player seats himself to his or her left. In some games, players sit opposite each other.
Hevesh, who specializes in domino art, uses test versions of each part of an installation before putting it all together. Then she films the pieces in slow motion to make precise corrections if necessary. She says this allows her to get just the right look and feel. The final piece of art can be a curved line, a grid that forms pictures when it falls or even a 3-D tower. Her work has been displayed in several museums. She has also won a number of awards and recognition, including a Top Workplaces Leadership Award from the Detroit Free Press. Hevesh cites listening to her customers as an important element in the company’s success.