What is Domino?

Domino is the game in which you set dominoes up on a table and then knock them over. It’s a fun way to pass the time and can even help kids learn about physics. The game also teaches them how to plan ahead and consider the effects of their actions.

Dominos have many different uses, but most people think of them as little tiles that can be stacked on end in long lines. When the first one is tipped over, it causes the next domino in line to tip and so on. Some people get very creative in the ways they set up their dominoes, with some making them into shapes and others building intricate patterns.

The most common type of domino is the double-six set, which has 28 tiles: seven doubles (the same number on both ends) and 21 singles (either a number or a blank). The tiles are shuffled face down and then drawn by players to determine who will play first. Players can draw as few or as many tiles as they wish, but the player who draws the highest double goes first.

A player must then place a tile on the table by matching one of its ends to the other side of a tile already on the table. The resulting chain of dominoes is called a “chain.” In the beginning, only a few small chains may be built; as the game progresses, longer and more complex ones will develop. When a player plays a tile and the result is that both ends of the chain have the same number, this is called “stitched up.”

Each time a new domino is played to the end of a chain, the chain grows in length. The chain may take the shape of a snake, a ladder, or any other design the players choose. Play continues until one player reaches his or her last tile and “chips out.”

Domino is a great way to learn about maths, as much of the strategy of the games involves numeric patterns. It is also a good way to improve motor skills, because the placement of each domino requires precise hand movements.

In fiction, dominoes can be used to represent scenes in a story. They can also be a metaphor for events that affect more than just the characters in a scene. For example, if a character is rude or mean to another person, that person might be upset and that may affect other people in the same social circle. Eventually, those other people may be so upset that they begin to act differently. That change might then spread to more and more people until the domino effect is felt all over the world. This is why the word “domino” has come to be associated with the idea of a chain reaction. It is a perfect way to explain how one simple action can lead to far greater — and sometimes catastrophic — consequences.