Domino is a game in which players try to place a piece on an end of a line that has already been placed. Each player in turn lays a domino in one of the four corner slots on the edge of the board, and each new domino must match the value of an existing one. The first person to lay a domino wins the game. There are many different variations of the game, and a domino set can contain anywhere from 28 to 253 tiles.
Dominoes are small oblong pieces of wood or other material, with a pattern of dots on one side (often called the “nip”) and a blank or identically patterned other side. Early sets were functionally similar to playing cards, and they were used in China as well as in Europe. The most common domino sets consist of double-six tiles, which are able to be combined with one another in various ways. Larger sets are possible, but they are rarely used.
A number of games are played with dominoes, including blockers and scoring games. In addition to these, there are games of chance such as concentration and solitaire. Some of these games were originally adaptations of card games, but they became popular in parts of the world where religious prohibitions against gambling prohibited the use of cards.
The term domino is also used as a metaphor for events that have a chain-reaction effect, such as making a simple decision that leads to consequences that may be far-reaching. This idea is particularly prevalent in the United States, where the phrase “domino effect” has been used in discussions of political and social issues.
The US government’s policy of containing communism during the Cold War is often referred to as the Domino Theory. The theory asserts that if a communist government gains power in one country in the region, other countries will follow suit, leading to the collapse of all non-communist governments in the area. The success of this strategy is a matter of debate, and some argue that the domino theory has contributed to the current state of global conflict.
Hevesh, who makes domino art, follows a version of the engineering-design process when creating her installations. She starts by considering the theme or purpose of the installation, then brainstorms images and words related to that theme. Once she has a basic plan, she tests each section of the display individually to make sure it works correctly. She then puts the sections together, starting with the largest 3-D sections.
When she’s finished, Hevesh enjoys the satisfaction of looking at her completed work. Her ultimate goal is to create a domino design that has a sense of movement. She has found that the best way to accomplish this is to make sure that every scene logically connects with the scenes that came before it. So, if you’re a pantser, remember to check your scenes for logical impact and progression. Otherwise, your story might fall over like a dead Domino.