Domino is a type of rectangular tile that has a line down the center that separates it into two squares. Each side of the tile has an arrangement of spots or pips, similar to those on a die. Dominoes are used to play games and create artistic arrangements. People can arrange them in straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, or even 3D structures such as towers and pyramids. When someone lays down one domino, it often triggers others to follow suit, either forming an uninterrupted chain or cascading from left to right.
Dominoes are popular with children because they are easy to set up and can be knocked down. But they can also be useful for educational purposes, as they provide an opportunity to practice counting and identifying numbers. Dominoes are also a fun way to get kids outside and active, as they encourage physical coordination and motor skills.
Most domino players use the basic double-six set (28 tiles). The tiles are shuffled and placed face down to form a stock or boneyard, from which each player draws seven tiles at the beginning of the game. A player who draws the heaviest domino makes the first play in the game. If there is a tie, the player must draw additional dominoes until there is a clear winner.
Throughout the history of domino, there have been many variations on this simple game. Some of these have included the use of a different number of dominoes, adding or subtracting points, and changing the rules for drawing tiles from the stock. But the fundamental rules of the game remain the same: each player has a hand of seven dominoes and each domino can only be played against another domino with a matching number of dots or blanks.
Lily Hevesh, an artist who creates domino art for movies, television shows, and events, starts each project with a goal in mind. She brainstorms images or words, and then she plans out how to arrange the dominoes. She makes test versions of each section, and then puts them all together. Her largest arrangements can take several nail-biting minutes to fall.
Sometimes, one small mistake can have a domino effect and cause problems that are hard to fix. For example, if a student gets a bad grade on an assignment, it can affect their entire grade in school. And if the person who drives an SUV crashes into a pedestrian, it can knock over a chain of cars and lead to injuries or deaths.