Domino is a small, rectangular block used for a variety of games. It has one side with a pattern of dots or pips, similar to those on a die, and is blank or identically patterned on the other. The most common domino sets contain 28 tiles, but larger ones are available. The main types of domino play are blocking and scoring games.
Dominoes have a long history, with evidence of their use in China dating back to the 12th or 13th century. European dominoes were developed in France around the 1750s. The term domino also refers to the game itself, which is a sequence of actions triggered by the placement of a single tile or piece.
Each domino is assigned to a suit, which corresponds to the numbers that appear on its pips. A single tile can belong to two suits, for example, threes and blanks (also known as the 0 suit). The suits are distinguished from each other by color or pattern, so that each player has a unique set of pieces.
When a domino falls, its potential energy converts into kinetic energy, which passes to the next piece in line. This kinetic energy provides the push that causes the next domino to fall. The process continues until all the pieces have fallen.
In Western domino games, the first player plays a tile that has a number equal to or greater than the total of all the open ends on the other players’ tiles. The other players then play tiles with matching numbers or blanks, until each player has completed a line of dominoes. The first player to do so wins.
Some domino games involve a series of actions that must be performed in order, such as a maze or a chain reaction. For example, in a game of matador, the goal is to place a domino from your hand at one end of a line of dominoes already placed on the table. You score points for each time a domino on the end of the line is divisible by five or three.
As a writer, your task is to create an effective story that will hold readers’ attention all the way to the climax. When you plot a novel, think of each scene as a domino that needs to be knocked over to advance the story forward. Whether you write an outline or a manuscript on the fly, considering how each scene is like a domino can help you create a story that flows smoothly.