Domino is a game in which players take turns placing dominoes on the table until a line of them extends across the surface. Each domino has one end with a number of dots, called pips. The other end is blank or has a symbol, usually a circle, which represents the value of that end in the current game. The heaviest end of a domino is known as its rank. The player with the heaviest rank makes the first play. There are many different games played with dominoes, but most fall into four categories: bidding, blocking, scoring and round games.
After the dominoes are shuffled, each player draws a tile from the stock for his hand. He may choose to draw a double or a single. The player who draws the heaviest domino will make the first play. If there is a tie, the player holding the highest double or the heaviest single begins the game.
A player may not play his tile out of turn. If he cannot play his tile, he passes his turn to the player on his left. If the pass is unsuccessful, the player on his right must take the extra tiles from his own hand without looking at them, and return them to the stock before drawing a new hand. If a player draws more tiles for his hand than is permitted, this is called an overdraw and the extras should be returned to the stock before anyone else draws their hands.
The order of play is determined by the rules of the specific game being played. In most games, a player who cannot place his tile takes a new domino from the stock. When he has a valid play, he places his domino on the table so that it touches either an existing double or the end of the line of play. This arrangement is also known as a layout, string or line of play. The type of domino used to start the line of play is known as a spinner and, depending on the game, it may be a unique double that can be played on all sides or an ordinary double that can only be played on two.
Some games require all players to play their last domino before the game ends. In these cases, the winners are the partners whose combined sum of all the pips on their remaining dominoes is lowest.
Hevesh Morris, an artist and woodworker, creates massive sculptures of dominoes in her garage. She films her work in slow motion to determine if any parts aren’t working correctly. She also tests individual sections of each domino to see how they function before putting them together. This allows her to make corrections if needed, and it allows her to test the work in different lighting conditions. She also uses a computer program to check the accuracy of her measurements. The software also helps her visualize the domino layout for each sculpture.