Domino is a small rectangular block of wood or plastic with one or more sides topped with dots resembling those on dice. It is used as a game piece and can be stacked on end in long lines. When the first domino is tipped over, it causes the next domino in the line to tip and so on until all of them fall. This is the basis for many popular games and the idiom, the domino effect, which describes a sequence of events that begins with a minor event and ultimately leads to much greater–and sometimes catastrophic–consequences.
When a domino set is built carefully, it can be very effective at creating a variety of designs. The artist Hevesh, for example, has made complex designs involving thousands of dominoes. When she is done, all that remains to be done is to wait for the dominoes to topple according to the laws of physics.
Hevesh says that one of the keys to her success is using science. She works with a team to create her amazing designs, and she is careful to use only a small amount of force on each domino. This is because she wants to preserve the potential energy of the dominoes. She also uses a special material called elastomer to prevent the dominoes from damaging each other or the surface on which they are standing.
The most common domino sets have 28 tiles. The tiles are divided into two equal groups, each with seven values, called suits, on their ends. Each suit has a value from six through blank or zero. The total number of spots on each end is the domino’s rank or weight, and it determines which dominoes can be paired with other ones to form matching pairs. The pairs are then arranged on the table to form layouts.
Layout games are the most common domino activities, and they are often played with more than one person. There are two main types of layout games, blocking and scoring. Blocking games require matching pairs of dominoes, while scoring games are based on the movement of single dominoes from one spot to another.
Dominoes can be stacked in many different ways, and the rules for each are usually written on a domino tile. Some games are based on a particular theme, such as racing to reach the end of a certain length of track. Other games, such as domino chess, are more abstract and involve strategic thinking.
The most important lesson that I try to convey when I offer my book editing services is the importance of ensuring that your story has a smooth flow and good logic. I encourage writers to think of each scene in their novel as a domino. If a domino isn’t falling in the right way, it will slow down the momentum of your plot. Moreover, your reader may even lose interest. Instead, think of your story as a series of dominoes that all lead to the grand climax of your novel.