Domino is a game of chance and skill in which players arrange falling tiles on the table to form rows or columns. The first player to finish a line wins the game. The game is popular around the world and has crossed linguistic and cultural boundaries. It is a unifying force, fostering camaraderie and community among those who play.
Whether a domino set is made from plastic or natural materials, the pieces are usually twice as long as they are wide and feature a line in the middle to divide them visually into two squares, or ends, with an arrangement of dots on one side and a blank or identically patterned other side. Each end has a different value, indicated by a number of dots (or “pips”) ranging from six to none or blank. The total value of a domino, the sum of the values of the two sides, is referred to as its rank or weight.
When a domino is set up, its inertia keeps it in place until it receives an outside push or pull. That push may be the nudge of a finger, or a much bigger one from a domino show builder who lines up hundreds or thousands of dominoes in a carefully choreographed sequence, all toppling with the slightest of a nudge. Domino builders often compete to see who can create the most impressive domino effect or reaction in front of a live audience of fans.
The speed at which a domino falls depends on its rank and the amount of energy it has stored. A small nudge, like a nerve impulse traveling down the spine, can cause much larger topples farther along the chain.
Lily Hevesh is one of the best domino artists around, and she’s always experimenting with new ideas for her next project. She works hard to prevent big accidental topples, but she admits that they happen in just about every domino installation. That’s why she divides her work into fractions before she begins assembling the lines of dominoes that will form her creations. That way, she can omit the smallest fractions first so that if an entire section of her installation accidentally topples over, it won’t bring the whole thing crashing down.
The name Domino is also used to describe a leader who inspires followers to follow him in spite of obstacles and failures, even after they’ve lost their way. This quality is important because it requires the leader to be honest with his or her followers, but also to believe in them enough to keep them on board, even when things get difficult. Domino’s leadership has been praised for its willingness to listen to their employees and respond quickly to any issues. This approach is a core value of the company, and has helped them develop into a top workplace. This openness extends to their customers as well, with a focus on customer feedback and an active social media presence that is dedicated to listening to what people have to say.