Domino is a chain of events, or a sequence of actions, that naturally progress until the end. This concept can be applied to any situation where one person’s actions affect another person’s behavior. It can also be used as a metaphor for a business strategy. It is often used in the form of an analogy, with each domino representing a step toward achieving a larger goal. For example, a domino may represent a new product line or a new marketing campaign.
Each domino has a set of ten dots, or pips, arranged in two squares. The pips identify the domino’s identity, and are usually colored black or white to distinguish it from other tiles. The other face of the domino is blank or identically patterned to the pips. The domino is made from a variety of materials, including silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, and dark hardwoods such as ebony. The pips are inlaid or painted. Some sets combine bone, MOP, or ivory with a dark hardwood such as ebony for a more unique appearance.
The most common domino games fall into four categories: bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, and round games. Most of these games involve more than one player. However, some domino games are played alone, such as solitaire games and trick-taking games. These are adaptations of card games and were once popular in some regions to circumvent religious proscriptions against playing cards.
When Hevesh makes her mind-blowing domino installations, she follows a version of the engineering-design process. First she considers the purpose and theme of an installation, then brainstorms images or words that could be represented with dominoes. Next, she creates test versions of each section and films them in slow motion. This allows her to make precise corrections before putting together the entire design.
Once the dominoes are in place, they have inertia — a tendency to resist motion until an outside force nudges them. As the first domino falls, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, the energy of motion (see Converting Energy). Some of this energy is transmitted to the next domino and provides the push that knocks it over. Energy travels from domino to domino until all the pieces have fallen.
The player who plays the first domino is referred to as “the setter,” “the downer,” or “the lead.” The next domino in turn is played onto the table positioning it so that it touches one end of the chain which gradually increases in length. This is called “stitching up the ends” or “lining them up.” If a player plays a tile that has a number showing on only one end of the chain, the other end must be stitched up to match it. If the player is unable to do so, his turn ends.