Domino is a tile-based game with many variants. It can be played with a set of dominoes or a piece-based game board. The game is popular worldwide and has enjoyed a period of increased popularity since the mid-2000s. It is also used as a tool to help teach basic math skills and strategy.
The most common way to play domino involves a line of players taking turns placing tiles edge to edge on the table so that each end of the chain shows a value (often referred to as pips). In turn, each player adds to this chain by playing a domino with the same value (pips) showing on both ends, or by laying down a “double” – one that has matching numbers on all four sides and must be placed diagonally across another double touching only the side edges. When the final domino falls, its value is added to the total score of the winning player.
While a simple domino can be fun to place, it is often more enjoyable to make a complex pattern or structure with the pieces, such as a grid that forms a picture or stacks up to form a wall. Some people even create elaborate domino art that is used in movies and other events, such as the recent album launch for pop artist Katy Perry.
The rules for domino games differ by the type of game and the players involved, but some general rules are generally agreed upon. In most cases, the player to the left of the dealer draws a hand of dominoes and places them in front of him or her on the table. The first player to lay a domino in turn begins the game and may be referred to as the’setter’ or ‘downer.’ A new player may take over if no one holds the highest double.
Each domino has two matching, opposite-facing ends (called squares) that are labeled with the value of each side – six pips, for example, or blank. A tile with all pips facing the same direction is called a “single,” while a tile that has at least one non-matching square is called a “double.” A single or double is considered to be heavier than a noneither.
When a domino is stood upright, it stores potential energy, or stored energy based on its position. When the domino is pushed, this potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, which causes it to fall. A domino that is pushed hard enough can cause other dominoes to topple as well. This is similar to the way a nerve impulse travels down an axon: it’s an all-or-nothing event that can only move at a certain speed and in one direction. This domino physics is the basis for many domino games and why the chain reaction of a falling domino has such an enduring appeal.