Domino, commonly referred to as dominoes or just domino, is a tile-laying game played on tables by placing tiles edge to edge to form lines that add up to a specific total or pattern. There are numerous games and variations of this classic board game but each requires following basic rules that must be observed.
At the start of a game, all tiles are mixed together and placed in a central area called the stock. Players then take turns drawing tiles from this stock into their hand from which they may take an allowed number – usually, this will be determined by who holds a higher double or other special tile type than another player’s hand. Typically, however, typically this step occurs first for every player individually unless certain games require it otherwise (ie “first double”, for instance).
A domino is a rectangular tile covered with small dots called pips in multiples of five or six, depending on the game being played. Each domino face contains two halves; its number of pips per half can be used to identify it. White paint usually covers these dots; some variations feature wood grain patterns or different hues in their design.
When adding dominoes to a line of play, the line count increases by the number of pips on each open end of their tiles – similar to how any tile would be added – except that when adding dominoes they must match up with open ends within an existing line – an integral component in many games where adding to an existing line requires this basic rule of addition.
Like other board games that require players to compete against one another, domino games tend to be cooperative affairs that allow players of varying skill levels and backgrounds to enjoy themselves without worrying who will win the game. Players may even agree upon certain rules for the game itself, such as mandating that the person with the lowest domino must “lead”, placing down the first domino for all lines of play.
In stories, the domino effect can help readers follow the logic of scenes or character actions more easily. For instance, when writing scenes involving your hero engaging in illegal behavior, enough logic must be provided for readers to comprehend why this happened and remain interested enough to keep reading – otherwise the scene will seem unrealistic or dull to them. Utilizing this effect can help create scenes which are both believable and enjoyable to your readership.