Domino is a generic gaming device that can be used in a variety of games. The most common types of domino games are blocking and scoring, in which players place dominoes on a line to block their opponents’ play and count the number of dots (called “pips”) on each domino that remain in their hands. Some domino games are also duplicates of card games, and others involve a mathematical skill, such as counting the pips on each end of a domino to determine its score.
Most dominoes are rectangular in shape and twice as long as they are wide, but they can be square, oblong, or triangular, and can have any color or pattern on the surface. They are marked on one side with an arrangement of dots, or pips, that resembles the dots on a die, except that some of them are blank or contain no pips at all. The pips on a domino represent the values of numbers from one to six, with each domino bearing a different value than the previous one. Each domino has a central ridge that divides it visually into two squares, called ends. The end that has pips is called the “value” of the domino; a dominant with more pips is considered “heavier” than one with fewer pips, or none at all.
The word domino derives from the Italian and French words for a game, but it was probably coined around 1750. Its etymology is obscure, but it may be related to the earlier sense of domino as a garment worn with a mask during carnival season or at a masquerade ball. Dominoes were once commonly made with ebony blacks and ivory faces, and the term might have been meant to evoke this contrast.
Hevesh’s mind-blowing domino installations all begin with a plan. She considers the theme and purpose of the display, brainstorms images and words, and then draws a plan on paper. She tests out each section of a layout, then builds on it. She creates flat arrangements and then 3-D structures, like towers and pyramids. When she’s satisfied that each element works properly, she connects them together and the installation is ready for its big reveal.
As each domino falls, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy – the energy that propels it forward. This energy is transmitted to the next domino, which in turn pushes on the ones behind it, and so on. The chain reaction continues until all the dominoes have fallen.
Some dominoes have a single value, such as five or three, and are therefore scored only once. Other dominoes, such as bergen and muggins, require each player to place a domino of the correct color or pattern in their hand before they can make a play. This type of domino is often used in social gatherings and as an alternative to cards in situations where gambling is prohibited. It is possible to play many kinds of domino games with a single set, but more complex and challenging dominoes are usually required for true mastery.