Domino is a popular game of skill and chance that involves arranging and building chains of tiles that each bear a number on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. Unlike playing cards, each domino has a specific numerical value that determines what happens when it is placed edge to edge with another tile. Domino games are played all over the world. Some of them date back to ancient times; others have been invented in recent centuries. In addition to being used for games, dominoes have been incorporated into mechanical devices such as Rube Goldberg machines and have served as art installations.
Dominos were first developed in Italy and France in the late 18th Century. They arrived in Britain, possibly via French prisoners of war, and became popular in pubs and taverns at that time. Western dominoes are typically played with a double-twelve set or a double-nine set (91 or 55 tiles). They are primarily used for positional games where each player takes turns placing one tile onto the table positioning it so that it has a number showing on its end to form a chain of tiles that increases in length.
Historically, domino sets have been made of bone or ivory (often with a contrasting color such as black or white) and a dark hardwood such as ebony. Plastic and polymer materials are now often used. Occasionally, natural materials such as marble or soapstone are utilized.
When you play a domino game, it’s best to do so on a hard surface because it will be easier to stand the pieces up. A wood, a tile, or even a piece of cardboard will work well. The tiles are usually arranged in rows on the table so that each domino stands up vertically, with its edge facing up. This way, you can easily see the number on the domino’s face.
A domino must be placed on its edge on the table, ideally so that it touches an existing domino with its side of the same number. Once it is on its edge, the player then places a domino on top of it, so that the two pieces are touching one another. The resulting chain of tiles then starts to grow in length, and each player continues to place dominoes in this fashion on top of each other until the desired length is achieved.
As the chain of dominoes grows longer, it converts from potential energy to kinetic energy (energy in motion). The force exerted on the topmost domino causes other dominoes to convert their potential energy into kinetic energy as they are moved by the pushing action of your hand. As the kinetic energy builds up, it is transmitted from domino to domino until all of the tiles fall over. This is called the Domino Effect. This principle is a key reason why it’s important to carefully consider your actions and how they might affect other people in any situation you find yourself in.