Domino is a popular game that involves laying tiles in a line and scoring points by touching the ends of a set to the exposed sides of adjacent tiles. The player who scores the most over a specified number of rounds wins. Players may play against each other or against an opponent, and each tile has a different value. A double, for example, can count as one or two points (depending on rules agreed to before the game begins).
Dominoes are a type of small square ceramic tiles with raised pip marks. They are typically twice as long as they are wide and can be stacked side-by-side or atop each other. Some dominoes have a central hole for a pencil or other writing utensil to fit, and others have a central ridge that functions as a tab for gripping when a domino is being played. The pips on each domino are typically colored to distinguish them from other tiles and are labeled with a number, ranging from six to blank.
Before a game of domino begins, the tiles are shuffled and placed in a pile called a boneyard. The dominoes may also be sorted by color or pattern, and the set may be labeled to indicate its contents. A domino game can be started with as few or as many tiles as a group of players desire, though a standard game is typically limited to four or more players.
A domino may be played on a table or another flat surface, and the tiles are normally arranged in a line with one end touching other dominoes. The resulting chain of dominoes is often referred to as a “snake-line.”
To begin playing, a tile is laid on the top of the boneyard, or a line is drawn on the floor to represent the dominoes. The first player then plays a domino by placing it on top of the initial tile so that its matching ends are touching. The resulting chain is then manipulated, as necessary, to form the desired shape of the snake-line.
The domino effect relates to the way that actions have a ripple-effect on other events in the story. This is an important concept for a writer to keep in mind when creating a plot.
For example, if you have a character who does something immoral, you need to make sure that the consequences of this action are shown in the story in a way that makes sense to your readers. If the characters actions run counter to what most readers would think is logical, the domino effect will fail and the scene won’t be believable.
Dominoes can be used to create art of any size and complexity — straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, 3D structures like towers and pyramids, and more. The possibilities are endless, and the results are stunning. Whether you compose your work off the cuff or take your time with careful outline preparation, learning how to use the domino effect in your fiction can help ensure that you have a compelling story.