Domino is a game of chance and skill in which players make turns placing dominoes on a table. When a domino is played, the number of pips on its matching end determines how it joins to the line of play, and how many points a player receives for scoring. There are a variety of different rules for the game, which can be used in combination to create many variations on the theme. Some of the most popular domino games include bidding, blocking, and scoring.
The word “domino” also has a metaphorical meaning, referring to a series of events that cause a chain reaction. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as the domino effect, although there are other synonyms for this term. For example, some people use the term “domino theory” to refer to a belief that one event sets off a series of similar or related events that ultimately lead to a certain outcome.
A domino is a tile with a number of pips on both ends. The matching ends of a domino must touch completely to form a chain. A double has two matching ends that must touch to be joined; however, the open ends may not match.
Often, a domino is placed with its open end facing up or down. This gives the domino a characteristic shape that allows it to connect with other tiles easily. In the past, many different types of dominoes were manufactured, including wood, plastic, and metal. Today, a domino is most likely to be made of clay or other durable materials.
The most common type of domino is a rectangular tile with pips on all sides, but some manufacturers also produce round and oval dominoes. The pips on a domino can be colored red, white, black, or a combination of colors. Most dominoes are painted, but some are left unpainted.
When a player draws more tiles for his hand than he is permitted to have according to the rules of the game, the excess dominoes must be returned to the stock. The player to his right may then take the extra dominoes from that hand without looking at them. In this way, he can build a sequence of tiles with the help of the remaining dominoes in his hand.
Dominoes are very powerful, especially when they are part of a chain reaction. Physicists have demonstrated that the energy of a domino can be transmitted to other dominoes up to one-and-a-half times its size. This same principle applies to a chain of events such as the domino effect or a neuron firing.
When a domino is pushed onto its tip, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, the energy of motion. This energy travels to the next domino in the chain, providing the push it needs to fall over. The process continues for each domino in the chain until it reaches its final destination. This is what makes it so satisfying to watch a long, beautiful chain of dominoes topple over one after the other.