Domino, from Latin dominium, is a small rectangular block used as a gaming object. Each domino is marked with one or more dots representing pip pips that represent dots pipped onto it by another piece playing it; dominoes can also be used educationally and therapeutically as well as for pattern analysis of life events.
When one domino falls, it sets off a chain reaction in which all of its pieces drop at once, creating an impressive geometrical and rhythmical display of geometric proportions and rhythm reminiscent of how nerve impulses travel steadily along their paths of action to affect other neurons in your body.
Domino is a two-player game in which each player starts by drawing seven tiles from a stock or boneyard and placing them face down on the table in front of them. Once a tile can be played, it is placed at either the end of a line of play or added directly to his dominoes in hand; when this occurs a player may return to drawing from their stock or may “bye”, or knock out, any remaining tiles that remain in their opponent’s possession and win by increasing his total number of spots on their own dominoes and winning by increasing this total number of spots on his dominoes over their opponent’s.
Domino games typically involve two players competing against one another and scoring is determined by the total value of the pips on remaining dominoes at the end of a game, typically by counting out remaining pieces as remaining for scoring purposes at the end. Usually, the winner of such a contest is determined by having amassed the highest total. Some variants allow additional points by “chipping out” opponents’ last dominoes into your scorecard for scoring purposes.
Some games, like double-nine, require players to use all of their tiles before scoring; other rules outline a minimum point requirement before being victorious.
Lily Hevesh, who helped set the Guinness World Record for a circular domino arrangement of 76,017 pieces, is an expert at designing and creating domino displays. She says planning an installation requires extensive consideration: starting by considering its theme and purpose before brainstorming images or words she might use before planning how she’ll arrange the dominoes in various patterns or grids such as pictures, walls or 3-D structures or mathematical patterns.
She divides fractions to determine how many dominoes she requires for any project and their placement, leaving a few pieces out until the very end so an accidental topple by herself or team members won’t bring down the whole installation.