A small rectangular block, typically ebony black with ivory faces, used as gaming pieces or in a variety of other applications. Also called bones, tiles, men, or cards. Dominoes are the building blocks of many different games and have been in use since the mid-18th century. Today, they are still used for recreational and educational purposes, both in schools and at home. Some people even use them to create art. Domino art can be as simple or elaborate as the artist wants, from curved lines to grids that form pictures to 3-D structures like towers and pyramids.
When Domino’s founder Tom Monaghan founded his company, he wanted to create something that was common enough to be easily accessible but detailed enough to demand respect for the craftsman who created it. He chose domino as his signature piece because it combines these qualities perfectly. The pieces are small enough to be manageable in a confined workshop, yet large enough to make a dramatic impact. They are also inexpensive to produce, yet they are made with high-quality materials and detailed craftsmanship.
While there are several ways to play domino, the most popular uses involve positional games in which one player places a domino edge to edge against another domino of the same kind (e.g., 5 to 5) so that the two dominoes match in number of pips or in some other way. Then the first domino is knocked over, causing the next domino to tip over and so on until all of the dominoes in the line have been laid down. Identifying the number of pips on each domino is important in this type of game, so some large sets of dominoes have more readable Arabic numerals.
In addition to positional games, dominoes are used to create artistic arrangements that are reminiscent of the works of the great masters. These designs can be very complex and take many nail-biting minutes to fall into place. Hevesh, the world’s most famous domino artist, creates her amazing designs using a combination of science and precision craftsmanship. She always tests each section of an installation before putting it together to ensure that the dominoes will work properly. She even makes videos of each section in slow motion so that she can correct the pieces if necessary.
The idiom domino effect refers to a situation in which one event causes a series of other events that can be either positive or negative. For example, if one person decides to start a new hobby, it may encourage other people to do the same. This can lead to a larger community with shared interests and goals. Similarly, if someone decides to take on a difficult task, it may inspire other people to follow suit. For these reasons, it’s important to focus on the good dominoes, or those tasks that can propel other interests forward. This will help you build a better life.