Domino is a game that involves placing domino pieces edge to edge, so that the adjacent ends match. This arrangement can be used to play games that involve a specified total or to create snake-line chains of dominoes. Dominoes can also be placed on a grid to create art. These artistic domino creations can be simple lines or complicated structures, such as a city skyline or 3D pyramids.
Often, these domino designs are built from wood or another material that has a unique look and feel. Some sets use different types of natural materials, such as stone (e.g., marble, granite or soapstone) or a darker hardwood such as ebony. Sets made from these materials can be more expensive than those made from polymer materials, but they offer a distinctive appearance and may have a more durable construction.
The game of domino is popular worldwide. It is easy to learn, and can provide hours of entertainment for people of all ages. The term domino is derived from the Latin word for master, dominus, and can also be traced to a French word, domino, that referred to a long hooded cloak worn together with a mask during carnival season or at a masquerade. The game reached Britain in the late 18th Century, possibly brought by French prisoners of war.
Domino games are generally played with wooden blocks shaped like rectangles or squares, and bearing a number of dots called pip spots. The pips are usually painted in black and white, although many manufacturers now produce sets with colored pips, particularly for children’s games. In some European-style sets, the pips are inlaid into the surface of the domino. In most cases, the pips indicate a value of 1 through 10, with 5 being the highest and zero the lowest value.
When the first domino is tipped, its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, which pushes on the next domino in line. This continues, with each domino pushing on the next until the entire chain is tipped over. This phenomenon is known as the domino effect, because one small action can have a great impact on the environment around it.
One of the most important lessons to be learned from domino is how one person’s actions can influence others in positive or negative ways. For example, a single act of dishonesty can have serious consequences. If the perpetrator of an act is punished, this may have a domino effect on other people who were involved with that person, in positive or negative ways. In the same way, a person who has good intentions can also have a domino effect on others by being an example of a positive and uplifting behavior.
Domino’s CEO, Don Doyle, has embraced the concept of the domino effect by promoting a company value that focuses on listening to employees and customers. This principle has helped the company achieve a top rating in a Detroit Free Press survey of best places to work. The company has incorporated this value into its employee training programs and college recruiting system.