Dominoes – A Game of Chance, Strategy, and Skill
A domino is a small rectangular block used as a gaming object. It is sometimes called a bone, a card, or men, and can be stacked like building blocks to form lines and angular patterns. The dominant side of each piece bears an arrangement of dots, referred to as pips, similar to the markings on a die. The number of pips on each end determines the value of the piece. A typical domino has either one or six pips, and a set contains 28 such pieces. A domino game involves laying down one or more tiles in a sequence that results in the falling of all other tiles, a process referred to as “building.” Dominoes can be used for many games of chance, strategy, and skill and are often played in public schools to supplement math and social skills.
The domino is a familiar toy for many children, but it is also used in complex and beautiful patterns by adult gamers. Many of these layouts are designed to be artistic or challenge the skill of the players. Some are even designed to be 3D structures.
Dominoes are made from a variety of materials including clay, polymer, wood, and metal. The most common and economical are polymer sets, which are available in a variety of shapes and colors. The most common set, called a double-six set, consists of 28 unique pieces. Other sets are available with more or less recognizable pips; for example, some have eight pips on the most common type of end and seven pips on the other.
Some domino players use the pieces to construct mathematical puzzles. For instance, one popular game is the scoring variant of 5s-and-3s, in which two pieces must be connected to each other so that the total of their pips is divisible by five or three.
In a traditional Western domino game, the pieces are arranged face down on a table and shuffled before play. Each player draws a random amount of the pieces required for the game, usually seven. The player who draws the highest number of pips plays first. The remaining pieces are left behind in a stack, known as the stock or boneyard. Each player then places a domino in front of them in a row or arc, and the first to place the domino in its proper spot wins the game.
Domino’s is a well-known example of a company changing its image and culture with a bold and self-aware approach. In 2009, the company’s CEO J. Patrick Doyle began a campaign that included videos in which the company’s leaders and employees read scathing criticisms of its pizza and service. Doyle’s campaign was successful in turning around the company and instilling a sense of pride among the employees.
The domino is a symbol of the power of momentum in life. The knocking down of the first domino starts a chain reaction that inevitably causes other dominoes to fall. It is an important lesson to remember when pursuing our goals and dreams.