The Basics of Domino

Domino, also known as dominoes, is a game of chance and skill in which players arrange a series of overlapping rectangular tiles on a flat surface to form a sequence of alternating colors. The tiles must touch one another to create a chain, which then falls over when the last tile has been played. Domino has many variants, and each variation features different rules, scoring systems, and play styles.

In a figurative sense, domino can refer to any sequence of events that affects the lives and actions of a large number of people or things. For example, a series of small, seemingly insignificant setbacks can lead to the collapse of an entire organization or industry. The term can also be used to describe a domino effect, the phenomenon by which an initial event causes a cascade of other events that follow in its wake.

A player starts the game by placing his first tile on the table, either a single or double, in accordance with the rules of the particular variant being played. The person who makes this first play is sometimes referred to as the setter, the downer, or the leader. He must then make his next play, a move that will influence the other players and the remainder of the game.

Each player then draws a certain number of tiles from the boneyard, or stock, and places them face down on the table. These tiles will form the basis for the line of play throughout the rest of the game. Depending on the variant, these tiles may be placed in rows so that the players can see their own but not those of their opponents. This allows the players to keep track of their own tiles and the amount of points they have scored.

Once a player has drawn all his tiles, he must then determine who will be the first to start playing. This is based on the rules of the game being played and is often determined by the total sum of the pips on each player’s remaining tiles. If two players have a combined score of the same value, the winning player will be the one whose total is less.

As the game continues, a line of dominoes is formed in the shape of a snake-line according to the whims and limitations of the playing surface. A tile played to a double must be placed so that its matching ends are touching, and if the pair of tiles is crossed by a third domino, it must be placed perpendicular to this domino.

Whether you compose your manuscript off the cuff or use a careful outline, writing fiction is really about creating a story. Like a domino, each scene in your book is insignificant on its own but will influence the subsequent scenes. This process is called the domino effect, and understanding it will help you build a compelling narrative.