What is Domino?
Domino is a tile game that requires skill and strategy. When the first domino falls, it sets off a chain reaction that continues down the line until the last domino is placed and the line of play is finished. The result is an exciting visual display that has entertained generations. Some people create complex designs with dominoes that include curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, and 3D structures such as towers and pyramids.
Each domino has a pattern of dots, or pips, on one side and is blank or identically patterned on the other. These pips are what distinguish domino from other games of chance, such as cards or dice. Dominoes are typically made of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl or MOP), ivory, or a dark wood such as ebony. They may also be made of plastic, ceramic clay, or even frosted glass.
Some players choose to use the MOP or ivory sides as their “wild” sides. Others prefer to ascribe a specific value to the blank sides. In any case, both MOP and non-MOP tiles may be used in a single domino chain, but only the ones with pips on them can be counted as ends of the line of play.
Once the dominoes are set up, each player takes turns playing a single domino to the table. The number of pips on a domino must match a number already on the chain. Once the matching domino is played, it becomes an end of the line of play and the number on the adjacent end increases by 1. This sequence continues until all the tiles are matched. Then, the domino is knocked over and the line of play passes to the next player.
In many domino games, the winning player is determined by counting the pips in his or her opponent’s remaining tiles. There are, however, games where the number of pips in each player’s remaining tiles is not used to determine the winner. These blocking games, such as bergen and muggins, are a fun way to develop hand-eye coordination and math skills.
The word domino comes from the Latin word for “fall,” as in the physical act of a falling piece of masonry or an electrical pulse traveling along a nerve cell. In business, the term Domino’s Pizza reflects the idea of taking advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself.
The company’s founder, Tom Scherberg, modeled Domino’s success on the principles of leadership and customer service. He emphasized the importance of listening to customers and took immediate action when he received feedback. This approach allowed him to identify areas for improvement, such as a rigid dress code and college recruiting system, and implement new policies that were proven to improve employee morale and the company’s bottom line. As a result, the Detroit Free Press named Domino’s Pizza a Top Workplace in 2013. Today, this line of communication extends to customers.