Domino, also known as dominoes or domino pieces, are small, rectangular blocks of a hard material, typically bone or wood, used as gaming objects that can knock over other pieces in a chain reaction. Each domino has an identity-bearing side (also called an end) and a blank or identically patterned side. The end face is usually marked with an arrangement of dots, or pips, similar to those on a die. The other face of a domino is sometimes inlaid with a pattern. A domino is normally twice as long as it is wide, making it easier to stack and re-stack the pieces after use.
The most common domino game uses a double-six set, with 28 tiles shuffled and placed on the table in a pile called the stock or boneyard. Each player draws seven of these tiles from the stock. The goal is to attach one of the end tiles from your hand to the end of the previous domino, so that the sum of the two dominoes in the pair is divisible by five or three. Each time this occurs, the player receives a point.
Some people enjoy setting up elaborate dominoes, and artist Hevesh has worked on projects involving hundreds of thousands of dominoes. But Hevesh says the most important thing for creating a great domino setup is understanding the laws of physics. In particular, she says, you need to know about a physical phenomenon that is essential for a good setup: gravity.
In order to create an intricate domino display, you have to start with a flat surface. Then, each domino must be positioned so that its top edge is flush with the surface, and its bottom edges are a little bit above it. This is so that the domino can be pushed onto by the other pieces. Hevesh explains that the force of gravity holds the unmoving domino in place until it is pushed over. That push comes from a tiny nudge from another domino, or the surface on which it is sitting.
The word domino appears in English and French, but earlier senses of the word refer to a garment worn with a mask at carnival season or for masquerades, as well as a priest’s black domino that contrasted with his white surplice. A more modern meaning, based on the name of an Italian pizza maker, was first recorded in the late 18th century.
In the early 1960s, Domino’s was a relatively small pizza restaurant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, that had grown by placing its locations near college campuses. This strategy helped the company attract customers who wanted fast delivery and built a solid reputation. After founder Tom Monaghan left in 1966, the business suffered a series of leadership changes and fell into decline. Then, in 2004, the company was more than $943 million in debt and facing an uncertain future. To turn things around, Domino’s refocused its marketing strategies and put more emphasis on its core competencies in pizza delivery and catering to its university customer base.