Domino is a set of gaming pieces that can be used in many games of chance and skill. It can also be used as a learning tool for children. Dominos can be arranged in various ways to create patterns, lines and angular designs. In addition, the domino set can be used to practice basic math skills by counting the number of dots on each domino.
The word “domino” is used as a name for the gaming pieces, but it originally denoted much more. In both English and French, the term denoted a long hooded cloak worn together with a mask at carnival season or during masquerades. This sense of the word may have led to the association with the playing piece, since the dominoes were at one time made of ebony blacks and ivory faces—a color scheme that resembled the priest’s cape over his surplice.
A domino is a flat thumbsized rectangular tile with a line dividing its face into two square ends, each end bearing from one to six spots (also called pips or dots). A set of 28 such tiles, commonly known as pieces, bones, rocks, men, cards or dominoes, form the traditional European domino set. The backs of the pieces are blank or have a common design. The most common types of dominoes have either a single suit or multiple suits, where each domino features the same number in each suit.
In a game of domino, the player attempts to play all of his or her pieces before the opponent. The player then scores points by determining how many times the sum of the opponents’ played tiles can be divided by five or three. The sum is recorded in the score book for each pair of opposing players. The winner is the player with the highest total point score when the game ends.
When writing a story, the plotting process often comes down to one question: What will happen next? It is important to consider how the story will evolve in a way that will capture readers’ attention and make them want to keep reading. One way to do this is by using the domino effect, which is a technique that combines prediction and surprise to create a tension in a narrative.
The domino effect is an important technique in fiction, but there are several other methods of plotting that can be equally effective. Whether you write your novel off the cuff or use a careful outline, understanding how to take advantage of the domino effect can help you craft a compelling story that will hold reader’s interest.