Domino is an asymmetrical tile game played on a flat, tabletop surface. Players take turns drawing tiles from a stock of 28 tiles, which are shuffled face down, and laying them out on the table. Some domino games require a specific number of tiles and a certain number of tiles per player; others allow the same set to be used for all players, although they may vary in the number of players required for play.
A Domino is a piece that bears identifying marks on one side, but has a blank or identically patterned opposite side (called the “identity” or “value” side). These markings consist of an arrangement of dots, called pips or spots, in an equal number of squares. These tiles are typically twice as long as they are wide, but some have a different length than others. The pips are also sometimes inlaid, painted or otherwise ornamented.
The domino’s origin is a bit of a mystery, but it likely descended from the French word “dominoi” meaning either a long hooded cloak worn together with a mask during carnival season or a priest’s black domino contrasting with his white surplice. There are some indications that the term came into use in France in the mid-18th century, but its exact origin is uncertain.
There are many types of dominoes; the most common variant is the double-six set, which consists of 28 tiles arranged in two rows of seven. Each player draws seven tiles from the stock and places them on the table to start their line of play. The players alternately extend or shorten the line with one matching tile at each end.
Some sets feature the top half thickness in a material other than bone or ivory, such as silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ebony or a dark hardwood. The pips are usually inlaid or painted in contrasting colors, such as black or white.
Another option is to use a polymer plastic. This is often more affordable and easier to work with, but it can be less durable than wood or bone and can crack.
Other materials can be used for dominoes, including stone, metal and clay. However, these materials are typically more expensive than polymer and tend to have a higher weight than wood or bone.
The Domino Effect: New Behaviors Follow Habits
The first rule of the Domino Effect is to pick a small, manageable behavior that you are excited about and focus on making it part of your routine. Once it becomes a habit, the next small, manageable behavior automatically knocks it over and leads to the next, and the next, until it becomes a normal part of your life.
This is a very powerful process for getting any new behavior to become a habit. It can take weeks or months for the initial behavior to develop, but once it does, it will be a natural part of your daily routine.
The second rule of the Domino Effect is to make sure that the new behavior you are trying to adopt follows these three simple rules. These rules are: Keep it small, manageable; make it a habit; and let it cascade throughout your life.