The Basics of Dominoes
A cousin of playing cards, dominoes (also called domino tiles) are a popular game that can be played by two or more people. They are small rectangular blocks of material with a surface marked with an arrangement of spots, like those on a die, and blank or identically patterned on the other side. The identifying marks, which are called pips, originally represented the results of throwing two six-sided dice. Each domino can be matched with another domino in such a way that their exposed ends match (one’s touch one’s, two’s touch two’s, etc.). When a player plays a domino in this manner, a chain of matching pips gradually forms along the edge of the table and points are scored according to rules of play.
A domino set has a central rack that holds the tiles; each tile has an open end with a number of dots that corresponds to its position in the chain (doubles count as two). Players take turns adding tiles to the chain by positioning them so that their exposed ends match, while the total of the numbers on both ends is used to score points. A skillful player can achieve impressive scores by laying down a chain of dominoes that reach to a specified total such as 61.
The most basic of domino games are blocking games wherein each player attempts to empty his or her hand of all the dominoes that are not in his or her highest suit. This is usually done by extending the domino line of play until it contains one tile that matches an opponent’s opened end, for example by adding a double to the end of a domino that has already been extended with a single tile. The loser is then awarded the number of remaining pips in his or her losing hand.
Many modern domino sets are made of plastic, although in the past they were commonly made of materials such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother-of-pearl) or ivory with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted on them. More recently, they have been made from other natural materials such as marble or soapstone; metals; ceramic clay; frosted glass; or crystal. Some sets combine MOP, ivory or bone with ebony to produce an elegant look.
The most thrilling aspect of a domino set is the moment when it falls, converting the potential energy stored in its stacked state to kinetic energy. This energy travels to the next domino, providing the push it needs to fall, and the process continues until the last domino falls. This is why a domino setup such as the 15-color rainbow spiral created by Lily Hevesh of New York City can be so captivating. In the same way, a carefully plotted novel can come alive when the right scene dominoes are added to the proper places. This concept is known as the Domino Effect. Whether you compose your manuscript off the cuff or follow a strict outline, this strategy can help your novel to unfold naturally and keep readers engaged.
