The Basics of Domino
Domino is a tile game with a variety of rules that allows players to build chains of tiles. The games can be as simple or as complex as the player chooses. They can form straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures, or 3D structures such as towers. The most common domino sets have 28 or 55 tiles. Each domino features a number or blank on one face, and an arrangement of dots, or “pips,” on the other face. Each domino is a member of two suits—one suit for each of the numbers (a double-six belongs to both), and a suit for blanks or zero, which are called the 0 suit. The first player to reach a specified total wins the round.
Like playing cards, dominoes are shuffled before a hand or game begins. The set is then arranged in a layout where each player can see their own tiles, but not the values of other players’ tiles. This layout is called the boneyard, or, if there is no boneyard, a domino table. The first player, selected either by drawing of lots or by which player holds the heaviest hand, then places a tile on the table. The tile must touch a previously placed tile in such a way that the pips on both ends of the domino match, or are blank (a 6-6 is a heaviest piece).
Once the tiles have been arranged, additional tiles can be added to form a chain. Each time a new tile is played, the open end of the chain increases in length. The rules of a given domino game may specify which sides of a tile are open for play, but in general, only the side of the tile facing up is available to receive another tile. If a tile is played to a double, it must be placed cross-ways to the tile that created the double, so that the tiles straddle one another, or “touch” at their center points.
In political theory, the domino effect refers to the idea that a small change in one country can prompt a series of events that eventually lead to a large change in the whole world. For example, some neoconservatives believe that the United States invasion of Iraq will have a domino effect by helping to spread both democracy and liberal capitalism across the Middle East.
Domino’s is a food company that has had its share of PR issues, but a 2009 campaign showed the company was willing to take risks and be self-deprecating in an attempt to turn around its image. This type of honest, unflinching advertising is rare for any company, especially one that sells fast-food. The campaign was a success, and the company has continued to try to embrace this type of marketing in recent years. In addition to experimenting with delivery by drones and robots, Domino’s has introduced a line of pizza-themed merchandise that includes hats and T-shirts. The company is also promoting a healthier version of its classic pie, the Domino’s Vegetarian.