Domino is a game of chance, strategy and skill where pieces are stacked on end in long lines and then tipped over. Each domino has a value that ranges from one to six pips or dots. The domino that has the highest value wins the game. It only takes the slightest nudge to tip a domino over and, because it causes the other pieces to follow suit, the whole line can come crashing down! In fact, Dominoes are so popular that there are even competitive domino shows where players build amazing lines of them.

Dominos are also an apt symbol of how small actions can have huge consequences. This principle is called the domino effect. A great example of this can be seen in the movie The Lord of the Rings, where the small act of Frodo Baggins burning a letter in the Shire sets off a chain reaction that leads to the destruction of Middle-earth.

The most basic domino set consists of 28 tiles, usually square or rectangular and twice as wide as they are tall. Each of the domino’s faces is divided visually by a ridge or line into two square parts, with each part bearing an arrangement of dots or pips (the identity-bearing side) or blank. The pips are identical to those on a die, and each has a specific value which is determined by its placement in the set: the topmost, or “leading,” domino always has a value of zero; the next highest, one, two, three, etc.

Each domino is a member of one of two suits: the suit of the number it bears, or the suit of blanks or 0 (sometimes called the void or ace suit). A single tile can belong to both if its numbers match, and some sets use more than two suits. The most common set commercially available is double six, with a total of 28 tiles; larger sets exist for games involving several players and for players looking for longer dominoes.

In most games, a player places a domino edge to edge against another domino with the same value (e.g., 5 to 5) until all the adjacent sides of both dominoes have the same value. Then the player either adds to his or her total by adding additional dominoes or removes them from play.

Dominos are a good tool to use to teach children math and counting skills. They also have an artistic value, as they can be arranged into shapes and structures to make patterns. Some artists also enjoy constructing large domino displays. Hevesh, a contemporary artist and architect who builds such works, uses domino to create complex designs that are reminiscent of the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. Her process starts with a test version of each section of the installation, which she films in slow motion to make precise corrections. This allows her to ensure that the entire display will work properly when it is built in real life.