Domino is a game that requires strategic planning and careful execution. Whether you are constructing a straight line of dominoes for a basic board game or a complex chain reaction for a rube Goldberg machine, each piece is dependent on the next. When one domino is pushed even slightly out of place, it causes a domino effect. This type of sequence can be used in a story to create a dramatic effect that can have a great impact on the whole plot.

Dominoes are small, flat blocks of rigid material – usually bone or ivory – with a set of numbers (or pips) inlaid on their face. Traditionally, dominoes were used to play games of chance, strategy, and skill. In addition to the traditional games, there are many other ways to use dominoes. Dominoes are also a great way to teach young children number recognition and counting skills, and can be used to introduce simple arithmetic operations.

While modern sets of dominoes are generally made of polymer, older sets were often made from natural materials such as bone or ivory; dark hardwoods such as ebony, mahogany, and holly with contrasting black or white pips; metals such as brass or pewter; ceramic clay; or even frosted glass or crystal. These sets tend to have a more luxurious look and feel, and are sometimes a little heavier than polymer ones.

There are many different domino games, but most involve emptying your hand while blocking your opponent’s play. Some, such as bergen and muggins, score points based on the number of pips in the opponents’ dominoes. Others are simply blocking games, such as matador and Mexican train. Some are based on arithmetic properties of the pips, such as totals of lines of dominoes or tile halves.

The game is popular all over the world. It has become a popular hobby in schools and homes, and is commonly used as a teaching aid. There are even competitions for building the most elaborate domino setups. One such builder, Hevesh, has a YouTube channel where she posts videos of her intricate domino constructions. She has created projects involving hundreds of thousands of dominoes, all of which eventually toppled in carefully planned sequence with the nudge of just one.

Dominoes can also be used to create art – either in a more recognizable style, such as straight or curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, or stacked walls, or in a 3D structure. For example, Hevesh has built and photographed large-scale domino sculptures in the shape of animals and other figures.

Dominoes are a symbol of the ruins of communism in Europe and have been used to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall in 2009. Dominoes are also frequently used as components in rube Goldberg machines, which are mechanical inventions that are designed to perform complicated tasks using an array of simple devices.