Domino is a tile game where the players, in turn, place dominoes edge to edge on one another, forming long lines. These are then tipped over, causing the next domino to tip and so on until all of them have fallen. This simple chain reaction, mimicking the way that a nerve impulse travels along a wire, is what makes domino so popular.
Dominoes can be stacked into linear patterns that form shapes, and they can be arranged to create intricate designs that can form pictures or even 3D structures. These can be used for artistic purposes, to challenge a friend, or in competitive events such as domino rallies where builders compete to see who can make the most creative and imaginative domino effect or reaction before an audience of fans.
A domino has a number of different sides, with each side bearing a certain number of spots, or pips, which are arranged in a particular pattern. Some of these sides are marked with special symbols, such as hearts and crowns, to identify them as being “wild” and therefore usable for scoring purposes.
The game of domino has many rules and variations, but the most basic rule is that a player must play his tile so that its adjacent ends show a matching number. This can be done by either playing a single (a double with one side showing a number) or a double that is already in the line of play (as a spinner). A player may also choose to play a single with both its ends showing a match if he wishes.
Depending on the game, the line of play may be joined lengthwise or crosswise. If the double played as the lead is a spinner, it must be joined crosswise. Occasionally, the line of play is blocked and no further plays can be made; this is called a block game.
A player may, however, choose to draw more dominoes for his hand than the amount permitted by the game rules; this is known as byeing. A player who byes a tile that is not allowed to be played immediately must add the remaining unplayed dominoes to his hand without looking at them and must then return those tiles to the stock after every other player has drawn their hands.
Whether you plot your novel off the cuff or use a writing software program such as Scrivener to help you outline your manuscript, the process of composing a story is much like putting together a line of dominoes. Each scene should fit in with the scenes ahead of it, and the domino effect is what keeps your readers interested in what will happen next. Consider how you can apply the domino effect to your story and make it more compelling.
