Domino (or dominoes) is a tile-based game where the player must lay pieces end to end in such a way that their exposed ends match: one’s touch other’s ones, two’s touch two’s, etc. The resulting line of tiles must also form some specified total value, such as five, in order to win the game. Each domino has a set of dots, or “pips,” which assign a value to each side of the tile (either one, zero, or blank). A double-zero has two zeros, a six-pip piece has one six and two zeros, and so on. The value of the exposed ends is based on the number of pips in the domino, and the player who scores the most points over a set number of rounds wins the game.

A long chain of dominoes may be arranged to create art, such as a curved line that forms a picture when it falls or a stacked wall of dominoes that appears to form a house. Some builders are so skilled at their craft that they can even build intricate three-dimensional structures of dominoes – a tower or pyramid, for example. Many of these domino displays are created for the purpose of a domino show, where players compete to create the most impressive effect or reaction before an audience of fans.

In fiction, the “domino effect” describes any action that causes a series of events, each one influencing the next, until finally a domino cascade is completed. When writing a story, a writer can use the idea of the domino effect to help readers understand the logic behind a scene. This is particularly important when a character takes an action that runs counter to what most people would consider logical, such as shooting a stranger or having an affair.

A story that uses the domino effect well can engage and delight readers, as the reader can follow the sequence of events without being confused by what is happening or why. In addition, the domino effect can be used to illustrate a point or theme in the story.

For example, the CEO of Domino’s, Patrick Doyle, used the domino effect in his decision to change how the company does business. He began by listening to what customers had to say and then took steps to address those issues. Then he worked with employees to communicate the changes to them. The result was that the company’s customer service improved and it became more profitable.