Domino is a game with simple rules but endless variations. It is played on a flat surface, usually tile or wood, and each domino has an identifying mark, called pips, which are evenly spaced around its face like those on a die. The other side of each domino is blank or identically patterned. Dominoes are most commonly made from polymer, but some sets are made of other natural materials. They are also made in various sizes, from double six (28 tiles) to a set of double-nine, which has 55 tiles. Larger sets exist for games involving more than four players and are often used in educational settings.

The word domino has several meanings, ranging from the game itself to a series of events or chain reactions. A domino effect can be literally a series of collisions or it may refer to the cause-and-effect linkages within systems such as global finance or politics. The term is also used to describe a sequence of steps or an order in which something happens, such as in a Rube Goldberg machine.

In the game of domino, players score points by laying one domino end to another, so that their exposed ends match: one’s touch one’s, two’s touch two’s, etc. When all of a player’s dominoes are played, the score is added up.

The game originated in Italy but moved to France in the early 18th Century and became a fad. The game soon spread to the United States, where it became a popular form of entertainment in taverns and saloons.

Some of the earliest dominoes were made from bones. The Inuits, or Eskimos, play a game of dominoes with bone tiles that are very similar to the Western version. However, it is probable that the Inuits’ game is an imitation of the Western game rather than a true native invention.

Dominoes are also popular as educational toys for children, and are frequently used in schools to teach counting, sequencing, patterning, and motor skills. They are often combined with other activities, such as art and music, to enhance the learning process.

The founders of Domino’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, developed their business strategy by listening to their customers. They were determined to meet the demands of their market and focused on establishing locations near colleges, where they knew young people would be willing to wait for their pizza. They also emphasized the importance of excellent customer service. Their strategy paid off. By the late 1960s, Domino’s had 200 franchises and was growing rapidly. By the 1970s, it had more than 800 stores and became a national franchise. Domino’s continues to focus on its core values and invest in technology that can improve its speed of delivery. It has also embraced a leadership model that stresses listening to employees and encouraging them to take risks in the pursuit of success. This approach has aided the company’s rapid growth and has helped it maintain its position as a leader in the fast-food industry.