Dominoes are small flat blocks of rigid material used as gaming pieces. They are also called bones, men, cards, or pieces and are normally twice as long as they are wide. When a domino falls, it triggers a sequence of other dominoes to fall, forming an ever-expanding chain. Dominoes are played in many games, both casual and strategic. They are a popular pastime among children and adults, but they can also be used to teach simple physics and math concepts. A domino set may be made of wood, plastic, or even paper and is usually arranged in a rectangular box. Each domino features a line in the center that visually divides it into two squares, each displaying different values, or pips. Values range from six pips down to none or blank. A domino with more pips has a higher rank or “heaviness” than a similar domino with fewer pips.

Each player in turn places a tile onto the table, positioning it so that its opposite end is touching another domino that has a matching number showing on its face. When a player places a tile, it becomes part of the developing domino chain and must remain in place until the next play. The players try to place tiles with matching numbers – either the same number on both ends or a higher number than the current top-most domino in the chain. The resulting domino chains take on different shapes, depending on the players’ whims and the limitations of the playing surface.

When all the dominoes have been played, the winning player must add up the total number of pips on the losing players’ tiles. This scoring method can vary between games, but most players agree to count only one side of a double (i.e., 4-4 counts as only four points). In some games, players also take a player’s remaining unplayed tiles into account in their score.

In the past, identifying the number of pips on a domino jwtogel could be difficult, as not all dominoes had clearly marked numbers. This is why some large domino sets use more readable Arabic numerals instead of pips. There are also a few domino games that have nothing to do with chains or matches; they are simply solitaire or trick-taking games, often adaptations of card games, which were popular in certain areas as a way around religious proscriptions against playing cards.

Lily Hevesh has loved domino since she was 9 years old, when her grandparents gave her a classic 28-pack. She enjoyed arranging the dominoes in a straight or curved line and flicking the first one to watch them all tumble down. Her love of the game grew and now she creates spectacular domino setups for movies, TV shows, and events. She also has a huge YouTube following where she shows off her creations.

While Hevesh loves making the most impressive dominoes she can, she says that the most important thing about building a successful business is breaking down larger goals into smaller ones that will have an impact. For example, writing a novel can seem daunting, but if you break the process down into several good dominoes—such as outlining your story, creating your financial plan, and executing that plan—it may feel less like an overwhelming task.