Domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block that has one side marked by an arrangement of dots, resembling those on dice. The other side is blank or identically patterned. Dominoes are normally twice as long as they are wide and can be made from a variety of materials, including bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, and dark hardwoods such as ebony. They may also be fabricated from a ceramic clay, crystal glass, or frosted acrylic.

Dominos are used to play a number of games that involve positioning adjacent dominoes edge to edge so that the exposed ends match and form some specified total. They are also played as a form of gambling or for entertainment by placing them end to end in a snake-like line and scoring points when the dominoes touch each other at their exposed ends – for example, one’s touching two’s, or four’s touching five’s.

A domino is often used to demonstrate a mathematical principle or illustrate a concept such as the kinetic energy of an object, and it is sometimes used as a teaching aid. It is also a popular game among children and adults.

There are many ways to play a domino game, and the rules vary depending on the particular variant. In positional games each player in turn places a domino edge to edge against another until all of the adjacent edges are either identical or form some specified total, usually a multiple of five.

For example, in a game of draw domino the players each take a set of seven or more dominoes. The first domino placed must be a double, and all subsequent tiles must be played perpendicular to the first one – for example, a single tile is played to an existing double so that the two matching ends of the dominoes touch each other (one’s touching one’s or four’s touching five’s).

When playing domino, it is essential to have a flat surface on which to play, such as a table. This will allow the players to more easily re-stack the dominoes after each use. It is also important to ensure that the players have a sufficient number of tiles for each round.

The earliest senses of both the word domino and the game are obscure, but they both appear in France around 1750. The English word is probably derived from the French, where it originally denoted a hooded robe worn with an eye mask at a masquerade, or, alternatively, a black domino contrasting with a white surplice of a priest.

Whether you are writing an article off the cuff or composing a novel with a detailed outline, it is important to consider how to create a domino effect that will capture your reader’s attention. This is especially important for a short story or essay. Plotting is essentially about creating a sequence of events that leads to a satisfying conclusion for the reader, and utilizing a domino effect can help you to do just that.