Domino is a generic gaming device similar to playing cards or dice that are used for a variety of games. They are made from small rectangular pieces with a squared, ridged top and either an identically patterned or blank back. They typically have a total of 28 dominoes; 7 doubles (with the same number on both ends from double-blank to double six), and 21 singles (with a number on one end and a blank on the other).

The word is derived from Latin dominum meaning “flip” or “turn.” Dominoes first appeared in the world around 1750. The term, like the game itself, has many associations. It originally referred to a long hooded cloak worn together with a mask during carnival season or at masquerades, and later to a priest’s black domino contrasting with his white surplice.

When playing a domino game, the objective is to make your opponent unable to play any of his tiles by blocking him or by forming a certain total with your own tiles. Blocking is a key strategy, and there are many variants of the game that focus on this aspect. Players in turn lay down their dominoes according to the rules of the particular game being played. If a player has no playable dominoes left in his hand, he must pass the turn. Unless the game specifies otherwise, all players must play each domino in their own turn, and cannot hold back any of them for strategic reasons.

Dominoes can be arranged in a variety of ways to form patterns, lines, curved lines, grids that create pictures when they fall, and even 3D structures. When designing a domino layout, Hevesh uses her own version of the engineering-design process: She starts with the purpose or theme of an installation and brainstorms images that can be represented with it. She also calculates how many dominoes she will need to accomplish her design.

While dominoes are often used to illustrate the power of a chain reaction, they also have many other applications that demonstrate how small actions can lead to dramatic results. For example, a domino only needs to be slightly tipped forward before gravity takes over and pulls it to the ground. Physicist Stephen Morris demonstrated this concept using 13 dominoes, each of which was about 1.5 times larger than the previous one.

For writers, the domino effect can be a powerful tool to help them plot their manuscripts. Whether you are a pantser who writes by the seat of your pants or a meticulous outliner, you can use this concept to make sure that each scene leads logically to the next. In addition, if you can picture how your scene fits into the larger timeline of your novel, you can ensure that it will have the desired impact.