We’ve all seen those domino constructions where, after tipping the first piece ever-slightly, all the rest fall in a beautiful cascade of rhythmic motion. The physics of it is dazzling, but what’s also intriguing is how the same principle applies to writing. The way a domino falls can help us to understand the way a story should move forward, and when we’re mindful of this we can create stories that feel balanced and natural.
Dominoes (also known as bones, cards, men or pieces) are normally twice as long as they are wide and have a line in the middle to divide them visually into two square ends, called faces. Each face has a number of dots, which are known as pips, ranging from six to zero to blank. A domino that has one or more pips is called a ‘double’; when it is played to another double, the two matching sides touch fully.
The word “domino” itself is derived from Latin, but the term may have an even earlier root that denotes a hooded cloak worn by a priest over his surplice, particularly in carnival season or at a masquerade. The earliest documented sense of the word, however, appeared in France shortly after 1750. The same is true for the corresponding game of domino, which originated in Europe sometime before that.
There are many different games that use dominoes, and there are almost as many variations in the rules. However, most of the popular games fit into one of four categories: blocking games, scoring games, or round games.
A player in a blocking game is not permitted to play any additional tiles until the previous tile has fallen completely across the board. A score-based game is similar, but the goal is to win the most points in a particular round. A round game can be a contest of speed, where the players try to be the first to reach the end of the board, or it could involve skill, such as a race to see who can get a certain number of pips on their side of the table.
Almost all of the classic domino games feature some form of betting. A player can place a bet on the next domino that will fall, and the players can bet up to their total bankroll. Some games also feature a stock, a number of extra dominoes that must remain in the center of the table at all times. This can be used to block games and/or as a scoring system in which the number of dominoes left in the stock at the end of a game determines the winner.
While it’s possible to play a domino game without betting, it can be less exciting. Many people enjoy creating elaborate domino designs, and this is becoming an artform in its own right. The artist Hevesh, for example, has created massive domino structures for movies and events, including a concert for Katy Perry. Her creations can take several nail-biting minutes to complete, but once they do the effect is stunning.
