Domino is a game of chance and skill. It has a simple ruleset, but the possibilities for games are endless. There are straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, and even 3D structures like towers or pyramids. You can play domino on your own, or with friends, or you can participate in organized tournaments.
When a domino falls, it transforms some of its potential energy into kinetic energy, which is transmitted to the next domino in line. This energy continues to travel down the chain until all of the pieces have fallen, or until a player can’t continue. This is how dominoes can create a chain reaction that takes down thousands of dominoes.
The game was originally invented by a monk and later adopted as a Christian ritual. The name domino comes from the Latin word dominum, which means “power.” In the game, players place dominoes edge-to-edge so that adjacent faces match up or form a specified total. The first player to complete the layout wins.
While the game can be played by one person, it is often played in pairs or teams. Whenever a player can’t play a domino, they pass the turn to their partner. Each partner then tries to play all of the dominoes in their hand before their opponent can win. This can take a long time, as each domino must be carefully placed to avoid creating a domino “train” that cannot be stopped.
Most modern domino sets are made of polymer (a type of plastic), but they can also be made from stone (such as marble, granite, or soapstone); wood (e.g., ebony or oak); metal (like brass or pewter); or ceramic clay. Some players prefer to purchase a set of natural, hand-carved dominoes instead of the typical polymer sets. These typically have a more unique appearance and feel to them, and are usually much heavier in weight.
During the game, players must keep track of all the dominoes in their hands, called “boneyards.” After each time a domino is played, it must be removed from the boneyard and shuffled again. When a player doesn’t have a matching domino, they must choose from the shuffled collection until they find one. This process is known as “going round the table.”
When Hevesh was growing up, her dad gave her a domino set and taught her how to use it. Her love of the game grew into a passion for creating mind-blowing domino setups. She now designs sets for movies, TV shows, and events. Some of her largest installations can take several nail-biting minutes to finish. She follows a version of the engineering-design process to plan her designs. Hevesh starts by considering the theme or purpose of her design, then brainstorms images or words that might be used in it. She then draws a diagram of the layout on paper. Once she has a drawing, she calculates how many dominoes are needed to accomplish the goal of her project.