When you think of domino, you probably envision a row of little square blocks, each marked with an arrangement of dots like those on a die. These dominoes are then stacked on end in long lines. When one is knocked over, it triggers the rest of the line to fall. This chain reaction can continue for a long time, creating intricate designs. In many games, players win by completing the entire layout before anyone else.
In fact, the word “domino” itself dates back to 1750, when it appeared in French alongside a type of playing piece that looked more like a priest’s cape than a modern domino. An earlier sense of the word may have referred to a long hooded cloak worn with a mask during carnival season or at a masquerade ball.
The earliest known dominoes were made of wood or bone, but they are now almost always made from plastic or resin. They are also often decorated with bright colors or etchings to make them more visually appealing. There are different ways to play dominoes, but most games involve placing tiles on a table in a rectangular pattern and then stacking them up vertically. Usually, the first tile played is a double, meaning that it has two ends that aren’t connected to other tiles. This creates an open space that allows additional tiles to be placed on the ends of the original tile.
Each domino has a number on one side and is blank or patterned differently on the other. This gives them the ability to be matched up with other tiles in a particular suit, such as the suit of threes or the suit of blanks, or the 0 suit. Some players choose to ascribe special values to the blank sides of the tiles.
In a game of domino, each player draws a hand of dominoes and places them on-edge in front of him or her. The first player (determined by drawing of lots, or by who holds the heaviest hand) begins by laying down the first domino. Then the other players take turns putting down tiles of their own in a similar fashion. The winner is the first player to complete all their dominoes, and any additional rules apply for that particular game or hand.
The most popular domino games include blocking and scoring. Blocking games are when the goal is to prevent a competitor from finishing their layout. Scoring games, on the other hand, involve forming lines of dominoes that count as points. Each tile in a layout has a value that can be added up to give the total of the player’s points.
One of the most important things you can do when deciding what to work on is to prioritize tasks by their impact. This helps you keep your most important tasks in mind at all times, which will allow you to achieve great things. The Domino Effect: Improved Decision Making by Prioritizing Tasks is an article that discusses how to do just this.