The Art of Domino
Domino is a generic gaming device, similar to cards or dice, used for a wide variety of games. A domino is a tile with one or more numbers printed on each end, which are then lined up or placed face down on a flat surface and topped with another piece that matches the number of spots on its opposite side. The resulting configuration is then used to build structures or play games with a set of rules.
The most common game of domino involves a pair of players who compete to score the most points over a series of rounds. The game ends when one player plays his last domino or the total of all opponents’ remaining dominoes reaches a set limit, such as 100 or 200 points.
There are many different kinds of domino games, from simple blocking or scoring games to games of skill that are adaptations of card games and were once popular in some countries to circumvent religious prohibitions against playing cards. These games can be played with a traditional set or an extended one that allows for more combinations of ends and thus more pieces, such as a double-six set (28 dominoes) that includes all possible pairs of ends with zero to six spots.
The first step in the game is for each player to draw a hand of dominoes, placing them face-down on the table so that only their own value can be seen. Normally, the first domino to be played is a double-six. If that is not available, the next domino is a double-five, and so on. Identifying the values of other players’ tiles may be difficult, so some larger domino sets use more readable Arabic numerals instead of pips.
Hevesh makes test versions of each section of an installation before putting them all together, and often films the process in slow motion to catch every detail. She then builds the biggest 3-D sections, and gradually adds flat arrangements and lines of dominoes that connect all the parts together.
She is careful to note that a single misstep can bring down the entire structure. A domino has inertia, or a tendency to resist motion unless pushed against, and it can take tremendous force to dislodge even the largest domino. However, a small nudge is all it takes to trigger a domino’s potential energy and set off a chain reaction that eventually leads to the domino falling over.
When it comes to personal and professional development, the key is to pick good dominoes. These are tasks that will have a significant impact on your future success, and should receive your full attention until completion. These should be ranked in order of importance, and each day you should complete the most important task first. By concentrating on these good dominoes, you will create momentum that will carry you through to your goals. This is known as the Domino Effect. Good Dominoes are typically challenging, time consuming, and require your full focus to complete.