Dominoes, cousins of playing cards, are one of the world’s oldest tools for game play. From professional domino competitions to setting up and then knocking down lines of the little flat squares, they can be found in a wide range of games that require strategy, patience and skill. The markings on a domino are called pips and are arranged in rows of six, just as the dots appear on a dice. Each domino has a front and a back, with the identifying mark on the face. The back is either blank or decorated with a design. A domino may also have a ridged surface that increases its grip on other pieces.
There are many different types of domino sets, each with its own rules and scoring systems. The most common type of domino set is a double-six set. A domino has 28 unique pieces, with a single end bearing spots from zero to six and the other having the same arrangement of dots as the numbers on a die. A domino with both ends matching in number is considered a match and is awarded points.
Players can play a variety of domino games, including blocking games like matador and Mexican train, or scoring games such as bergen and muggins. Some of these games are adaptations of card games, and were once popular in areas where religious proscriptions prohibited the use of cards. Others were designed as educational aids in the classroom, helping to teach children math skills.
Another way to play with domino is to build a piece of domino art, such as a curved line, grid that forms pictures when it falls or 3D structures like towers and pyramids. Such creations can be simple or elaborate, ranging from a single tile to an entire roomful of dominoes. They can be painted or covered with moss, glitter and other materials to give them a more natural look.
In addition to creating domino art, some people are using the little squares for other creative purposes, like making jewelry, designing rooms and even building houses. The possibilities are limitless, and some people are even building multi-story domino buildings that are meant to resemble skyscrapers.
Domino’s has been a huge success because it listens to its customers and addresses their concerns quickly. Patrick Doyle, who became CEO of Domino’s in 2011, has followed through on the company’s value to “Champion Our Customers.” He has spoken openly about his disappointment with Domino’s performance and taken drastic measures to improve it, such as reducing the price of pizzas, apologizing on national television and inviting critics to taste their food.
Dominoes can be made out of a variety of rigid material, from bone and silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell to ivory and ebony. They can also be made out of polymers, such as plastic and acrylic. Increasingly, however, the market is for high-end domino sets made from natural materials like wood and stone. Such sets are often more expensive than their polymer counterparts, but they have a more authentic feel and can be more durable. They also are a more environmentally friendly choice, since they do not contain the same chemicals as polymer sets.