Domino is an exciting game of skill and chance. Each domino has a value that is determined by the arrangement of spots or pips on its face. The pips give the domino its identity, and the number of pips on a domino determines its rank or weight. The ranking of a domino ranges from six pips down to none or blank. Unlike playing cards, which have the same value on both sides, dominoes are divided by a line or ridge to distinguish their identities from one another. The dominoes can be stacked in various ways on the table or on a surface such as the floor. The most common domino set is a double-six set with 28 tiles. Generally, each player draws seven dominoes from the stock to begin play.

The first domino to fall starts a chain reaction that is the same as the firing of a neuron in your body. Once a domino is triggered, its pulse moves at a constant speed without loss of energy. It also travels in one direction, just as a nerve impulse travels down the axon to the end of the cell. When a domino reaches the end of its line, it stops or collapses. Dominoes that are not pushed can also stop the chain reaction when their ends meet.

Dominoes are a great way to teach children about simple mathematics and the basics of probability. They are also a fun way to entertain friends and family during a party or get-together. In addition, they are often used for creative art projects such as drawing pictures, making letters and numbers or creating patterns and designs.

Whether you’re a writer of fiction or nonfiction, writing is like building a set of dominoes. You can’t control the final outcome, but you can build a strong foundation with well-written scenes that logically lead to each other. In the case of a novel, each scene is a domino that will either fall or hold up the story.

If you’re a pantster, meaning you don’t make detailed outlines, you may occasionally write scenes that do not logically connect to the ones before them. For example, if your heroine uncovers important clues in one scene but the opposition doesn’t raise any tension in the next, something is wrong with your plot.

A simple solution is to use a tool such as Scratchboard to create an outline that shows the order of your scenes. This outline will help you weed out scenes that aren’t at the right angle or have enough logical impact on those ahead of them. By doing this, you can be sure that your story is moving in the best direction possible.