Dominoes are small, flat blocks of a rigid material such as wood or bone used to play games involving the laying and toppling of pieces. They are also known as bones, cards, men, or pieces and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Each domino has a rectangular, square, or oval shape and is marked on one side with an arrangement of dots or pips that are different from the other side. The number of pips on a domino determines its value. The most common domino is a double-six set, which has 28 tiles. Larger sets may be made by adding additional “extended” ends, increasing the number of possible combinations.

Domino is a game of skill, strategy, and chance that involves arranging and matching up pieces to form a line of play or to create a winning combination in a predetermined sequence of steps called a “stack.” Once the stack is completed, it is removed from the table and a new one is begun. Players can also use their hand and a domino to move existing pieces in order to change their position on the table or to block their opponents.

Each domino has a set of open ends that are available to connect to other dominoes in the same line of play, as well as closed ends that cannot. The number of open and closed ends in a line of dominoes is referred to as the count. In many games, a player’s score is determined by counting the total number of pips on the dominoes in his or her hands at the end of a hand or a game. In other games, the first player to add a tile to a free end of an existing domino makes a play and is awarded points accordingly.

In some games, the value of a domino is determined by its rank or weight. A domino with more pips is considered “heavier” than a “lighter” one.

The term domino can also be applied to a chain reaction of events, such as a terrorist attack or a financial crisis. The phrase is often used as a metaphor to describe a situation that will have a disproportionately large effect on the rest of the world, such as the economic collapse of a major country in the European Union, which will lead to similar crises elsewhere in the globe.

A Domino’s Pizza franchise in Detroit recently received the Top Workplace award from the Detroit Free Press for promoting company-wide values, including listening to employees. This commitment to open communication even extends to their customers. This has helped Domino’s stay on track with their strategic plan and to avoid a domino effect that could threaten the success of the whole business. This is a great example of how a company can implement changes in the way they do business, despite challenges, to improve their overall performance. This will ultimately benefit their bottom line and the long-term success of their company.