A domino is a game piece that can be used to play several different games. They are similar to playing cards or dice in that they have a set number of spots, or “pips,” on each side and a blank or identically patterned side. Dominoes are also unique in that they can be stacked one on top of the other to form a vertical stack. This gives them the potential to create very long chains when a player hits the end of one with another. Dominoes are also an excellent way to teach kids basic addition and subtraction.
There are many different ways to play with a domino set, and each variant has its own rules and scoring systems. Most of the games revolve around emptying a players hand while blocking opponents’ play or scoring points based on the number of pips in the losing player’s hand. A domino’s pips, or dots, are usually arranged in a pattern that is easy for children to identify. They are often numbered like a deck of cards, but larger dominoes may be marked with more readable Arabic numerals.
Most Western domino games begin by arranging the dominoes on the table, then drawing for the lead. Each player then draws at random the number of dominoes required for their game, usually seven. The remaining dominoes are called the stock, or boneyard (in North America). Once a player has an opening double, he or she begins the game by playing it on the table and calling out the heaviest number in that suit, such as “double-six?” or “six-five?”
Once a domino is played on the table, it becomes part of the chain and its adjacent tiles must be covered to prevent a player from claiming them for his or her own game. The last domino to be played is known as a sewed-up or locked down domino and can be claimed by the player with the lowest domino count in his or her hand. A player who has blocked all other players and sewed up or locked down both ends of the chain can then declare that he or she is “out” and win the hand.
The same principle can be applied to writing a story. Whether you plot your novel off the cuff or use an extensive outline, the process of building up and developing a story is very much like dominoing. Each scene can be a domino in its own right, and a story’s plot is all about how those scenes interact with each other to move the story forward. Using the domino effect in your plotting can help you to craft a story that is compelling and compellingly unpredictable.
