Domino, as the name implies, refers to a series of events that follow one another like a falling row of dominoes. The word is also used to describe an overall strategy in a game of domino, but it can be more broadly applied to any plan or sequence of actions that will lead to a desired result.

The earliest known dominoes were clay or bone tiles with engraved pips. They were used in China around the 12th or 13th century, but it is unclear how similar they were to the modern, polymer-based tiles most commonly seen. Dominoes have a long history as a popular leisure activity, both in family homes and classrooms. They are easy to learn and provide hours of fun and excitement for both children and adults.

A domino is a rectangular tile with numbers or symbols printed on both sides. It is used in a variety of games to build a chain of points, or “pips,” that can then be knocked over and cause the next piece to fall into place, starting a new sequence. A single domino can have up to five pips, but most are only two or three pips. The most common set of dominoes has 28 tiles that can be arranged in multiple ways to form a line of play. The rules for the various games that can be played with the dominoes vary from place to place, but almost all have similarities.

Generally, each player makes a turn by placing a domino in the line of play, either with its matching end against another domino or, in the case of doubles, with the other side touching it. The resulting chain, or line of play, may be lengthwise or crosswise and is joined by other tiles placed to the dominoes already in place, depending on the rules of the game being played.

The way the dominoes are arranged in the line of play can also provide a small element of strategy and excitement to the game. For example, in some games, a double can be played to a single domino that has the same pips on both ends to create a “spinner.” Usually, a spinner must be played squarely, but there are some exceptions.

When Hevesh prepares for a large domino installation, she does many tests on individual sections of the project to make sure they work properly. Then she assembles the pieces into the final arrangement. She even omits some of the larger dominoes from the installation until the very end, so that if she or a teammate accidentally knocks over a piece, it doesn’t bring down the whole thing. This way, she has plenty of time to reassemble the project and try again. She also records videos of the process so she can go back and correct any errors. This attention to detail is part of the reason she has won a number of awards for her domino installations. It is also a key part of her company’s culture, which emphasizes listening to employees and encouraging feedback.