A domino is a flat, thumb-sized rectangular block used as a gaming object. Also known as bones, pieces, men, or stones, it has one side bearing an arrangement of dots similar to those on a die, and the other blank or identically patterned. Several types of domino games are played, including blocking and scoring games. In the latter, a player lays down a domino edge to edge against another in such a way that their adjacent faces match, or form a total of some value. Dominoes can be made from a variety of materials, including bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or dark hardwoods such as ebony, with black or white pips inlaid or painted on them.

The word domino is also often used to refer to a sequence of events that leads to something greater, such as the “domino effect” in which an initial action triggers a chain reaction. Whether it’s political protests, a business deal gone wrong, or a sudden drop in sales, such an event can have a profound impact on a person’s life.

But a domino isn’t always a game of chance; it can also be used to build structures, such as towers and pyramids. In fact, there are many people who specialize in creating beautiful and intricate domino art. They can build straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, or even 3D objects such as castles and pyramids. They use a variety of tools, including templates and stencils, to create their artwork.

Domino art can be very simple, such as a simple line or square made from small dominoes. Or it can be very complex, with dozens of large dominoes set up in careful sequence and then nudged so they all fall at once. In some instances, domino artists construct massive displays in front of live audiences and competitions.

There are many ways to create domino art, from making a simple outline on paper to using software that helps to map out the structure of the piece. Regardless of the method, the artist is always looking for opportunities to add more details and make the finished product better.

In business, a domino effect describes the way that one company’s actions can influence other companies to change their own practices. This is especially true in a rapidly changing environment, where one innovation can have far-reaching consequences.

The domino effect was the name of a book written in the 1950s about the theory that Communist China would spread to other parts of Asia if it were allowed to gain control of Vietnam and Laos. The theory was widely accepted during the Cold War, but John F. Kennedy increased U.S. support of Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime in South Vietnam and non-communist forces fighting a civil war in Laos, a policy that led to an increase in the number of communist-controlled areas throughout Southeast Asia.

In writing, the term domino also refers to a strategy of writing where the author does not plot out an entire story ahead of time but lets the characters and scenes unfold as they are needed. In this way, the writer can avoid scenes that are at an unnatural angle or do not have enough logical impact. For example, if a character suddenly discovers an important clue and then the opposition does nothing to raise the tension in subsequent scenes, something is wrong. For this reason, writers who use pantsing techniques—those who do not create outlines or use a writing program such as Scrivener to help them plot—often end up with scenes that have little impact on the narrative.