Dominoes are black and white rectangles that many children enjoy playing games with by lining them up in long rows and then knocking them down. They can also be used for math lessons, writing prompts and more. In today’s Wonder of the Day, we look at the domino effect and how even a small nudge can make all the difference.
The word “domino” comes from the Latin verb dominum, meaning “to dominate.” A domino is a tile with an arrangement of spots or numbers on one side and a blank or identically patterned side. The number on each side of a domino is called its pip. Each domino has two pip ends, and each pip end may have a different number of dots depending on the type of domino it is. Each pips ends are affixed to a base (usually a square of wood, plastic or another material) that provides stability and allows it to be set upright.
A domino set consists of 28 tiles, which are sometimes known as cards, bones, tokens, chips, stones or tickets. The shuffled tiles form the stock, or boneyard, and each player draws seven dominoes for his or her hand. The players then play a domino in turn, positioning the tiles so that each adjacent domino shows a number and is touching a previous tile with its own number on its end.
Each time a new domino is played, it sets off a chain reaction that continues to grow in length until all the pieces are lined up and ready for the final push. The last domino in the line is scored based on the number of dots on its open ends. If the count is a multiple of 5, the winner receives one point. If the number is lower than a multiple of 5, the winner receives the number of dots in his or her opponent’s hands, plus an additional point for each matching pair of empty open ends.
When playing domino, it’s important to listen to your opponents and work together to win. The same is true of success in business, where a team can often achieve more than an individual. For example, the company Domino’s relied on its core values and a commitment to listen to its customers when reviving the pizza delivery chain. They made some big changes, such as a relaxed dress code and new leadership training programs. These efforts were key in turning things around and reviving the Domino’s brand. They are continuing to invest in a variety of innovations, including self-driving cars and drones for pizza delivery.