Domino is a game that involves laying down pieces of wood or plastic, with each piece bearing one or more dots. The game can be played in a variety of ways, but usually with one player against another. Players win by completing a circuit of dominoes, or lines of dominoes. Domino can also refer to a set of small rectangular blocks, often made of ebony with ivory-colored faces, used in the game of dominoes. It may also mean a hooded robe worn with a mask at a masquerade or carnival.

In a figurative sense, domino can refer to a chain reaction of events that affect other people and events in unexpected ways. For example, when someone says, “That new law has really had a domino effect on the industry,” it means that one problem has led to several other problems, all of which have been unexpected by other people.

Hevesh makes test versions of each part of an installation before assembling it. This allows her to make precise corrections if something doesn’t work as intended. She also films each test in slow motion, allowing her to see how the domino will fall so she can adjust accordingly. She then builds up the domino in stages, starting with 3-D sections first before adding flat arrangements. She has to ensure that the largest sections work perfectly before moving on to smaller ones, so she takes time over each and every detail.

Dominoes are normally twice as long as they are wide, making them easier to stack and re-stack after use. Each domino has a line in the middle to divide it visually into two squares, called ends. Each end has a value, indicated by a number of dots, or pips. A tile with more pips is considered to be “heavier” than one with fewer pips, or blank.

A domino set usually contains 28 tiles, although larger sets are available. There are two types of domino games: blocking and scoring. Blocking games are those that involve placing one domino on top of another, thereby blocking the opponents from playing any more tiles. In scoring games, one point is scored for each time the sum of a pair of end tiles is divisible by five or three. These games are commonly played in British public houses and social clubs.

A domino is a type of chess piece, although it can also be used in other chess-like games, such as backgammon and cribbage. A domino is usually white, but there are variations in color. It is usually made of a high-quality material, such as bone, plastic, or ebony. Some have a smooth surface, while others are etched. The latter are more expensive but have a more authentic appearance and feel to the touch. A domino may have either a smooth or engraved surface. Some engraved surfaces have a pattern, and some are printed with names and designs. The engraved versions are usually hand-made. The engraved versions are more valuable, as they can be passed down from generation to generation.