Domino is a family of games played with tiles or other flat, rectangular pieces that are arranged on end in long lines to form a layout or string. When one domino is tipped over, it causes the next tile in the line to tip, and so on until the entire set of dominoes has been toppled. This type of sequence, often referred to as the domino effect, can be used to create intricate designs and patterns. Dominoes are made of various materials, including wood, stone, ceramic clay and glass. They can be painted or left plain, and they are sometimes inlaid with silver, gold or ebony.
Each domino features a value, or number of spots, that determines its rank in the game and may also be marked with the name of the game being played. The values range from six pips down to none or blank, with the value of a double domino being twice that of a single domino. The value of a tile is often used to determine its placement in the line of play, and some players may prefer to position their tiles at particular ends of the layout or string.
When a player draws a hand of dominoes, the dominoes must be placed in front of him in such a way that the other players cannot see the pips. The player may then seat himself according to the rules of the game being played. The first player to seat himself is referred to as the seater, and the process of determining seating arrangements can be done by a variety of methods.
In some cases, a player will have more than one hand of dominoes, and he may be permitted to bye (take) additional tiles from the stock to add to his playing hand. If he does this, the remaining tiles must be returned to the stock and reshuffled.
While many people play domino for recreation and fun, the game also has educational and social benefits. It can help children learn how to recognize and count numbers, and it can teach them the importance of taking turns. It can also help a child develop motor skills, spatial awareness and strategy.
A player may also use his dominoes to teach basic arithmetic, such as addition and subtraction. In addition, domino can be a useful tool for teaching history and geography, by illustrating how different empires came to power and fell.
In recent years, domino has been used in a wide variety of marketing campaigns to drive brand awareness and sales. For example, the company ran a tongue-in-cheek campaign during the 2018 World Cup, titled “Staying Home with Jimmy Bullard,” which was meant to showcase the benefits of watching sports from the comfort of one’s own couch. This campaign was designed to generate buzz and engagement on social media and boost sales.