Domino is a game of chance and skill that can be played by two or more people. Its popularity has given rise to a variety of variations and rules, some of which are very complicated. Dominoes have a unique quality that makes them a useful teaching tool for children, helping them to learn about math and probability. Domino is also popular amongst many people as a means of social interaction and entertainment. It is a common game in schools and other public places.

A domino set consists of a series of tiles, each having a number of spots on both halves of the face. This number is called its pip count. The most commonly available set consists of 28 tiles, which is known as a double-six set. Alternatively, larger sets may be purchased for use in more elaborate games or for those looking to purchase a set of large, custom-made dominoes. The dominoes are arranged on a table so that each player can see their own tiles and their opponent’s tiles. The winning player is then allowed to draw a tile and begin playing the dominoes in their hand.

While the earliest records of dominoes are sparse, it is clear that they were popular in China during the 12th or 13th century. There is an account of a statesman in the Chu sz yam (Investigations on the Traditions of All Things) who presented a set of dominoes to the Emperor Hui Tsung in 1120 CE.

The dominoes are often stacked end to end, so that when a tile is laid it must touch the end of another domino with one or more matching pips. This creates a chain of dominoes, which may be extended in long lines. Stacking the dominoes in this manner allows for complex patterns and shapes to be made, as well as a wide range of different games.

Most domino games involve emptying the player’s hand while blocking the opponents’ play. Some of these games involve scoring points based on the total of all the exposed pips. A player can also earn points by placing a single domino on the board, as long as it touches a matching domino on both sides (one’s touching one’s, two’s touching two’s, etc).

When a player is out of dominoes and cannot continue to play, they are “knocked out” and the game ends. The winner is the player with the lowest total of exposed pips.

In fiction, each domino in a story can represent a scene or event. These scenes can be linked together to build an overarching narrative or argument. In a book, each domino in the story can also be used to illustrate a theme or statement. This can be particularly helpful in nonfiction, where the scene dominoes can serve to support an argument or idea. It is important to note, however, that each scene domino must be believable and relevant. If it is not, the reader will quickly become disengaged from the story.