Domino is a game played with small rectangular wood or plastic blocks whose faces are blank or marked by an arrangement of dots resembling those on dice. When a domino is placed on the table, its open end may be matched with another domino’s closed or “set” end in a row, creating a chain reaction when the latter is knocked over. The word domino is also used figuratively, to refer to the effect that one event has on subsequent events in a series of scenes or events in fiction and nonfiction writing.

A basic set of dominoes contains 28 tiles, with each tile bearing a number of spots or pips, arranged in pairs on one side and one blank side. The numbers correspond to the values of a die, so that the total score for a particular throw is represented by the domino’s combination of pips.

Typically, players place their dominoes on the table in a line, with each player taking a turn to play a tile. The order of play is determined according to the rules of the specific game being played. If a player can’t play a tile, he passes his turn to the next player. Depending on the game, some players may be permitted to “buy” or take more than the required number of tiles in their turns.

Some players are especially skilled at setting up curved lines, grids that form pictures, or 3D structures like towers and pyramids. Some of these players create domino art for movie sets, TV shows, and live events, including an album launch for Katy Perry. Many of these artists have YouTube channels that showcase their work, and some even compete in domino shows where they build incredibly complicated domino reactions before an audience of fans.

In addition to straight and curved lines, some players build elaborate domino art to display on their home or office walls. Some of these pieces feature a theme, such as nature or cities. Others are designed to be more artistic, with patterns of flowers or other images.

The majority of domino games are played with two or more players, although some can be played solo. There are a wide variety of games, with most falling into one of four categories: bidding games, blocking games, scoring games, or round games.

A domino is considered a misplay if a player plays a tile out of turn or if his tiles do not match an open end of the previous player’s tile. A player must recall the tile if this is discovered before the next player makes a play. If a mistake is discovered after the next player has made his play, the tile may remain in the hand of the losing player and counted as a loss for that hand or game.

The basic rule in most domino games is to play a tile that matches the number of pips on both ends of the previous tile’s closed or set end. However, some games are played with different rules for matching the number of pips on the open end of the previous tile to a new tile’s closed or set end. These rules are usually outlined in the rules for that particular game.