The domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block with a blank or marked surface. It is normally twice as long as it is wide. A set of dominoes consists of twenty eight of these blocks. Several different games can be played with dominoes. Each game has its own rules and may have special terms used in it. Some of these games are based on chance, and some have strategic aspects. The most common games are blocking and scoring. However, domino games of a very different type also exist. These include solitaire and trick-taking games, which were once popular in some countries because they allowed people to play cards while circumventing religious bans on playing card games.

There are many variants of domino games, and the names of some of them may be the same even though the rules differ greatly. The most commonly used set of rules for a domino game is the Double-Six set, which has a total number of six pips on each side of a tile.

Each player draws the amount of tiles prescribed by the rules of the game. After each player has drawn his hand, the order of play is determined. In most cases, the player who holds the heaviest double begins play. If no one has a double, the player who has the highest single is next in line to begin. In some games, the player who wins the last game opens the next.

As each player places a tile on the table, he builds upon a chain of dominoes that increases in length. In most cases, each tile must touch a domino of the same color or a domino with the same number as the tile being placed. This results in a snake-line of dominoes that gradually changes its shape.

Some players use dominoes to teach arithmetic. Others use them to develop motor skills, and still others use them for creative purposes. When the chains of dominoes are sufficiently long, some people even use them to demonstrate a principle known as the Domino Effect, which states that when one behavior is changed or eliminated, the effects will be felt in related behaviors as well.

Domino is also the name of a computer program that allows users to make sophisticated 3D models by dragging and dropping elements on the screen. This program is available for Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. It is a powerful tool for designers, architects, and engineers who work with 3-D designs. It is not intended to replace CAD or other professional software programs, and it can be difficult for beginners to learn.

Lily Hevesh, the artist behind the giant domino installation, first began working with dominoes at age 9. She has since exhibited her work in galleries and museums around the world. She makes test versions of each section of her installations, and she films them in slow motion so that she can make precise corrections when necessary.