Domino is a game of chance and skill, where players take turns putting down tiles edge to edge against each other until they form either a specified total or some particular pattern. These tiles can also be used to build structures like curved lines, grids that form pictures, stacked walls, or even 3D pyramids and towers. They can be made from wood, clay, or plastic. While most domino games have rules that are standard in all places, there are many variations on the same basic theme.

There are some games of domino that have a single player as the sole participant. The basic rules for those games differ from those of multi-player games. Also, the rules for scoring may be different. For example, some scoring methods count only one end of a double (i.e. 4-4 counts as only 4 points), while others count both ends of a double (i.e. 5-5 counts as 13 points).

The number of dominoes available varies from set to set. There are small sets with only 25 or so pieces, and there are large sets that have up to a hundred and fifty tiles. Most of these sets have the same number of pips on each end, although some sets have more pips on one end than another. This allows for more interesting designs, and there are some sets that have a single type of pips on all of the ends.

During a game, each player draws the number of tiles for his hand that is permitted by the rules of the game. This hand of tiles is then placed on the table in front of him. When a player draws more than he is allowed to have for his hand, he must put the extra dominoes back in the stock. Depending on the rules of the game, these tiles may be passed or bought later in the round.

When a player makes a play, it must match the pips on the open ends of the previous tile or a matching double. When this is done, the tile is placed in its proper position and the count is updated. Some games have the losing players tally up their score by counting the number of pips left in their hands at the end of a hand or game, while other games allow for a more detailed method of scoring. One of the most popular types of scoring is the so-called “Domino effect,” in which a single event can cause a chain reaction that results in a significant change. For example, a person who starts smoking can trigger other smokers to quit or abandon their habit. This can lead to a reduction in the number of smokers and reduce the incidence of tobacco-related diseases. Similarly, an act of dishonesty by one individual can have negative consequences for the entire company. In these situations, the company needs to develop a strong culture of honesty and accountability.