Dominoes are a popular game of chance that can be played by two or more people. The most common type is a “double six” set, where each piece has six pips on one end and seven on the other (the “double six” being the highest value).

When playing dominoes, players place the pieces face down in a pile called the stock or boneyard. Then they draw seven dominoes, each of which must have an end that matches the number of pips on the previous domino. The game ends when a player’s hand contains only six of their own tiles or the number of opponents’ tiles equals the value of the last tile drawn.

It’s a simple game, but it requires a lot of strategy. Players try to keep their hands empty, while blocking their opponents’ tiles. The game can also be played with multicolored tiles, where each tile is represented by a different color.

The word domino is a variant of the French word dominé, meaning “to wear a cloak.” It was coined shortly after 1750. It is believed to have derived from the name of a priest’s black-and-white cape that he wore over his white surplice.

A game of dominoes is often referred to as a “blocking” game, and it’s played to prevent your opponent from playing their tiles. A player may block your turn by placing their own tile next to yours, or they can play a double-tile on their own.

There are many variations of the game, but the most basic version is a two-player game where each player draws their own seven dominoes from the boneyard. Then they must place their dominoes next to each other, and the first to draw a double-tile wins.

Creating a spectacular display of dominoes isn’t easy, but it’s possible with the right combination of science and creativity. Some of the most elaborate designs are made by tumbling hundreds of thousands of dominos in careful sequence.

Artist Hevesh has created incredible displays using more than 300,000 dominoes. Her installations take several nail-biting minutes to fall.

She starts by testing each section of her installation in slow motion to make sure it works individually. Once she’s satisfied with the results, she builds the rest of the dominoes in their proper positions.

The key to a great domino setup is gravity, which converts a standing domino’s potential energy into kinetic energy as it falls. This energy is then sent tumbling toward Earth, where it knocks over the next domino and creates a chain reaction.

If you want to build your own domino art, here’s the basic process: Plan out how you would want the dominoes to fall, and then calculate how many pieces you’ll need. You can use straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, or 3D structures like towers and pyramids.

Once you have your design, you can buy the dominoes from Domino’s or other online stores. Be sure to measure your design carefully and choose high-quality dominos.