Dominoes – More Than Just a Game
Domino is a tile game in which players build lines of dominoes that end with the last domino standing. The dominoes are connected by matching the pips on their open ends and may be played either lengthwise or crosswise. Several different games can be played with a single set of dominoes; some are simple, while others are complex and involve many tiles.
Each domino features a number from one to nine and belongs to the suit of that number, which is represented by a color or symbol. Each domino also has an arrow on its side, which shows the direction in which it must be played. The most common sets of dominoes come in double six and double nine sizes, but larger sets exist. The most popular types of domino games include layout games and blocking games.
The most basic form of domino involves two players and requires a double six set of 28 tiles. The tiles are shuffled face down to form a stock, and each player draws seven tiles from the stock. If there is a tie for the first play, a new domino is drawn from the stock to break the tie. A player may “buy” additional tiles from the stock if allowed by the rules of the game being played.
A domino is a little more powerful than it might seem, according to a 1983 study by University of British Columbia physicist Lorne Whitehead. He set up 13 dominoes, ranging from five millimeters tall and 1 millimeter thick (slightly smaller than a Tic Tac) to more than three feet tall and 100 pounds. He found that each domino was able to knock over objects about one-and-a-half times their size, and that the force of a domino pushing on an object increased with the number of dominoes added to the line.
Dominoes aren’t just a fun toy for kids; they can also be used to create intricate pieces of art. Artists use lines of dominoes to draw curved lines, grids that form pictures, stacked walls and 3D structures such as pyramids. They can be arranged in various shapes and patterns to form a specific theme or to illustrate a story, poem or song.
When Domino’s CEO and founder Dave Brandon saw a sharp decline in sales, he took action by listening to Domino’s employees. He rolled out new policies such as a relaxed dress code and new leadership training programs, and spoke directly to workers to find out what was going on. These changes centered on Domino’s core value, which states, “Champion Our Customers.” The result was an increase in customer satisfaction and a boost in profits. Domino’s is now focused on innovation, with teams at its World Resource Center in Ann Arbor developing new technology to help Domino’s keep pace with competitors such as Uber and Amazon. Domino’s also is expanding its delivery service to areas with limited access to grocery stores and other retailers.