Domino is a game in which players place dominoes on the table and then, in turn, play one of them so that it covers other dominoes. There are many different rules for domino, and some of them vary between games. The basic rules that are shown here pertain to most of the domino games on this website. The rules that pertain to more than one player do not apply to solitaire games.

In the game of domino, each player takes turns drawing tiles from a stock (also known as a boneyard). When a player draws a tile that he is able to play, he places it edge-to-edge against another domino. The resulting line is called the domino string, layout or line of play. Each domino must be played so that its open end matches the number of the corresponding open end of the previous domino in the line. If a domino is not able to be placed so that its open end matches the corresponding open end of the previous domino, it is called a spinner.

Before making a play, each player must determine who will make the first move in the game, which is often referred to as “the set,” “the down,” or “the lead.” This is done by counting the total number of pips on the dominoes that remain in the losing player’s hand at the end of his turn or of the game.

If a player has a double that is able to be played on both sides, it is also referred to as a spinner and may be played as the lead. During the course of play, players score points whenever they reach a specific number in the round (often 61) by matching an open end. One point is scored for each time a total is exactly divisible by 5, and two points are scored when a total is divisible by three.

After the players have drawn all of the tiles they are allowed to take, any excess may be byed (see Byeing and Passing below) or returned to the stock before anyone else draws. The dominoes returned to the stock should be kept face down and, if applicable, reshuffled before any other players draw their hands.

Much like the firing of a nerve impulse, when a domino falls it sends a pulse that travels down the line and triggers other events. The more dominoes that are able to be toppled, the larger the ripple effect becomes. In the case of the Domino’s chain, it took only a few short years for the company to change course from the downward spiral that had been occurring before. The key to the turnaround was Domino’s commitment to listen to their customers. When CEO David Brandon came to the helm, he put new initiatives into effect such as a relaxed dress code and leadership training programs, and he made sure that Domino’s managers spoke directly to employees to find out what they wanted from their jobs.