Domino, a game of strategy and skill played with rectangular tiles, has captured the attention of people around the world for centuries. It is more than just a fun pastime—it has become a symbol of tradition and camaraderie in many cultures. Its adaptability has also made it a popular source of entertainment and education for people of all ages and backgrounds.

The word domino derives from the Latin domini, meaning “heavy,” which refers to the fact that a single tile can have as many as 12 pips on one side and none or just two pips on the other. A tile’s value is determined by the number of pips it has. The heaviest tile is usually the first to be placed in a game.

When a domino is placed on the table, it starts a chain reaction of one tile after another, forming a line that continues to grow. This line, called a string, must be completed before the next domino can be added. If the string is not completed, the result will be a blocked game, in which no player is able to make another play.

If a player draws more tiles for his hand than he is entitled to, the extra dominoes must be exposed to all players, and the stock should be reshuffled before any further hands are drawn. If this occurs, the player to the right of the overdraw must take the dominoes from his hand without looking at them and return them to the stock before anyone else draws their hands. The next player may then draw a new hand if necessary.

Hevesh started playing with dominoes at age 10 and quickly grew her collection. She soon began posting videos on YouTube, and now creates elaborate domino setups for movies, TV shows, and events. She has even helped set a Guinness World Record for the most dominoes toppled in a circular arrangement—76,017. Some of her largest displays take several nail-biting minutes to fall.

Like dominoes, stories need to be carefully spaced so that they do not become too long or heavy with details. They also need to be fast-paced, so that the hero can reach a challenge or goal quickly and then move on to the next one.