Dominoes are flat thumb-sized blocks, either white or colored, that bear from one to six pips or dots. There are many games played with them, from straight and curved lines to grids that form pictures when they fall, or 3D structures like towers and pyramids. They are the ultimate plaything, a great way to pass the time, and for some, even an art form.
There are a number of ways to play domino, and each game has different rules. Usually the rules are based on the order of play and how points are scored. Each player begins the game with a set of tiles called the stock. The stock is shuffled and then each player draws the number of tiles he is permitted to take according to the rules of the particular game being played. The player who draws the heaviest tile makes the first play. The tiles drawn may be added to the tiles already in his hand or passed (See “Passing and Byeing” below). Depending on the game, some players are allowed to buy tiles from the stock as well.
The next player then plays a tile to the line of play, matching its ends with those of the previous tiles played. Normally, the next tile must be placed to a double or crosswise. A single, however, can be played square on the edge of the line. The number of tiles in the line of play is counted by counting the pips of each end of the double, or if there are no matching ends, by adding up the numbers of each individual single.
Occasionally, no player is able to make another play and the game stops. This is called blocking the game and if the player to the left of the overdrawn hand discovers the mistake before his turn, he must return the extra dominoes to the stock without looking at them, and that player must then draw an equal number of tiles from the stock to make up his hands.
Domino’s was founded in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1967 by Dominick and Paul Monaghan. Their company began to grow rapidly, in part because they put their stores near college campuses, where they could attract students who wanted pizza quickly after class. Another key to their success was the value they put on listening to customers and incorporating their feedback into the business. Domino’s is still a successful and popular pizza chain today because it continues to emphasize these core values. In fact, in a recent interview with the Detroit Free Press, Domino’s CEO Steve Doyle cited this as a key strategy for keeping their franchisees happy and loyal. He said, “If we want our franchisees to be the best in their markets, they have to be able to listen and act on our customer feedback.” This commitment to customer satisfaction has even bled into their corporate culture, with Domino’s making the list of Top Workplaces for several years running.