Domino is a game of chance played with small rectangular blocks called dominoes. Each has a face bearing an arrangement of dots, or pips, that is identical to those on a die. Twenty-eight such dominoes make up a complete set. The game is normally played by a number of players, with each player taking turns placing the dominoes in a line or angular pattern. A domino is scored when a tile reaches the opposite edge of the board, or the end of a row, and the next piece to be played must touch this edge.
The name of the game derives from the term domino, which earlier meant a long hooded cloak worn with a mask during carnival season or at masquerades. The word is believed to have been borrowed from French, where it also denoted a black cape that a priest would wear over his white surplice. Domino pieces were originally made with ebony blacks and ivory faces, suggesting the hooded garment that the word also referenced.
Although Domino is best known as a pizza chain, it has branched out into other food items and has even developed an autonomous robot that delivers its product within a one-mile radius. The company has also used its domino brand to promote social causes.
Domino’s has a global footprint and, in 2023, announced its plan to expand at an annual rate of 1,100 new stores through 2028 as part of its Hungry for More initiative. In addition, Domino’s is investing in research and development and expanding its digital capabilities.
During her early career as a mercenary, Domino was employed by the genius Milo Thurman. They fell in love, but the pair were separated when A.I.M terrorists attacked the facility. Later, Domino joined X-Corporation and helped to undermine John Sublime’s Third Species mutant organ harvesting movement. She later allied with the time-traveling mutant Cable and was impersonated by Copycat. After leaving X-Corporation, Domino became a member of the X-Force and the Hong Kong branch of that organization.
In battle, Domino has a natural ability to cause improbable things to happen around her, a power she refers to as “luck.” Her subconsciously generated psionic aura alters probabilities and affects her opponents, giving her the appearance of good luck while causing them to suffer from bad luck. This ability varies in strength from moment to moment, and may involve everything from having an enemy’s weapon malfunction to causing a machine to overload and shut down.
The basic rules of domino are very simple and apply to most games, but there are many variations of the game. These variations may change how hands are drawn, whether the dominoes are played crosswise or lengthwise (as with the line of play), or whether doubles are played across or with. There are also different games for one or more players, and these generally require a greater degree of strategy than those designed for fewer players. Regardless of the variation, each game has specific rules that must be followed to ensure fairness.