Mexican Train dominoes rules

Mexican Train is the party game of the domino world: two to eight players, a double-twelve set and a long evening of trains snaking out from the center of the table. Each player builds a private train, everyone shares the Mexican train, and the player with the fewest pips left over after all the rounds wins.

Setup Your turn Doubles Scoring Strategy FAQ

Setup

Put all 91 tiles face down and shuffle them. Each player draws a hand; the rest form the boneyard. A common chart:

The first round starts with the double-12 as the engine in the middle of the table, often on a plastic hub with a slot for every player. Whoever holds the double-12 places it and play goes to the left. If nobody has it, players take turns drawing from the boneyard until someone finds it. Each later round uses the next double down: double-11, double-10 and so on, until the double-blank in round 13.

Your turn

• Your own train. Your train starts from the engine with a tile that matches it, a 12 in the first round, and runs toward you. Only you may play on it, unless it is open.
• The Mexican train. One extra train that belongs to everyone. Any player may start it from the engine and anyone may add to it. Many tables only allow you to start it once your own train has begun.
• Play one tile on your train, on the Mexican train, or on any open train.
• Cannot play? Draw one tile from the boneyard. If it fits, play it right away. If not, put a marker (a penny or a small train) on your train. Your train is now open: anyone may play on it until you play on it again and remove the marker.
• The first turn. A popular house rule lets each player lay as many tiles as possible on their own train on their first turn, so plan a long chain before you start.

Doubles

Doubles are placed crosswise. When you play a double you must play again, either on that double or anywhere else that is legal. A double must be satisfied, covered with a matching tile, before anyone plays anywhere else. If you cannot satisfy it, draw one tile; if that does not help, put your marker out and the next players must try. Under most rules you cannot end the game by playing a double as your last tile unless you can cover it.

Ending a round and scoring

Many tables ask you to tap the table or say "one left" when you are down to your last tile. The round ends as soon as a player plays their last tile, or when the boneyard is empty and nobody can play. Every player then adds up the pips on the tiles left in their hand and writes that down; the player who went out scores zero. Some groups count the double-blank as 50 points. After 13 rounds the lowest total wins.

Mexican Train strategy for beginners

• Build the longest chain you can before your first tile goes down, so your train never has to stop.
• Keep spare tiles for other trains. Tiles that do not fit your own chain are perfect for the Mexican train and for open trains.
• Get rid of big tiles early. A 12-11 left in your hand at the end of the round costs 23 points.
• Play doubles only when you can cover them, or when leaving one open will block an opponent who is close to going out.
• Close your train fast. An open train lets everyone dump their tiles on you.