Dive into the exciting world of Mexican Train Dominoes! This guide provides everything you need to learn the rules and start playing this engaging game. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your strategy, we’ll walk you through the essentials of Mexican Train Dominoes. For practice or to play against a computer, explore our iOS, Android, or online Mexican Train Dominoes Games.
What You Need to Play Mexican Train Dominoes
To get started with Mexican Train Dominoes, you’ll need just a few simple items:
- A Double-12 Domino Set: This is essential for playing Mexican Train, ensuring enough tiles for all players and trains.
- Markers: Something to mark each player’s train and the Mexican Train. Coins like quarters work perfectly.
Objective and Core Gameplay of Mexican Train Dominoes
The main goal in Mexican Train Dominoes is simple: be the first player to use all of your dominoes. You achieve this by building “trains” of dominoes that start from a central hub, known as the “station” or “engine”. Each player has their own personal train and can also contribute to a communal “Mexican Train”, open to everyone.
Success in Mexican Train Dominoes blends luck with strategic thinking. Players must plan their train layouts effectively while also considering how to hinder their opponents’ progress.
Setting Up Your Mexican Train Dominoes Game
Let’s get your game ready to play:
- Shuffle the Dominoes: Turn all dominoes face down on the playing surface and mix them thoroughly.
- Determine the First Player: Each player draws one domino. The player with the domino showing the highest number of pips (dots) goes first. Return the drawn dominoes face down and reshuffle all tiles.
- Draw Dominoes: Each player then draws their starting hand based on the number of players:
- 2-4 players: Each player draws 15 dominoes.
- 5-6 players: Each player draws 12 dominoes.
- 7-8 players: Each player draws 11 dominoes.
Arrange your dominoes so that only you can see them. The remaining dominoes form the “boneyard”, from which players will draw during the game. Play proceeds in a clockwise direction. The game is played over 3 rounds, and the player with the lowest total score at the end wins.
Playing Dominoes and Understanding Doubles in Mexican Train
In Mexican Train Dominoes, playing tiles involves matching ends:
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Matching Ends: Dominoes must be placed end-to-end, with the touching ends having the same number of pips.
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Playing Doubles: A “double” is a domino with the same number of pips on both ends (e.g., 6-6). Playing a double earns you an immediate second turn. However, doubles must be “closed” by playing another domino on them before you can play elsewhere.
If you play a double and cannot close it immediately, you must draw one domino from the boneyard. If you draw a domino that can close the double, you must play it. If not, your turn ends, and play passes to the next player. This continues until the double is closed.
Exceptions for Playing Doubles:
- If the double is the last domino of that number remaining in the game.
- If you play a double as the final domino to remove a marker from your personal train.
Starting the Game: Setting the Station Number
The first player begins by establishing the “station number”:
- Initial Station: Player 1 plays their highest double domino in the center of the playing area. This double sets the “station number” for the round. For example, if a double-6 is played, the station number is 6.
- No Initial Double: If Player 1 doesn’t have a double, play passes clockwise. If no player has a double in the first round, players draw one domino each from the boneyard on their turn until someone plays a double to start the station.
Opening Personal Trains and First Moves
Once the station number is set with the Mexican Train, players begin their individual trains:
- Starting Personal Trains: Each player, in turn, must start their own train by playing a domino that matches the station number (e.g., a domino with a 6 if the station is set to 6). This domino is placed extending out from their designated starting point, away from the central station.
- Unable to Start Train: If a player cannot start their train (doesn’t have a matching domino), they draw one domino from the boneyard. If they still cannot play a matching domino, they place a marker (like a coin) on the starting end of their train line to indicate their train is “open”. Play then proceeds to the next player.
Initiating the Mexican Train
The “Mexican Train” is a community train that anyone can play on:
- Starting the Mexican Train: The Mexican Train begins as an empty line that originates from the central station number and is accessible to all players. It can be started at any point after the initial station double is placed and the first round of turns has begun.
Subsequent Turns and Gameplay
On each turn after the initial setup:
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One Domino Per Turn: Generally, a player plays one domino per turn unless they play a double, which grants them another turn.
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Possible Plays: On your turn, you can choose to play on:
- Your Own Private Train: If your train has a marker on it, playing a domino on your train removes the marker, making it private again (marker removed after the play).
- The Public Mexican Train: Anyone can play on the Mexican Train during their turn.
- Another Player’s Open Train: You can play on another player’s private train only if it has a marker indicating it is open to all players.
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Drawing Dominoes: If you cannot make a valid move on any available train, you must draw one domino from the boneyard. If you still cannot play a domino after drawing, you must place a marker on your own train to show it is now open to other players. If your train already has a marker, you leave it as is.
Managing your domino hand effectively is key to minimizing your score at the end of each round.
Managing Your Domino Hand and the Boneyard
Efficiently managing your dominoes is crucial as the game progresses:
- Drawing from the Boneyard: If a player cannot play a domino on their turn, they must draw from the boneyard and attempt to play the drawn domino.
- Opening Your Train: If unable to play even after drawing, the player must place a marker on their train, making it accessible for other players to play on in subsequent turns.
- Mexican Train Strategy: The Mexican Train can be strategically used to quickly get rid of dominoes. However, be cautious not to deplete your hand entirely, as running out of playable tiles can lead to drawing penalties and higher scores.
Scoring in Mexican Train Dominoes
A round of Mexican Train Dominoes ends when a player successfully plays all their dominoes:
- Ending the Round: The first player to play all their dominoes immediately scores 0 points for that round.
- Calculating Scores: All other players count the pips (dots) on their remaining dominoes and that total is their score for the round.
- Game End: After three rounds, the player with the lowest cumulative score across all rounds is declared the winner of the Mexican Train Dominoes game.
Mexican Train Dominoes Strategy and Winning Tips
To excel at Mexican Train Dominoes, you need a strategy that balances playing your tiles and strategically hindering opponents:
- Observe Played Tiles: Keep track of the dominoes played to anticipate what your opponents might hold and plan your moves accordingly.
- Diversify Your Train: Aim for a train that can accommodate a variety of numbers, increasing your chances of having playable tiles each turn. Don’t focus solely on one or two numbers.
- Utilize the Mexican Train Wisely: Use the Mexican Train to your advantage to quickly reduce your domino count, but ensure you retain some flexibility in your hand.
- Strategic Blocking: Play dominoes that might restrict your opponents’ train options, forcing them to draw more tiles.
- Adapt Your Strategy: Be flexible and adjust your gameplay based on the flow of the game, the tiles played, and what remains in your hand.
Frequently Asked Questions and Game Variations
Here are answers to common questions and a popular variation:
- What if a player has only one domino left? They must announce “uno” or signal by double-tapping the table.
- Can you play on the Mexican Train with one domino left? Yes, but you must announce “only one tile” beforehand.
- What if you can’t play and the boneyard is empty? You must pass and place a marker on your train.
- Can you play a double on your own train? Yes, announce “double” to alert others.
- Are there game variations? Yes, a popular variation is Chicken Foot.
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