Mexican Train Rules – How to Play and Score

🎯 Objective

The goal of Mexican Train is to get rid of all of your dominoes as efficiently as possible. At the end of each round, any dominoes left in your hand count against you. After all rounds are played, the player with the lowest cumulative score wins.

🧩 What You Need to Play Mexican Train

• A Double-12 domino set is the most common choice for Mexican Train.
• A train hub and markers are helpful, but not required.
• If you do not have train markers, coins or small objects work fine.
• You can also play with a Double-9 set for fewer players or a shorter game.

🎲 1. Setup

This guide assumes a standard Double-12 domino set, though the game also works with Double-9 by adjusting the number of rounds and the number of tiles dealt.

• Shuffle all dominoes face down.
• Take out the starting double for the round and place it in the center. This is the engine.
• In later rounds, use the next lower double each time: 12-12, then 11-11, then 10-10, and so on until the final round.
• Each player builds a personal train from the center outward.
• One shared line becomes the Mexican Train.

Any leftover dominoes form the boneyard, which players draw from when they cannot make a play.

🚦 2. Starting the Round

Some groups begin by placing the engine tile in the center automatically for the round. Other groups use a “find the starting double” method where players draw or reveal tiles until someone has the required opening double. Both approaches are common house-rule variations.

Once the engine is in the center, each player begins building a train that starts with a domino matching that engine number.

🪜 3. How to Play Mexican Train Step by Step

1. Check your playable options. On your turn, look for a domino that matches the open end of an eligible train.
2. Choose where to play. You may play on:
   • Your own train
   • The Mexican Train
   • Another player’s train, but only if it is marked public
3. Play one domino. On a normal turn, you place one domino and your turn ends.
4. Draw if you cannot play. If you have no legal move, draw one domino from the boneyard.
5. Play the drawn domino if possible. If the tile you draw can be played, play it immediately.
6. Mark your train if you still cannot play. If the drawn domino also cannot be played, place your marker on your train. This makes your train public until you successfully play on it again.

🚂 4. Understanding the Trains

✳️ 5. Doubles Rules

• Doubles are played sideways or perpendicular so they stand out clearly.
• When you play a double, it must be covered with a matching domino.
• If you can cover your own double immediately, do so.
• If you cannot cover it, the obligation passes to the next player and continues clockwise until someone covers it.
• Many groups pause normal play until the open double is satisfied.

🪙 6. What Happens If You Cannot Play?

• Draw one tile from the boneyard.
• If you can play it, place it immediately.
• If you still cannot play, mark your train public and end your turn.
• If the boneyard is empty and you still cannot play, simply pass and keep your train marked if required.

🚨 7. Special Situations and Common House Rules

• No one has the starting double: many groups draw until someone finds it.
• First turn rules vary: some groups allow players to play multiple dominoes on their first turn, while others allow only one tile per turn from the start.
• Open doubles vary: some groups require the next player to cover the double no matter what, while others follow slightly different double-handling rules.
• Shorter games: some groups start at a lower double instead of playing every round.

Mexican Train is famous for house rules, so it is smart to agree on setup, first-turn rules, and double rules before the first domino hits the table. Saves friendships and folding tables.

🏁 8. How a Round Ends

• A round ends when a player plays their last domino, or
• No player can make a move and the boneyard is empty.

🧮 9. Scoring in Mexican Train

• The player who goes out scores 0 for the round.
• All other players count the total pips on the dominoes left in their hands.
• That total is added to each player’s running score.
• After the last round, the lowest total score wins.

🏆 10. Winning the Game

Mexican Train is usually played over multiple rounds, descending from the highest double to the lowest double in the set. When all rounds are complete, the player with the lowest cumulative score is the winner.

💡 11. Beginner Tips for Mexican Train

• Try to get rid of high-value dominoes early.
• Do not ignore the Mexican Train; it often gives you an extra escape route.
• Watch which numbers other players seem to avoid.
• Be careful with doubles unless you can cover them.
• If your train is public, prioritize closing it when you can.

🔄 12. Popular Mexican Train Variations

• Play with Double-9 for fewer players or shorter games.
• Allow multiple dominoes on the opening turn only.
• Use partnerships in larger groups.
• Play a shortened set of rounds, such as starting at 9 instead of 12.
• Use more aggressive doubles rules similar to Chicken Foot style play.