Mexican Train
Build your own train of dominoes out from the hub, play on the Mexican train and on any train with a marker, and try to empty your hand first. The lowest total after the last round wins.
How to play Mexican Train
How to play
Each round starts with a double in the hub: 12|12 in the first round, then 11|11 and on down. With two players you get 15 tiles each, with three 13, with four 11; the rest is the boneyard. Every player has a train that starts at the hub, and the Mexican train is open to everyone. On your turn play one tile on your own train, on the Mexican train or on any train with a marker, so the touching halves match. Tap a tile, then the train you want if it fits more than one; you can also drag it there, or use the arrow keys and Enter.
Markers, doubles and your first turn
If nothing fits, draw one tile and play it if you can. If you still can’t, pass: a marker goes on your train, and anyone may play there until you play on it again. A double must be covered: whoever plays one goes again and must put a matching tile on it. If they can’t, every player has to cover it before anything else is played. On your first turn of each round you may lay a whole run of tiles on your own train, one after another; tap Done to stop early.
Scoring and rounds
A round ends when someone plays their last tile, or when nobody can play and the boneyard is empty. Everyone scores the pips left in their hand, and the double-blank counts 50. After the last round the lowest total wins. Quick (two computers), Two players and Four players play four rounds, with the 12|12 down to the 9|9 as engines. The Full game plays all thirteen, down to the 0|0, against two computers. You start the first round, and each round the next player starts.
Tips
Keep the longest run you can lay on your own train, and play your other tiles on the Mexican train and on open trains. Shed heavy tiles and the double-blank before someone goes out, and play a double when you can cover it straight away. The computers play by the same rules and never see your tiles or the boneyard.
Questions
How do you play Mexican Train dominoes?
Everyone builds a train of matching tiles out from a double in the middle, the hub. On your turn you add one tile to your own train, to the shared Mexican train, or to another player’s train if it has a marker. If nothing fits you draw a tile. The first player to play their last tile ends the round.
When can you play on someone else’s train?
Only when it has a marker. A marker goes on a player’s train when they can’t play, even after drawing, and it comes off as soon as they play on their own train again. The Mexican train is always open to everyone.
What happens when you play a double in Mexican Train?
You play again and must cover the double with a tile that matches it. If you can’t, even after drawing one tile, a marker goes on your train and the next players must cover the double before anyone plays anywhere else.
How is Mexican Train scored?
When a round ends, every player counts the pips left in their hand; here the double-blank counts 50. The player who went out scores nothing. Totals add up over the rounds, and the lowest total at the end wins.
Is there a daily Mexican Train game?
Yes. The daily is a Quick game of four rounds against two computers, with the same deals and the same boneyard for everyone. The computers always make the same choice in the same position, so if you play like a friend did, you will see the same game.