How to play Mexican Train dominoes

What you need

• A double-12 domino set (91 tiles). Sets with colored dots make matching much easier.
• A hub (the center piece that holds the engine). Nice to have, but not required - just lay the engine in the middle.
• One small marker for each player, like a toy train or a coin, plus one for the Mexican Train.
• Paper and pencil for scoring. Print our free score sheet.
• Want the rules at the table? Print the one-page rules sheet.
• 2 to 8 players. Ages 6 and up can play with a little help.

Want to give it a try? Play Mexican Train free on your phone, tablet or computer.

Setup and drawing tiles

Pull out the double for this round (double-12 for round one) and set it in the hub. Turn all the other tiles face down and shuffle them. Each player draws their tiles and stands them up so others can't see them. The tiles left over are the boneyard.

This is the most common table, but groups vary. Some families deal a few more or a few less. Any count works as long as everyone gets the same number and a good pile is left to draw from.

The engine and rounds

A full game has 13 rounds. Round one starts with the double-12 in the hub. Each round after that starts with the next double down: double-11, double-10, and so on, ending with the double-blank. Before each round, find that double, put it in the hub, and shuffle everything else.

Players take turns going around the table (usually to the left). Many families start each round with the next person over, so everyone gets a turn going first.

Your train and the Mexican Train

Every player has a personal train: a line of tiles that starts at the hub, right in front of them. The first tile on your train must match the engine. For example, in round one your first tile needs a 12 on one end.

There’s also one extra train called the Mexican Train. It belongs to everyone. Any player can start it with a tile that matches the engine, and after that anyone can add to it on their turn. Keep a marker on it so everyone remembers it’s always open.

Taking a turn

On your turn, play one tile by matching its number to the open end of a train. You can play:

• on your own train,
• on the Mexican Train, or
• on another player's train, but only if it has a marker on it.

Many families give everyone a bigger first turn of the round: you may lay down as many tiles as you can on your own train. Check with your group - see house rules.

Markers: when you can’t play

If you don’t have a tile that fits anywhere you’re allowed to play, draw one tile from the boneyard. If that tile fits, you can play it right away. If it doesn’t fit, say "pass" and put your marker on your train.

While your marker is out, your train is open: anyone can play on it. When you play a tile on your own train again, take your marker off and your train is closed to others again. If the boneyard is empty and you can't play, you simply pass and put your marker out.

Doubles: closing the double

A double is a tile with the same number on both ends, like 5-5. When you play a double, set it sideways across the end of the train, and then play one more tile. That extra tile can go anywhere you’re allowed to play, including on the double.

A double must be covered (also called closed or satisfied). Until someone plays a matching tile on it, no one may play anywhere else. If you can't cover it, draw one tile. If you still can't, put your marker on your train and the next player must try. This keeps going around the table until the double is covered.

Some groups let you play two or three doubles in a row, or skip covering a double. Those are house rules - see the most common ones.

Want to give it a try? Play Mexican Train free on your phone, tablet or computer.

Going out

The round ends as soon as one player plays their last tile. It’s polite (and in many families, required) to tap the table or say "one left" when you’re down to one tile. A round also ends if the boneyard is empty and no one can play.

What if your last tile is a double? Most groups say the round is over right away. Some say the double must still be covered first. Agree before you start.

Scoring and winning

When the round ends, everyone adds up the dots (pips) on the tiles left in their hand. The player who went out scores 0. Write the scores down and keep a running total.

The double-blank is worth 0 in the standard count, but many families make it worth 50 points as a house rule, so getting stuck with it really hurts.

After all 13 rounds, the player with the lowest total score wins. Grab a free score sheet.

Double-9 and double-6 sets

You can play with a smaller set. Start with the highest double and count down to the double-blank, so a double-9 set has 10 rounds and a double-6 set has 7 rounds. Smaller sets have fewer tiles (55 for double-9, 28 for double-6), so deal fewer tiles each. A good rule of thumb: leave at least a third of the tiles in the boneyard. A double-6 set works best for 2 to 4 players.

The rules in 7 steps

1. Get a set and pick the engine. Use a double-12 domino set (91 tiles). Take the double-12 out and put it in the middle. This is the engine, and it starts round one.
2. Shuffle and draw your tiles. Turn the rest face down and mix them up. Each player draws their hand: 15 tiles for 2 to 4 players, 12 tiles for 5 or 6, and 10 tiles for 7 or 8. The rest is the boneyard (the draw pile).
3. Take turns playing one tile. Going around the table, play one tile that matches an open end: on your own train, on the Mexican Train, or on any train with a marker on it.
4. Draw if you can't play. Draw one tile. If it fits, play it. If not, put a marker on your train, and anyone can play on it until you play on it again.
5. Cover every double. When you play a double, play again. The double must be covered by the next tile played, before anyone plays anywhere else.
6. Go out and score. The round ends when someone plays their last tile, or when no one can play and the boneyard is empty. Everyone else adds up the dots left in their hand.
7. Play all 13 rounds. Each new round starts with the next double down: double-11, then double-10, all the way to double-blank. Lowest total score wins.

Print these rules on one page (free PDF) · More Mexican Train guides