The best Mexican Train strategy is simple: before you play a tile, line up the longest train you can make from the engine, keep your own train closed so others can’t use it, and save the tiles that don’t fit for the Mexican Train. Then, when someone gets close to going out, play your highest tiles first so you aren’t caught holding them.
1. Plan your longest train before you play
This is the big one. When you pick up your tiles, don’t just play the first one that fits. Find a tile that matches the engine, then see which tile fits after that, and after that. Try to line up the longest train you can from your own hand. Moving the tiles around in your rack really helps.
The tiles that don’t fit your plan are your leftovers. You’ll want to play those somewhere else, like on the Mexican Train. Your planned train is your safe road: as long as nobody else can play on it, those tiles are yours to play one at a time.
2. Keep your own train closed
When you can’t play, your marker goes out and anyone can play on your train. That can wreck your plan, because the end number changes and the tiles you lined up may not fit anymore. Try to always have a play ready, and if your marker does go out, getting it back off should be your first job.
That’s one more reason to save your planned tiles. If you play your whole train early, you’ll have nothing left that fits it, and your marker is likely to go out.
3. Use the Mexican Train for leftovers
Whenever you can play a leftover on the Mexican Train or on someone else’s open train, that’s usually better than playing from your planned train. You get rid of a tile and you keep your plan in your hand. If nobody has started the Mexican Train yet and you have a leftover that matches the engine, starting it can be a nice move.
4. Know when to play a double
The best time to play a double is when you can cover it yourself. You play the double, then you play your one extra tile right on it, and your turn moves on smoothly. A double in the middle of your planned train works great for this.
Don’t hang on to doubles for too long, though. They’re heavy - the double-12 alone is 24 points - and there are fewer places to play them. Getting caught with a big double at the end of a round really hurts.
Doubles can also slow down the table. If you play a double that nobody else can cover, everyone has to draw until it’s covered. That’s fair play, and it can be a handy move late in a round.
5. Play your high tiles when the round is ending
Keep an eye on how many tiles everyone has. When someone is down to two or three tiles, or taps the table and says “one left,” it’s time to switch plans. Play your heaviest tiles anywhere they fit, even if that breaks up your train. It’s better to be caught holding a 1-2 than a 12-11.
Want to practice? Play the computer free and try these tips out, one round at a time.
6. Watch the markers
A train with a marker on it is an open door. Before you draw, always check whether there’s an open train you can play on. A marker also tells you something: that player was stuck on that number, so they probably don’t have any more of it.
7. Count the numbers
In a double-12 set, every number shows up on 13 tiles. If you notice that most of the 7s are already on the table, a train ending in 7 is going to be hard to play on. You don’t need to count every tile. Just noticing which numbers are “used up” can help you plan.
8. Mind the double-blank
In the standard count, the double-blank is worth 0, so it’s nothing to worry about. But many families make it worth 50 points. If you play that way, try to get rid of it early. It can only go on a blank end, so play it as soon as you see one open. In the very last round, the double-blank is the engine, so nobody can get stuck with it then.
9. Use house rules to your advantage
If your family plays the big first turn, your planned train matters even more, because you might get to lay most of it down on your first turn. If you play “start your own train first,” make sure you start yours right away so the Mexican Train is open to you.
10. Keep it friendly
With kids at the table, don’t worry about strategy at all at first. Help them match numbers, cheer for every double, and let the grandkids catch Grandpa with a big tile at the end. Strategy comes on its own once the matching feels easy.