Mexican Train Dominoes
The family favourite with a double-twelve set: build your own train from the engine, jump onto the Mexican Train and open trains, and finish all rounds with the lowest score.
Pick how many opponents, the game length and the level. Lowest score after the last round wins!
How to play Mexican Train
Each round has an engine double in the hub: double-12 in round one, then double-11 and so on down to double-blank (or every other double in the 6-round short game). Everyone gets 15 tiles. Your personal train starts from the engine, and so does the Mexican Train, which any player can add to.
On your turn, play one matching tile on your own train, on the Mexican Train or on any train that shows a marker. If nothing fits, draw one tile; if it still doesn’t fit, you pass and a marker goes on your train, so the others can play on it until you add a tile to it yourself.
When you play a double, you go again, and nobody can play anywhere else until someone covers that double with a matching tile. The round ends when a player goes out or nobody can move. Everyone scores the pips left in their hand, and after the last round the lowest total wins.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to satisfy a double?
A double that has just been played must be covered with a tile that matches it before anything else happens. The player who laid it tries first; if they can’t, they draw, then pass with a marker on their train, and every player after them has to satisfy the double before playing anywhere else.
How long is a game of Mexican Train?
The full game has 13 rounds, one for each engine from double-12 down to double-blank. If you’re short on time, pick the 6-round game, which uses the engines 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2.
Any tips for winning?
Plan the longest run you can lay on your own train and keep those tiles for it. Spend your other tiles on the Mexican Train and on open trains, get rid of high doubles early, and close your marker as soon as you can so nobody can play on your train.