How to play
Mexican Train uses a double-nine set of 55 dominoes. Each round starts from a double in the middle, the engine: the double-9 in the first round, then the double-8, and so on down. Everyone gets a hand of tiles (12 with two players, fewer with more) and the rest are left to draw.
- On your turn, play one tile whose number matches the open end of a train: your own train, the shared Mexican train, or any train with a marker on it.
- Play a double and you go again. A double must be covered before anything else is played, by you or whoever comes next.
- Can’t play? Draw a tile. If that doesn’t fit either, pass, and a marker goes on your train: anyone can play there until you play on it again.
- The round ends when someone plays their last tile, or when nobody can move.
Scoring
At the end of each round, the pips left in your hand are added to your score. After the last round, the lowest score wins. Choose 3, 5 or all 10 rounds.
Tips
Get rid of heavy tiles early, since they cost the most if you’re caught with them. Keep your own train going so you always have somewhere to play, and save a tile that matches a double you’re about to play.