What Is Mexican Train?
The most played domino game in American living rooms. Big set, big table, and room for the whole family.
Mexican Train is a draw-and-dump race. Every tile left in your hand at the end of a round counts against you, so the whole game is about keeping your own train open and getting rid of heavy bones before someone goes out.
It is played with a double-twelve set on a hub called the station. Each player runs a personal train, and one public train, the Mexican train, is open to all. Rounds count down from the double-twelve to the double-blank.
Players
2-8 players, everyone for themselves. Eight is a real party; four is the sweet spot.
Equipment
A double-twelve set (91 tiles), a station hub, and one train marker per player.
Time
About 10-15 minutes a round. A full 13-round game is an evening; shorter games stop early by agreement.
Skill Level
Easy to learn. Winning comes from managing doubles and knowing when to open other players' trains.
Setup & Deal
What You Need
- A double-twelve domino set (91 tiles)
- A station (a hub with eight slots; a plain table works too)
- One train marker per player, plus one for the Mexican train
- Pencil and paper for the running total
Tiles Per Player
| Players | Tiles Each | Boneyard | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-4 Players | 15 tiles | The rest | 13 (12-12 down to 0-0) |
| 5-6 Players | 12 tiles | The rest | 13 (12-12 down to 0-0) |
| 7-8 Players | 10 tiles | The rest | 13 (12-12 down to 0-0) |
Each round starts with one double face up in the station, the engine: 12-12 in round one, 11-11 in round two, down to 0-0 in round thirteen. Shuffle the rest face down; that is the boneyard everyone draws from.
Building The Trains
Your Train
Every player's train starts at the station from the engine. A tile played on a train must match the open end, so the first tile on every train shows the engine's number. Your train is private until you fail to play on it.
The Mexican Train
One extra train runs from the engine and is open to everyone from the moment the first player starts it. Anybody may play on it on any turn.
A Turn
- Play one tile on your own train, on the Mexican train, or on any other player's train that is marked open
- If you cannot play, draw one tile from the boneyard; play it if it fits
- If it does not fit, put your marker on your train: it is now open to the others
- Playing on your own open train removes the marker and closes it again
- Play passes clockwise
Doubles
A double is played sideways and must be satisfied: another tile has to be played on it. Playing a double gives you one more turn to satisfy it. If you cannot, the next players must play on that double before anything else, drawing if they have to, and their trains open if they fail.
Ending The Round
- A player plays their last tile, or
- The boneyard is empty and nobody can play
Scoring
Counting Pips
When a round ends, every player adds up the pips left in hand. That total is their score for the round, and low is good. The player who went out scores zero.
| Left In Hand | Round Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing | 0 | You went out |
| [3-1] and [7-2] | 13 | 3+1+7+2 |
| [12-12] | 24 | The worst tile to get stuck with |
| [0-0] | 50 | House rule at many tables; 0 if your table does not use it |
The Game
Keep a running total across the rounds. After the double-blank round the lowest total wins. Playing fewer rounds is fine as long as everyone agrees before the first tile.
Going out is worth more than it looks: you score zero and everyone else eats whatever they are holding. If you are close, keep one small tile for the finish.
Strategy Tips
Play Your Heavy Tiles First
Pips in hand are points against you. Lead with your biggest numbers while the trains are young and every number is still playable.
Keep Your Train Closed
An open train is free pips for the table. Before you play anywhere else, make sure you can still move on your own train next turn.
Hunt Open Trains
When somebody's marker goes up, use their train to dump tiles that do not fit yours. They cannot stop you until they play there again.
Doubles Are Weapons And Traps
A double you can satisfy yourself is a free extra move. A double you cannot satisfy opens your train and hands the table a target.
Count The Engine Number
Tiles with the engine's number are the only way to start a train. Hold one back if you want to keep the Mexican train for yourself.
FAQ
2 to 8 with a double-twelve set. Big groups draw fewer tiles each so the boneyard stays alive.
A public train that runs from the engine like everyone's private train, except anyone may play on it on any turn. The first player to start it opens it for all.
You take one more turn to satisfy it with a matching tile. If you cannot, your train opens and the next players must satisfy that double before any other play.
Low wins. At the end of each round you score the pips left in your hand. After the last round, the lowest running total takes the game.
Not yet. Today you can play Cutthroat head-up against the CPU on Dominologist; the other games are on the way.