How to Play Mexican Train Dominoes

There is a particular sort of evening that begins with a clatter of tiles tipped onto the table and ends with someone laughing at the length of their own train. Mexican Train Dominoes draws a crowd in a way few games manage, holding anywhere from two players to a full table of eight.

The game itself is straightforward, but it rewards patience and a little quiet planning. Our own Mexican Train Dominoes set arrives in a wooden box made from FSC-certified timber, with tiles tested to UKCA and CE standards so they are safe in any household, including ones with younger players hovering at the edge of the table.

If you have never played, the rules below will have you started within minutes. We have set out everything you need, from the kit to the finer points of strategy.

What You Need to Play Mexican Train Dominoes

The standard kit for Mexican Train Dominoes is a double-12 set, which contains 91 tiles. This is the most commonly used set for the game, and it gives enough length and variety to keep a long table busy.

You will also want a central hub or station to hold the engine tile, around which every train radiates. Many sets include one, and ours comes complete in its wooden box ready to play.

Markers are the other essential. Each player needs something — a coin, a counter, or a small train marker — to place on their personal train when it becomes open to others. The set you choose should provide these, but household coins do the job equally well.

A pencil and paper round off the requirements, since scores are tallied across thirteen rounds. Nothing more elaborate is needed.

It helps to understand how domino sets scale. A double-6 set contains 28 tiles, a double-9 set has 55, and a double-12 set has 91, following the formula (n+1)(n+2)/2 where n is the highest number. The larger the set, the longer the trains and the more players it supports.

If you are newer to the family of domino games more broadly, our guide on how to play dominoes, with rules, scoring and strategy, is a sensible place to begin. You will find the full range within our traditional games collection, alongside many other classics.

How to Set Up the Game

Begin by placing all 91 tiles face down in the centre of the table. This pool of unused tiles is known as the boneyard, and players will draw from it throughout the game.

Each round opens with a particular double tile acting as the engine. In the first round this is the double-12. Over the course of thirteen rounds the engine works steadily down, finishing with the double-0, or double-blank, in the final round.

Set the engine for the round in the central hub. Every train that players build will start from this point.

Now deal the hands. With two to four players, each takes a generous number of tiles; with more players around the table, hands are smaller so the boneyard is not exhausted too quickly. A common arrangement gives each player fifteen tiles in a smaller game, fewer as numbers grow.

Players keep their tiles hidden, standing them on edge or behind a rack so opponents cannot read their hand.

Before play begins, each person works out the longest run of tiles they can lay from the engine number. This becomes their personal train, built outward from the hub on their own turn.

The communal Mexican Train is set up separately, branching from the engine, and any player may add to it. This shared line is what gives the game its name and its character.

Once the engine is placed and hands are dealt, you are ready to play. The setup is much the same whether you are gathered around a kitchen table or settling in with others from our board games on a quiet afternoon.

Mexican Train Dominoes Rules Explained

The aim is to be the first to play all of your dominoes. The player who manages this scores zero, while everyone else counts the pips remaining in their hand as penalty points. Lowest total across the rounds wins.

Play proceeds clockwise. On your turn you add a tile to a train where the numbers match — the open end of a train must meet a matching number on your tile, in the usual domino fashion.

You may build on your own personal train at any time. You may also add to the Mexican Train, the communal line that belongs to no one and is open to all.

You may play on another person's train only when it is marked as open. This is where the markers come in.

If you cannot play on your turn, you must draw one tile from the boneyard. Should that tile be playable, you may lay it; if it cannot be played, you place a marker on your own personal train to show it is now open to everyone else.

Once a marker sits on your train, opponents may build on it freely until you play a tile there yourself and reclaim it. This push and pull of opening and closing trains is the heart of the game.

Doubles carry a special rule in most versions: when a double is laid, the player must immediately play another tile to satisfy it, or the next player must do so. If no one can, the double sits open as a fresh branch.

The round ends when one player empties their hand, or when no one can play at all. Tiles are then counted and the next round begins with the next engine down.

How to Win at Mexican Train Dominoes

Winning at Mexican Train Dominoes is less about luck than about managing your hand and reading the table. The early decisions matter most.

When you set up your personal train, aim to use your heaviest tiles first. Doubles and high-value tiles carry the most penalty points if you are caught holding them, so shed them while you can.

Keep an eye on which trains are open. The Mexican Train and any marked train give you somewhere to dump awkward tiles you cannot fit onto your own line. Use these freely rather than hoarding.

Try not to leave your personal train open longer than necessary. An open train is generosity to your opponents, who will gladly offload their worst tiles onto it. Close it at the first opportunity by playing a matching tile yourself.

Watch the numbers others are short on. If you can play a double that forces opponents to respond, and they cannot, you create a stalled branch that works in your favour and may force them to draw.

Counting matters in the endgame. When the boneyard runs low, hold tiles that you know can still be played, and avoid being stranded with a pair of double-12s.

Patience tends to win out over haste. A measured approach pays off across thirteen rounds in much the same way it does in backgammon, where reading the board beats charging ahead.

Above all, balance speed against caution. Emptying your hand quickly is the goal, but a single high tile left over can cost you a round. The best players keep their penalty risk low at every turn.

Variations and House Rules Worth Knowing

Mexican Train Dominoes has spawned plenty of house rules, and most tables settle on a version they like best. There is no single official rulebook, which is part of the game's charm.

The double rule is the most varied. Some groups require the very next tile to satisfy a double; others allow the double to sit open as a branch until someone chooses to close it. Agree on your version before you start.

Many households play a rule whereby a player who is down to a single tile must announce it, much as in other games. Forgetting to do so carries a small penalty, often drawing extra tiles.

Some tables allow more than one Mexican Train to be opened during a round, while purists keep it to the single communal line. The former speeds the game along; the latter keeps it tighter.

Scoring can be adjusted too. A popular variant counts each double-blank as a fixed high penalty rather than zero, which sharpens the tension of holding it in the final round.

You can shorten the game by playing fewer than thirteen rounds, or lengthen it by starting again from the double-12 once you reach the blank. A single round makes a fine introduction for newcomers.

Whatever rules you adopt, a good set sees plenty of use. Dominoes arrived in Britain and Europe during the 18th century, with references appearing by the late 1700s, and the game has been adapted ever since.

If your evenings tend towards the traditional, you might also enjoy our wooden toys and, when summer comes, the games within our outdoor games range, including a proper round of croquet.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Train Dominoes Rules

How do you play Mexican Train Dominoes?

Mexican Train Dominoes is played with a double-12 set of 91 tiles. Each round begins with a central 'engine' double tile, from which players build personal chains of dominoes called trains. On each turn, a player adds a matching tile to their own train, the communal Mexican Train, or any open personal train. The aim is to empty your hand before your opponents. Remaining tiles in other players' hands are counted as penalty points at the end of each round, across 13 rounds total.

What are the rules of Mexican Train Dominoes?

Each round starts with a central double tile (the engine). Players build a personal train from that engine, matching pip values end to end. On your turn, you may play one tile on your own train, the shared Mexican Train, or an open personal train. If you cannot play, draw one tile from the boneyard; if still unable to play, place a marker on your train, making it open to others. The player who plays all their tiles first wins that round. Scores are tallied from tiles remaining in opponents' hands.

How many players can play Mexican Train Dominoes?

Mexican Train Dominoes accommodates 2 to 8 players, making it suitable for a wide range of group sizes. The game works well with larger groups because the communal Mexican Train keeps all players involved each turn, regardless of whose personal train they may or may not access. The double-12 set of 91 tiles provides enough dominoes to deal a fair hand to every player across all group sizes within that range.

What do you need to play Mexican Train Dominoes?

To play Mexican Train Dominoes you need a double-12 domino set, which contains 91 tiles. You will also need a central hub or station piece to hold the engine tile and anchor each player's train. Train markers — small coins or purpose-made tokens — are used to indicate when a personal train is open for others to play on. These components are often included in dedicated Mexican Train Dominoes sets, such as those produced by specialist games manufacturers.

How do you start a Mexican Train Dominoes game?

To start, place the double-12 tile face-up in the centre as the engine for round one. Shuffle the remaining tiles face-down (the boneyard) and deal each player a hand — typically 10 to 15 tiles depending on player count. Each player then builds the start of their personal train by placing matching tiles from the engine outward. Any tiles not yet played remain in hand. Subsequent rounds use descending doubles as the engine, from double-11 down to double-0, across 13 rounds in total.

What happens if you can't play a domino in Mexican Train?

If you cannot play a tile on your turn, you must draw one tile from the boneyard. If that drawn tile can be played, you may place it immediately. If it still cannot be played, you must place a marker — such as a coin or train marker — on your personal train. This marker signals to other players that your train is now open, meaning opponents may play onto your train on their subsequent turns. The marker is removed once you successfully play a tile on your own train.

How do you win at Mexican Train Dominoes?

To win Mexican Train Dominoes, aim to be the first player to play all your tiles each round, scoring zero penalty points for that round. Opponents count the total pip value of all tiles remaining in their hands, and those values are recorded as their scores. After all 13 rounds — one for each double from 12 down to 0 — the player with the lowest cumulative score wins the overall game. Strategic tile management and knowing when to play onto the Mexican Train are key to keeping your score low.

What is the Mexican Train in Mexican Train Dominoes?

The Mexican Train is a communal train of dominoes that any player may add a tile to on their turn. It starts from the central engine tile, just like personal trains, and grows as players contribute matching tiles. This shared train is what distinguishes Mexican Train Dominoes from other domino formats — it gives every player an extra option each turn and ensures the game remains fluid even when players struggle to play on their own or other open trains.

How do you score points in Mexican Train Dominoes?

Scoring in Mexican Train Dominoes works as a penalty system. When a player empties their hand, the round ends and every other player counts the total pip value of tiles still in their hand. Those totals are recorded as that player's score for the round. After all 13 rounds have been played — working down from the double-12 engine to the double-0 — each player's round scores are added together. The player with the lowest overall total wins, so the goal is always to score as few points as possible.

Can you play Mexican Train Dominoes with a standard double six set?

A standard double-6 set contains only 28 tiles, which is not sufficient for a full game of Mexican Train Dominoes as typically played. The game is designed around a double-12 set of 91 tiles, which supports 2 to 8 players across 13 rounds. While informal, shortened versions using a double-6 or double-9 set (55 tiles) are sometimes played with fewer players and fewer rounds, the standard and recommended experience requires the double-12 set for balanced gameplay.