How to Play Mexican Dominoes
Mexican dominoes, also called Mexican Train or Mexican Express, is an interesting game that you can play with a standard set of double six dominoes, or with a specialized Mexican Train set. A specialized set usually comes with tokens that look like small trains, but if you play with regular dominoes, you’ll need to find your own tokens, such as plastic poker chips or markers from other games. Here are guidelines for playing this great game.
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Things You'll Need
- Double six set of dominoes
- Table or large flat surface
- Paper and pencil
- Token for each player
Instructions
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1
Place the dominoes face down on the table and shuffle them.
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2
Draw nine dominoes each if you have two players, eight for three players or six for four players. Leave the remaining dominoes on the table as the draw pile or rail yard.
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3
Ask the player with the double six domino to place it face up in the center of the table. This domino is called the engine. If no one has the double six, all the players draw an additional domino from the rail yard until someone gets it. If no one draws the double six, reshuffle and start again.
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4
Have the player who placed the engine build a train by placing dominoes in a line, extending from the center double toward himself. As in other domino games, the dots on the dominoes must match, end to end. When the player has used all the dominoes he can, play continues clockwise until everyone has built a train. If the player cannot match the center domino, he must play any double domino.
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5
Have the player who placed the engine play another domino on his own train, or start a new train from the center domino, the Mexican train, that anyone may play on. If a player cannot play on his own train or the Mexican train, he must put a token on the last domino played, opening that train up to other players. The player then draws a domino from the rail yard. If a player places a double domino, he must play a second domino as well.
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6
Continue taking turns clockwise until one player has used up all of his dominoes, or until the rail yard is empty and no one can play.
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7
Score the round by adding up the total number of dots on the leftover dominoes in each player’s hand. Record the scores on the score sheet.
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Play additional rounds in the same way, using the double five as the engine, then the double four, and so on until the double blank.
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Add up the scores from all the rounds. The player with the lowest overall total wins.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also play Mexican dominoes with more players using a larger set of dominoes. The website listed below has guidelines for using extra dominoes and players.
