- Mexican Train
-
A typical Mexican Train game (double-nine)
Mexican Train, also known as simply Trains, is a game played with dominoes. The object of the game is for a player to play all the dominoes from his or her hand onto one or more chains, or "trains", emanating from a central hub or "station". The game's most popular name comes from a special optional train that belongs to all players. However, the game can be played without the Mexican Train; such variants are generally called Private Trains or Domino Trains. It is related to the game Chicken Foot.
Contents
Objective
The object of all Trains games is to be the first player to place all dominoes drawn at the start of a round. Dominoes may be placed onto the player's train, onto the Mexican train if available, or on the trains of other players under special circumstances.
Setup
The game is generally played with 2 to 8 players, though a large enough domino set can support 16 players or more. A double-six set can be used by up to four players, but the following extended sets are generally recommended to allow a substantial starting hand and boneyard:
- 2-3 players: double-nine
- 4-8 players: double-twelve
- 9-12 players: double-fifteen
- 13 or more: double-eighteen
The game also requires:
- One token or marker for each player, plus one additional token.
- A special spacer, known as the "station", used to evenly space the trains around the central domino (optional).
- Pencil and paper to keep score
Many sets of dominoes include a station and special train-shaped tokens for markers, and aftermarket Mexican Train kits with a station and tokens of varying visual appeal are available. However, the station piece is not strictly needed, and anything from coins to poker chips to even pieces of candy or slips of paper can be used as markers.
At the start of each round, the dominoes are placed face side down, shuffled, and drawn by players to form their hands. With a double-six set, up to four players each draw seven dominoes. Using an extended set as recommended above, players draw as follows:
- 2-4 players: 15 dominoes each
- 5-6 players: 12 dominoes each
- 7+ players: 11 dominoes each
Any remaining dominoes are placed to one side, forming the boneyard.
Gameplay
Assuming play is with a standard double-twelve set, the player with the double-twelve starts the play. In each successive hand the next lower double is used until all doubles are used. The double-blank is the final hand. If no one has the required double for the round, players each draw another tile simultaneously until it is found. This player opens the station by placing this double in the center as the "engine". Each player then simultaneously starts their train by playing a domino that matches the double in the engine, and play continues in turn, each player using the dominoes in their hand to make as long of a train as possible by playing matching dominoes one at a time, end to end. A train can be as long as the players can make it; it only ends when all dominoes that could match its endpoint have already been played. As a result, trains can become quite long, especially with an extended domino set. It is acceptable, if necessary, to "bend" the train 90° or 180° to keep the train on the table or playing surface, as long as it does not interfere with the endpoints of other trains. After everyone has made their personal train as long as possible from the dominoes in their hand, play begins with the person who initially laid the double to start the hand. From this point forward, each person may only lay one domino per turn. If he is unable to, he must draw a domino from the boneyard. If he is able to lay that domino, he may do so immediately. Otherwise, his turn is over. Play then continues to the left.
Public Trains
Players also have the option, whether they can play on their own train or not, of playing a domino on any train currently marked "public". An unmarked train is "private" and can only be played on by its owner.
If a player cannot or chooses not to make any legal play on an open train, they must draw a domino, and if that domino is not playable, the player must then mark their train as "public" by placing a marker on the first car of the train. From this point until the train's owner is again able to play on it, any player may add on to that train. A player whose train is marked cannot play on any train except their own. When the player can play on the current endpoint of their train, the marker is removed, the train becomes "private" again, and the player on subsequent turns can place tiles on any open train. Alternatively, when a player's train becomes public due to not being able to play on it, the player may still play on any other public trains, as opposed to being forced to play on their own train exclusively.
It should be noted that a player does not have to make any play even if they can; they may at their liberty draw a domino, mark their train and pass. However, it is rarely good strategy to do so if a play can be made.
The Mexican Train
A player who cannot play, but who does have a domino matching the engine, has the option to start a train known as the Mexican Train instead of drawing a domino. It is started by the first player in order who, after starting their own train, can play a domino matching the engine.
This train is always public and thus once it is created, any player may play on it, which provides an extra option for all players whose own trains aren't marked. The Mexican Train is usually marked with a black marker if one is available, or is left unmarked (as it is the only train not facing a player, it is generally easy to identify). Only one Mexican Train can exist; once started, a player cannot start another (but the player can still try to play on the Mexican Train rather than their own), and it also cannot be ended except by playing a domino for which all other matching dominoes have been played.
Playing doubles
When a player plays a double, the domino is placed perpendicular to the train. Another domino matching the double must then be played on that train, known as finishing the double, before any other play can be made by any player. The player who placed the double gets an extra play where they may either finish the double or play another domino any available place in play. If the player cannot, he/she must draw a domino and if it can be played, they may play it. If the drawn domino cannot be played, the player must mark the train on which the double was played as public (if it is not already so), and play passes to the next person who can legally play on that train (either the train's owner or the next player whose train is not public). Note that the player who played the double does not have to mark their own train if they did not play the double on their train.
With an unfinished double on the table, players whose trains are public are skipped altogether unless the train with the unfinished double belongs to that player. If the next player who can legally play on that train (their own train is unmarked, or it belongs to them) is unable to finish the double, they too must draw a domino, and if they still cannot play on the double then "their" train becomes public. This is true even if the player could play on their own train. Play carries on in this way until the double is finished. Normal play resumes after a player finally finishes the double. All trains marked public during this time, including the train containing the double, remain public until the train's owner can play on it.
Once a double is played and finished, up to two additional branches can be played off of it at an angle, forming a "W" similarly to Chicken Foot. This allows the owner of the train (or other players if it is public) more playable options.
Scoring
At the end of each round, the player going out receives 0 points, while all other players receive the sum of all pips (dots) on their dominoes. The double-blank is worth 50 points. The person with the least amount of points after all rounds have been played is the winner. In the case of a tie, the person with the most 0-point rounds is the winner. (If this is still a tie, the person with the lowest round total other than 0 is the winner).
Partnerships
With 4, 6, or 8 players, the game can be played in teams of two, with partners sitting opposite each other. Rules are identical except that a player's train and his partner's train are considered one and the same (they will usually extend from opposite sides of the station), and thus a player can play on his own end or his partner's, and neither end becomes public until neither partner can play a tile. Scoring is also handled in pairs, with the player who went out scoring zero for his team (even though his partner will have dominoes remaining) and other teams summing their scores for a team score.
Elements of strategy
- It is generally in a player's best interest to keep their train private. By making a train public, the player allows other players to break an impasse in extending the train, but the player loses all other options except to attempt to play on the endpoint of their own train.
- While public trains offer additional options, the player's own private train should be considered first. Trains usually are public because their owners cannot play on them; if that train's endpoint does not change, its owner has no options until they draw a domino they can play on it.
- A player may choose to dump unmatched tiles on public trains first, before starting their own train, to trick the other players into believing that the player cannot start a train.
- If one or more players played on a public train and the endpoint value has changed, play another tile that will change the endpoint value back to its original value or to a value the player is thought not to have.
- It is sometimes advantageous to play a double on one's own train and intentionally leave it unfinished. If the value of the double has been heavily played elsewhere, other players may be unable to finish it, which will cause many players to have to mark their own trains. This is a good defensive play when subsequent players are low on dominoes; they are unlikely to have a matching domino, and must draw and mark their trains until someone can finish the double.
- Because a player playing an unfinished double on someone else's train doesn't have to mark their own train as public, it is recommended that players play doubles on public trains whenever possible. Not only does this remove a major disadvantage to playing an unfinished double, it does not change the endpoint value of the train meaning its owner probably will not be able to play, and other players do have to mark their trains if they cannot finish the double. However, a double on someone else's train gives that player and/or everyone else (if public) more options, as branches can be added.
Variations
'There are a number of other versions of the rules for Mexican Train dominoes that are distinguished by a number of variations, such as the number of dominoes drawn by each player, rules for playing doubles, and the number of tiles that can be played during one turn. For example, the following versions of the rules for Mexican Train do not include the "chicken foot" branching off doubles that is in the rules above:
Slow Game variation: To start, no players make a string of dominoes to begin their own train. Play begins with the person to the left of the player who laid the engine double and only one domino may be played per turn. This version makes for a much slower game, and allows doubles to interfere with players' plans.
Delayed First Turn variation: Instead of simultaneously, each person takes turns making their first move, playing as many dominoes on their train as possible. Any player that is unable to play on their first turn draws a domino, and may then begin their first turn or pass. When a player who has passed finally starts their train, they may play as many dominoes as they can string together. After starting their train, players are only permitted to play one domino at a time as usual, unless playing a double. This version allows a player to save their "first turn" string of dominoes for when they have a chance, instead of being stuck with all dominoes from the beginning.
No Branching Doubles variation: When playing a double only one branch may come off of the double, as if it were a regular domino. Since there is only one branch, it is not necessary to turn the double perpendicular to the train, but some prefer to do so anyway. This version allows for less possibilities each turn, and leads to a longer game.
Swan Drive variation: A player who can play on their own train may also play one tile on each subsequent public train in clockwise order. Each public train must be played on in order to continue in this manner, and only one tile per train may be played (unless a double must be finished). Once a player cannot play on the next public train, or has looped around to their own train, their turn ends. While playing on each public train, the player may choose to play on the Mexican train or skip it when he comes to it, making the placement of the train somewhat strategical. This version makes for a much faster game.
External links
Categories:- Domino games
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
