Mexican Train on PlayingCards.io

This Mexican Train table can seat 2-8 players. Each round, players aim to play all their dominoes before their opponents do. After 13 rounds, the player with the lowest score wins!

Mexican Train Rules

2-8 players

At the center of the table is the Double slot.

Each train is a line of dominoes. The first domino must match the Double. If you run out of domino slots, continue to wrap your train on the table.

The Turn Button shows whose turn it is. At the start of each round, click this button until it shows the player with the current double.

Trains are round color marbles.

Rotate dominoes:

• Hold the domino with a mouse and tap Z or X on a keyboard
• Hold the domino with a touchscreen and tap blue Z or X buttons which appear
• Pick up the domino using a mouse right-click and rotate freely

Types of train:

• Each player has 1 private train
• There is 1 public train, marked with a marble
• When a player cannot play a domino, they mark their private train as "open" using a color marble. This shows that other players they may temporarily play on that train

Set Up

Each player clicks "Sit Here" on a Player Seat:

• The card icon shows dominoes in hand
• The number shows play order, clockwise
• Personalize your name in the text field (Player) and initial in the circle (Number)

The first domino must be a double and is played into the center space marked Double.

Objective

The game is played in 12 rounds. Each round, play all your dominoes before your opponents can. At the end of each round, score the dots on any dominoes remaining in your hand. The lowest score after 12 rounds wins!

Starting a Round

The Deal button places 12 dominoes in each player's private hand, the rectangle at the bottom of the screen.

Each round is started by a double domino. The first round is double 12, the second round is double 11, the final round is double blanks.

The player holding the double 12 goes first. (Press the ) Play into the Double space. Then play one additional domino, which shares a number with the double to begin your train.

If no one has the required double, players either draw an additional tile or agree to call for the next lower double.

Turn

On your turn, play 1 domino to a train: Your train, the public train, or another player's train if it is "open."

Trains start in the center and match the previous domino played. The first domino of a train matches the Double.

If you can't play, you must draw. You have another chance to play. Otherwise, mark your train "open" and end your turn.

Whenever you play a double, you must immediately play another domino which matches that double. If you cannot, draw a domino. If you still cannot match the double, mark your train as "open" and end your turn. Variant: the next players are required to match your double or else draw.

Mark a train "open" by taking a colored marble and placing it near your train. This shows other players they may now play on your train. Your train is open until it is your turn again; if you can play a domino anywhere on the table, you remove your train.

There is one public train which is always open. It maybe started by any player. Variant: players can start as many public trains as they would like, place in blank areas of the table and mark with a marble.

If you run out of slots on the table to play your dominoes, snake them around in the empty space.

Scoring the Round

The round ends immediately when a player plays their last non-double domino.

If a player's last domino is a double, they must draw in order to "cover" the double. Then they may play if there is a legal move and end the round. Otherwise the round continues.

At round end, all players add up the dots on dominoes which remain in their hand. Variant: 50 points for holding the double blank. Have one player keep a running tally.

Starting a New Round

Press the R+S (Recall + Shuffle) button twice to recall dominoes from player hands.

Return train marbles to the side.

Click Deal to begin the next round, starting with the next lowest double. Click Turn Button until you cycle to the player who placed that round's double.

Winning the Game

After 12 rounds, the player with the lowest total score wins!