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Introduction
The following explanation of the rules are a part of the Mexican
Train for Windows computer version of the game as a "Help" menu
item.
Background
Mexican Train is a domino game where the basic object is to get rid of all of your dominoes before your opponents can do the same. Although it is a multiplayer game, there are no teams -- each person acts independently. The game is typically played with Double-9 dominoes (meaning there are up to 9 spots on each end of the dominoes), with other variations including Double-12 and Double-15. Score is kept on a cumulative basis, as each game consists of a number of hands. The number of hands in a game is equal to the number of domino suits: in other words, Double-9 dominoes have 10 suits (0-9), Double-12 dominoes have 13 suits (0-12), etc. While low hand scores are important, in the end only the final cumulative score matters.
Scoring
First and foremost, low score wins.
The score associated with each domino is the number of spots on the domino. For example, observe the sample hand below:
The score for this hand is (5+5) + (1+0) + (3+1) = 15.
Object of the Game
The basic object of the game is simply to get rid of all of your dominoes,
keeping in mind that the low score
wins.
Rules of the Game
Dominoes can only be played on dominoes of like suit. Ignore the doubles for now, but observe the picture at the bottom of this section and notice that all adjacent dominoes share a common suit. Such consecutive dominoes are said to constitute a train. Each player will create his/her own train that extends from the spinner. There is also one common train, called the Mexican Train, that also extends from the spinner. As a general rule, a player can only play off of his/her own train or the Mexican Train. This rule has exceptions that will be defined a bit later, but for now it is sufficient.
The trains in Mexican Train for Windows are arranged starting with the human player at the upper left of the spinner, then rotating counter-clockwise for the computer players in the order they appear. The Mexican Train is always the top right train off of the
spinner and will always have a small train marker placed on it.
As previously mentioned, each game consists of a set of hands (equal to the number of domino suits). The first hand will begin with the largest double being played first. The second hand will begin with the second-largest double, and so on and so forth. In the case of Double-9 dominoes, the hand sequence would begin by playing the double 9. The second game would begin with the double 8, etc. Prior to players drawing their dominoes, the double of interest is removed from the bone pile to begin the next game. Once all players have drawn their initial dominoes, this domino is placed in the center of the table to begin the next hand. Who plays first is determined on a rotational basis, starting with a random player and then proceeding in a circular fashion thereafter. The first player has the option of starting his/her own train or starting the Mexican Train. All other players’ trains are initially only playable by their respective owners.
If no play can be made with the dominoes in your hand, you must draw a single domino from the Bone Pile. If the domino you draw is playable, it can be played. Otherwise, your turn is over and the next player's turn begins. If there are no dominoes left in the Bone Pile, then you will be forced to pass in the event you cannot play. If you are forced to pass without playing, then your train becomes globally playable. A marker will be placed on your train indicating to other players that they are now allowed to play off of your train if they so desire. The marker will be removed only after you manage to play a domino off of your own train again. Note that a successful play off an opponent’s train or the Mexican Train will still leave your train globally playable.
The only other rule deals with the subsequent play of other doubles. Doubles have two nuances associated with them. First, if a player plays a double, it remains his/her turn (in other words, this player can play again immediately before play proceeds to the next player). Secondly, once a double is played, subsequent players must “satisfy” the double by playing a domino off of the double. Note that a player’s train need not be globally playable in order to satisfy a double on their train (this is the only exception to the rule of not being able to play off of other trains that are not globally playable). The following two paragraphs describe this in some detail. It may sound confusing at first, but is really quite simple.
It is worth noting that the player playing the double can satisfy it if he/she desires, but it is not required. Once a double is played, all other previously playable trains remain playable to this player. This particular rule allows a player to play as many doubles as he/she can in one turn. Only when a regular (non-double) domino is played or the player is forced to draw and or pass is this player’s turn complete.
If a double is played and not satisfied by the person who played it, then all other trains except the one containing the double are no longer playable until the double is satisfied. If multiple doubles are played by the same player, then they must be satisfied in the order in which they were played. If a player cannot satisfy the double, then he/she must draw. If play is still not possible, then this player’s train is marked as globally playable and the next player must then satisfy the double. This repeats until all doubles are satisfied, at which time all globally playable trains and the Mexican Train (as well as the current player’s train to his/herself) are once again playable.
The beginning of a hand is shown in the following picture:
Note the markers on the lower left and right-most trains. These trains are globally playable. However, since the double 4 has not yet been satisfied, it is currently the only playable train.
Ending a Hand
Choo-Choo Rule
In a normal game of Mexican Train, when a player is down to his/her final
domino, that player must announce this fact to the remaining players by saying
"Choo-Choo". This is very similar to the card game UNO,
where players must announce that they only have one card left by calling out
"Uno".
During a regular (meaning non-computer-based) game, if the next player
manages to play before "Choo-Choo" is called and the lapse is
noticed by another player, then the resulting penalty is for the player who
forgot to "Choo-Choo" to draw a domino. If the Bone Pile
is empty, then that player is not allowed to play his/her domino on the
subsequent round, where he/she must again say "Choo-Choo"
thereby beginning the whole process once again.
Possible Outcomes
There are two possible outcomes for each of the hands played during the
game:
Winning a Hand
If a player manages to play all of his/her dominoes, then that player
wins the hand outright. Since he/she has no remaining dominoes, a
score of 0 (zero) will be recorded for that player. All other players
will score their respective hands (remaining dominoes) according to the
scoring rules laid out above.
Stalemate
If insufficient dominoes remain to complete play off of a double or no player can play off of any train, then the hand will have reached a stalemate condition. This can happen late in the hand when almost all the dominoes of a particular suit have been played (but not the double), and then the double of that suit is played. If there are no dominoes remaining of that suit, then play will continue until the Bone Pile has been exhausted. Once the stalemate is final, all players will score their respective hands (remaining dominoes) according to the scoring rules laid out above.
Note: It is possible for the hand to enter a state of "Stalemate Pending" and a player still win. For example, assume there are no other remaining sixes except the double six. This is the pre-condition for stalemate. However, if the player who played the double six subsequently manages to play his/her last domino, then that player will win outright because he/she managed to get rid of all dominoes.
Basic Strategy
The most basic element of strategy is to create the longest possible train from the dominoes in your hand with the intent of playing them off of your train. The remaining dominoes are your “Offs”, which you will try to get rid of on other players’ trains or the Mexican Train.
Other strategies can be picked up quickly by playing a few hands and
observing what it takes to win.
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