Playing Rules for Mexican Train Station

Object and Set-Up

• The object of Mexican Train is to get rid of all your dominoes. You do this by playing onto your own "train" of dominoes, other players' trains and the extra train.

  To set up for the game, lay out all the dominoes face down. This is known as the "train yard" or the "boneyard." Then, have each player select a colored train as his playing piece. Next, the players select dominoes at random from the boneyard. For four or fewer players, each takes 15 dominoes; for five to six, each takes 12; for seven to eight, each takes 10; and for nine to 10, each takes eight. The player with the highest double domino plays his domino first by placing it in the middle of the train station. Then, each player starts his own train by playing a domino with the number matching the domino in the train station. On the first turn only, each player may play as many subsequent matching dominoes as they are able. For instance, if the 9-9 domino is in the train station, then one player might play 9-4, 4-8, 8-11, 11-7, etc.

Game Play

• Play continues clockwise. At each turn, each individual must play one domino on her train. Players may also start one new collective train, proceeding from the train station, but only one may be started per game. If a player cannot play, she draws a domino from the boneyard. If that domino cannot be played, the player's colored train piece is set on top of the player's train. Until that player can play on her own train, all other players may add to that player's train. Once a player can play on her own train, the colored train is removed.

  Whenever a double is played, normal game play stops. The player who played the double places it sideways on the train, and the number on the double must be played before normal play can resume. For instance, if a 2-2 is laid down, the player who played it must add another 2 domino if able. If he is unable, and still unable after drawing one domino from the boneyard, that player's colored train is placed on top of the train and the play moves to the next player, who is forced to play a 2. If unable to play even after drawing from the boneyard, that player must place his colored train on top of their own train. Play continues in this way until the number on the double is played.

  The game continues until one player has only one more tile. That player must tap the tile on the table to signify to other players that she has one remaining. When a player plays her last tile, the game is over.