Mexican Train
There are many versions of rules for Mexican Train but this is the form played by this group.
The object of the game is to be the first to play all of your dominoes, or at least as many high-point dominoes as possible, in each round. The lowest total score at the end of all rounds wins the game.
1. Each new round begins with the double that is one number lower than the engine in the last round (12, then 11, then 10, etc.). Find and set aside the double before shuffling the dominoes.
2. Each player then draws their hand with 2, 3 or 4 players draw 15 dominoes, 5 or 6 players draw 12 each, 7 players draw 10 and 8 players draw 9 dominoes.
3. The remaining tiles are gathered into one or more "train yards" or "bone yards" that are used for draws during play.
4. Each player uses his drawn tiles to form a Personal Train. The “engine” must match the double domino in the center. The initial personal train can contain as many cars as possible.
5. Once a player has a personal train they can on a subsequent turn start a new train called a Mexican Train. It must begin by matching that double. Any subsequent player can play on it.
6. A player is allowed to play one playable tile during each turn, if they can. If they do not have a playable tile, they draw a tile from the bone yard and play it if possible. The exception is when playing a double they must try to satisfy it. See number 9.
7. If they are still unable to play after drawing a tile, they place a marker on their personal train near the end. The players’ turn ends and the play goes to the next player. A marker on a train signifies the train is eligible to be played on by the other players.
8. A marker on your train remains there until you play on your personal train during a subsequent turn. Once you have played, you are obligated to remove your marker, making your train ineligible to the other players.
9. When a double is played it must be satisfied. To satisfy the double a second domino of the same denomination must be played on it. If, after a player’s turn is completed, the double is open (not played on), all other trains become ineligible for all players until a player can play on the open double. If subsequent players cannot play on the double after drawing, they must place a marker on their personal trains.
10. If it is not possible to close a double because all 13 tiles of that denomination are played, that unsatisfied double no longer restricts play on eligible trains.
11. If a player goes out by playing a double it does not have to be satisfied.
12. When there are no more tiles in the bone yard, a player must pass if they do not hold a playable tile, and then place a marker on his train.
13. When a player has only one tile left, he must notify the other players by tapping it on the table. A player is penalized if they do not tap and are caught.
14. A round ends when a player has “dominoed” or when the bone yard is depleted and no one can play and the game is completely stalled.
15. Each player counts the number of pips on his unplayed tiles and gives the number to the scorekeeper, who at the end of the final round totals each player's points. The player with the lowest total score wins.
The object of the game is to be the first to play all of your dominoes, or at least as many high-point dominoes as possible, in each round. The lowest total score at the end of all rounds wins the game.
1. Each new round begins with the double that is one number lower than the engine in the last round (12, then 11, then 10, etc.). Find and set aside the double before shuffling the dominoes.
2. Each player then draws their hand with 2, 3 or 4 players draw 15 dominoes, 5 or 6 players draw 12 each, 7 players draw 10 and 8 players draw 9 dominoes.
3. The remaining tiles are gathered into one or more "train yards" or "bone yards" that are used for draws during play.
4. Each player uses his drawn tiles to form a Personal Train. The “engine” must match the double domino in the center. The initial personal train can contain as many cars as possible.
5. Once a player has a personal train they can on a subsequent turn start a new train called a Mexican Train. It must begin by matching that double. Any subsequent player can play on it.
6. A player is allowed to play one playable tile during each turn, if they can. If they do not have a playable tile, they draw a tile from the bone yard and play it if possible. The exception is when playing a double they must try to satisfy it. See number 9.
7. If they are still unable to play after drawing a tile, they place a marker on their personal train near the end. The players’ turn ends and the play goes to the next player. A marker on a train signifies the train is eligible to be played on by the other players.
8. A marker on your train remains there until you play on your personal train during a subsequent turn. Once you have played, you are obligated to remove your marker, making your train ineligible to the other players.
9. When a double is played it must be satisfied. To satisfy the double a second domino of the same denomination must be played on it. If, after a player’s turn is completed, the double is open (not played on), all other trains become ineligible for all players until a player can play on the open double. If subsequent players cannot play on the double after drawing, they must place a marker on their personal trains.
10. If it is not possible to close a double because all 13 tiles of that denomination are played, that unsatisfied double no longer restricts play on eligible trains.
11. If a player goes out by playing a double it does not have to be satisfied.
12. When there are no more tiles in the bone yard, a player must pass if they do not hold a playable tile, and then place a marker on his train.
13. When a player has only one tile left, he must notify the other players by tapping it on the table. A player is penalized if they do not tap and are caught.
14. A round ends when a player has “dominoed” or when the bone yard is depleted and no one can play and the game is completely stalled.
15. Each player counts the number of pips on his unplayed tiles and gives the number to the scorekeeper, who at the end of the final round totals each player's points. The player with the lowest total score wins.
Chicken Foot
Chicken Foot is a dominoes game of the "Trains" family, similar to Mexican Train. Chicken Foot is played in rounds, one round for each double domino in the set. The game is normally played with 2 to 8 players using “Double 12” sets.
The object of the game is to have the lowest score at the end of the last round. For each round, the object is for the player to empty their hand of dominoes by playing them on the board.
1. Before the individuals draw their hand the next double is found. The first hand would be the “Double 12”, second hand the “Double 11”, and so on. The double is placed in the center of the table.
2. The dominoes are turned face down and shuffled. The players then draw their hand with 2, 3, or 4 players, drawing 15 dominoes; with 5 or 6 players draw 12 each, and with 7 or 8 draw 11 each.
3. Any remaining dominoes are placed to the side, forming the bone yard.
4.The first player plays a matching domino from their hand on one of the four sides of the double, with the matching end against the double.
5. The next player plays another matching domino on a remaining side, and this continues until all four sides are filled. No other plays can be made until all four sides of the double are filled.
6. Once all four sides are filled, the next player can play any domino in their hand that matches an exposed end of a played domino.
7. If a player cannot play because they do not have a matching domino, then the player must draw one domino from the bone yard. If that domino does not match, their turn passes to the next player.
8. If the boneyard has been emptied, any player who cannot play simply passes. If no player can play or draw, the round ends.
9. Any time a player plays a matching double on an endpoint, the player calls "Chicken (Number)" to indicate they have started a new "chicken foot". The domino is laid with its long side against the end of the other domino.
10. No other dominoes can be played until three more dominoes are played against the long side opposite the side originally played. The end result will look like a chicken foot
11. Once three matching dominoes are played to finish the chicken foot, the next player may play a domino on any matching endpoint, including any of the three branches of the new chicken foot.
12. A round is over when either one player plays the last domino in their hand or no players can make a legal play.
13. Each player sums up the spots on the dominoes in their hand, which becomes their score for that hand and is added to their running total.
The object of the game is to have the lowest score at the end of the last round. For each round, the object is for the player to empty their hand of dominoes by playing them on the board.
1. Before the individuals draw their hand the next double is found. The first hand would be the “Double 12”, second hand the “Double 11”, and so on. The double is placed in the center of the table.
2. The dominoes are turned face down and shuffled. The players then draw their hand with 2, 3, or 4 players, drawing 15 dominoes; with 5 or 6 players draw 12 each, and with 7 or 8 draw 11 each.
3. Any remaining dominoes are placed to the side, forming the bone yard.
4.The first player plays a matching domino from their hand on one of the four sides of the double, with the matching end against the double.
5. The next player plays another matching domino on a remaining side, and this continues until all four sides are filled. No other plays can be made until all four sides of the double are filled.
6. Once all four sides are filled, the next player can play any domino in their hand that matches an exposed end of a played domino.
7. If a player cannot play because they do not have a matching domino, then the player must draw one domino from the bone yard. If that domino does not match, their turn passes to the next player.
8. If the boneyard has been emptied, any player who cannot play simply passes. If no player can play or draw, the round ends.
9. Any time a player plays a matching double on an endpoint, the player calls "Chicken (Number)" to indicate they have started a new "chicken foot". The domino is laid with its long side against the end of the other domino.
10. No other dominoes can be played until three more dominoes are played against the long side opposite the side originally played. The end result will look like a chicken foot
11. Once three matching dominoes are played to finish the chicken foot, the next player may play a domino on any matching endpoint, including any of the three branches of the new chicken foot.
12. A round is over when either one player plays the last domino in their hand or no players can make a legal play.
13. Each player sums up the spots on the dominoes in their hand, which becomes their score for that hand and is added to their running total.