Mexican Train dominoes online
Mexican Train is the friendly American family game with a big double-12 set: everyone builds their own "train" of tiles out from a hub in the middle, and the lowest score after 13 rounds wins. It is easy to learn in one round and made for a full table of two to eight. On PlayElephant you play it against live opponents, not bots.
At a glance
- 2 to 8 playerseveryone plays for themselves, no teams
- 91 tilesthe double-twelve set, from 00 to 1212
- 13 roundsthe hub starts at the double 12 and counts down to the double 0
- Lowest score winstiles left in your hand count against you
- One tile a turnno tile you can play? Draw one from the boneyard
- Clockwiseplay passes to the left
Why people love it
There is no team to coordinate and no special scoring to memorise. You match numbers, watch the other trains and decide when to help yourself and when to hold back. Rounds are short, a full table keeps everybody involved, and the game suits an evening with family or friends as much as a quick match.
How it is played, in short
- Hub. In round 1 the double 12 sits in the middle. Each later round uses the next double down: 11, 10 and so on to 0.
- Deal. Each player takes 15, 12 or 10 tiles, depending on how many are at the table. The rest form the boneyard.
- Build your train. Start with a tile that matches the hub number, then keep adding tiles that match the open end. You may also play on the shared Mexican Train.
- Stuck? Draw one tile. If you still cannot play, you pass and a marker goes on your train. Now everybody can add to it.
- Doubles. When someone plays a double, the next tile has to "satisfy" it by matching it. Nothing else can be played until that is done.
- End of the round. The round ends when a player plays their last tile, or when nobody can move. Everyone adds up the dots left in their hand.
- 13 rounds later, the player with the fewest dots wins.
The complete rules, with examples and scoring tables, are on the Mexican Train rules page.
How we play on PlayElephant
Default table settings:
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 to 8, each for themselves |
| Tiles | Double-twelve set, 91 tiles |
| Tiles dealt | 15 (2 to 4 players), 12 (5 or 6), 10 (7 or 8) |
| Rounds | 13, from the double 12 down to the double 0 |
| Drawing | One tile per turn; a drawn tile that fits must be played |
| First turn of a round | One tile only, like any other turn |
| Double-blank 00 | Worth 0 points |
| Scoring | Dots left in hand, lowest total wins |
- Live opponents, not bots. You play with real people. A bot only takes the seat of someone who has left, and it is clearly marked.
- Every move is checked. The server will not accept an illegal tile, so nobody can break the rules by accident. Satisfying a double is enforced for you.
- Fair play. Every deal is a fair random shuffle, and it can be checked afterwards. Nobody gets "help" with the tiles.
- Automatic scoring. Dots are counted after every round and the score sheet is always up to date.
- Clubs. Gather your family and friends in a club and play together.
- Free to play. No money is involved.