Domino games
Rules in plain words for 2 domino games: Dominoes, played with a double-six set, and Mexican Train, played with a double-12 set or, in a version, a double-9 set. Each has a printable rule sheet and a scorekeeper.
Domino games
Mexican Train
A dominoes game for a double-12 set and a big table of players.
What you need to play
- Dominoes needs a double-six domino set of 28 tiles, plus paper and a pencil for the score.
- Mexican Train needs a double-12 domino set of 91 tiles, a marker for each player, and paper and a pencil. A hub for the center tile is handy but not needed.
- A version of Mexican Train on its page uses a double-9 set of 55 tiles for 2 to 6 players.
The sets are different sizes, so a double-six set is not enough for Mexican Train.
Choosing a domino game
- Dominoes takes 2 to 4 players, and 4 can play as 2 teams of 2. The page also has a version for 5 or more with a bigger set.
- Mexican Train takes 2 to 10 players, each playing alone.
- By stated playing time, Dominoes takes about 30 minutes for a game to 100 points. Mexican Train takes about 2 to 3 hours for all 13 rounds.
Questions
How many dominoes are in a set?
A double-six set has 28 tiles, a double-9 set 55 and a double-12 set 91. Dominoes uses the double-six set, or a bigger one for 5 or more players. Mexican Train uses a double-12 set, or a double-9 set in a version for 2 to 6 players.
How many people can play Dominoes?
Dominoes is for 2 to 4 players with one double-six set. With 4 players you can play in 2 teams of 2. The Dominoes page also has a version for 5 or more players with a bigger set.
How many dominoes do you deal?
In Dominoes, 7 tiles each for 2 players and 5 each for 3 or 4. In Mexican Train with the double-12 set, 15 each for 2 to 4 players, 12 for 5 or 6, 10 for 7 or 8, and 8 for 9 or 10.
Can 2 people play Dominoes?
Yes. Draw 7 tiles each. The other 14 tiles are the boneyard, so half the set starts out of sight. Play by the main rules, and the first player to 100 points wins.
How long does a domino game take?
Dominoes takes about 30 minutes for a game to 100 points. Mexican Train takes about 2 to 3 hours for all 13 rounds.
What is Mexican Train?
A dominoes game for a big table, played with a double-12 set. Each player builds their own train of tiles out from a center double, and one extra train, the Mexican train, is open to everyone. After 13 rounds, the lowest score wins.