Knights Becoming and a Lady in Waiting

Ger-Dominoes!

Okay, okay, hokey title. 

I was trying to remember how to play dominoes and Mexican train dominoes (hey, my Mexican brother-in-law plays it by that name, so don't shoot me).  I'm going to walk through the Mexican train first, because I can't remember how to start regular dominoes. (Help)

First, you randomize the dominoes (you can't really shuffle them!) on the table and everyone takes their own hand.  How many varies, depending on the number of people playing and the number of tiles being played with (ie, through double-six or through double-twelve).  You can play around with the number yourself.  You should have enough that everyone gets to play a bit (at least five), but not so many that there aren't any left to draw from (no more than ten).

The person who has the highest double in play (we'll use double sixes as the example) puts it out on the board.  (There's no points to keep as you go in this version of dominoes, which makes it easier for kids to learn, but less of an educational experience).  Play progresses around the board with EACH person starting their own "train" of dominoes. 

For example, Alan plays the double 6.  Beth plays the 6-3 combination (with the 6 toward the double6).  Carl plays the 6-1 combination.  Uh oh.  Denise doesn't have a 6.  She has to draw one tile AND put a penny (or whatever marker you're using) on her train.  The marker means anyone can play on her train.  (Establish the rule ahead of time: do they have to have started their train first or can they just play off other trains the whole game.)  Alan starts his train with 6-0.  Beth is feeling generous and plays the 6-4 for Denise.  Carl takes advantage of the opportunity to play 4-4 on Denise's 6-4 and then, because it's a double, he plays a second tile.  For the sake of simplicity to start, he plays the 4-1, leaving Denise with a 1 to play on.  Denise plays the 1-5 and takes the penny off her train-- now she's the only one who can play on it.

Now that everyone has their train started, Alan plays the 6-2 to start the "Mexican train".  Basically, this is just a spare train that anyone can play on at any time.  So even without a penny on anyone else's train, everyone has two places they can play.

Following so far?  Here's the one last interesting twist.

When you play a double (ie, 4-4, 2-2, etc), you have to satisfy it.  This means you have to immediately play somewhere.  Let's say Carl plays his 4-4 up there, but does NOT play the 4-1.  Instead, he plays a 1-4 on his own train, leaving the double there.  Denise MUST play on the 4-4 or draw.  Even if there's another place she can play, she HAS to play on the double.  We'll say Denise can't.  She draws and her penny stays on her train (since it was already there).  Alan also can't play on the 4-4 and draws... and he has to put HIS penny on.  Beth has the 4-5 and plays it, keeping her train free.

Game is over when one person runs out of tiles.  Everyone else adds up the points left in their hand for their score.  Lowest score wins.  Set a limit (first to 100) and you have a game. :)

Untitled Comment

10:59 PM, Aug. 14, 2006 .. Posted by Juliestew

Okay, please come to my house and teach me. Do those lilttle trains just move on along all by themselves?? Ok, i know i have to move them buy why and when? Ugh. Come teach me!!
julie

Turns out I'm Domino Impaired

6:25 AM, Aug. 15, 2006 .. Posted by MuckFootMom

I always thought all you had to do was match an end, and that doubles could go sideways. I guess I never really knew there was a real game with real rules ~ then we got a domino game on the computer and it had all these RULES and some weird bizarre scoring thing with X's and it involved a lot more math than I thought and I was confused all the time.

And NOW I find out there's this whole Mexican Train (Kim's brain now kicks in to playing Crazy Train by Ozzy, very loudly at that, an unfortunate bi-product of her high school years, and can no longer hear you)