As written by Chat GPT
Familiarize yourself with the dominos: Dominos are small tiles with dots on them, also known as pips. Each domino has two sides, and each side can have anywhere from zero to six pips. The number of pips on each side determines the value of the domino. For example, a domino with two pips on one side and four pips on the other has a value of six.
Set up the game
To play dominos, you will need a set of dominoes. Standard sets have 28 tiles, but you can also use a double-nine (55 tiles), double-twelve (91 tiles), or double-sixteen (190 tiles) set if you want a longer game. Shuffle the tiles and deal out the appropriate number to each player. The remaining tiles are placed facedown to form the “boneyard,” which will be used as a draw pile during the game.
Determine the starting player
The starting player is typically the one who has the highest double (a domino with the same number of pips on both sides) in their hand. If no one has a double, the person with the highest value domino goes first.
Play the game
On your turn, you must play a domino from your hand that matches the end of the chain of tiles on the table. For example, if the chain ends with a six-five, you can play a five-four or a six-two. If you don’t have a domino that matches, you must draw a tile from the boneyard and add it to your hand. If you still can’t play, your turn is skipped.
Continue playing until one player runs out of tiles: The game ends when one player plays their last tile and there are no tiles left in the boneyard. The remaining players each add up the total value of the tiles in their hand and the player with the lowest score wins.
Tips and variations
There are many variations of the game, including blocking games where the goal is to get rid of all your tiles as quickly as possible, scoring games where points are awarded for certain combinations of tiles, and more. Experiment with different variations to find the one that you enjoy the most.
Beginner’s Guide to Playing Mexican Train Dominos
Familiarize yourself with the dominos
Mexican Train dominos is played with a set of double-twelve dominos, which have dots on both sides and a total of 91 tiles. Each side of the domino has a value ranging from zero to twelve, and the value of the domino is the sum of the pips on both sides.
Set up the game
Shuffle the dominos and deal out 12 tiles to each player. Place the remaining tiles facedown to form the draw pile. The draw pile should be placed within easy reach of all players.
Determine the starting player
The starting player is typically the one who has the double-twelve tile in their hand. If no one has the double-twelve, the player with the next highest double goes first.
Play the game
On your turn, you must play a domino from your hand that matches the end of the chain of tiles on the table. For example, if the chain ends with a six-five, you can play a five-four or a six-two. If you don’t have a domino that matches, you must draw a tile from the draw pile and add it to your hand. If you still can’t play, your turn is skipped.
Start your own train
Each player has their own “train,” which is a row of tiles starting from their designated starting space. If you can’t play on the main chain, you must start your own train by playing a tile on your starting space.
Continue playing until one player runs out of tiles
The game ends when one player plays their last tile and there are no tiles left in the draw pile. The remaining players each add up the total value of the tiles in their hand and the player with the lowest score wins.
Tips and variations
There are many variations of the game, including different ways to score and different rules for starting and playing trains. Experiment with different variations to find the one that you enjoy the most.