At first glance, playing Mexican Train dominoes looks easy. And it all looks like winning is based on luck. While there is some luck involved, trust us, there is a lot of skill involved in playing Mexican Train dominoes. That's one reason why we love it so much! 

Here is one important tip to get you started playing Mexican Train dominoes: 

Organize your hand!.

When you first pick your dominoes, make sure you organize them. If the starting tile is a double 12, place a tile with a 12 on it as your starting tile. Then, pick a tile with the number that is next to the 12 on your starting tile on the next one, and so on. For example, if your first tile is a 12:8, your next tile has to have an 8. You usually will be able to put four or five tiles in order as you get started playing. The rest of the tiles, which won't match, are your extra tiles, which you will play on other people's trains if they can't move, or the Mexican Train, once someone starts it. By the way, it's MUCH easier to organize your hand if you use racks. Plastic racks are pictured above, but wooden racks are good also. We have a wide selection of racks here.

Put the tiles you can play on your train in order on your left, and the rest of the tiles on the right. That way, you can quickly see which tiles you can play on your hand, and which you want to play on other's. Of course, if someone plays a double that you have to cover, your best laid plans can go up in smoke. Another reason why we love this game!

If you organize your hand, you will be able to quickly play it and better able to react to what's going on around you. This will instantly make you a better, more competitive player.

********

Mexican Train Dominoes Mini-Glossary

Now that you're playing like an expert (or at least an advanced beginner), here are a few Mexican Train domino terms to make you seem like a genius:

Golden Tile: If you pick up a tile that just happens to help you win the game, you have found your golden tile for that game.

Monkey Wrench: When someone plays a double towards the end of a game that cannot be completely covered. Everyone winds up with a lot of tiles and the lowest score is declared the winner. 

Bingo Tile - What some people call the Double Zero (or Double Blank)

Grapes - On a dots domino set, especially when nines are purple, the nines look like grapes. Double nines are double grapes. Get stuck with a double nine at the end? Sour Grapes!

Scrambled Eggs - Double sixes on a dots set, which are usually yellow, look like scrambled eggs.

Picture Frame - Eights on a dot domino set, which are in a square pattern around the tile. 

Orange Slices - Tens in dot dominoes, which are usually orange.

********

See you next time! Choo choo!

Dot