Private Trains (domino game)

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Domino Trains is a simple game, which can utilize any of the five domino sets, although the larger sets significantly increase the length of the game. The basic gist of Trains is the player must match his/her dominos in numeric sequence. The object of the game is to have as few points as possible at the end of each round. The game is closely akin to Mexican train. A variation of the game is Chicken Foot (Domino Game)

[edit] The deal and starting out

The game starts with the highest or lowest double of the set, and then each hand after goes either up or down (18 would be followed by 17, then 16; blanks would be followed by 1s, then 2s, etc),. This is placed in the middle of the playing area. Then, the players draw the agreed upon amount of dominos from the boneyard. For four players and under, the convention is to draw a domino for each denomination. In Double 9s, 10 dominos would be drawn; in double 12s, 13 would be drawn; double 15s, 16 would be drawn, and double 18s, 19 would be drawn. However, the total number drawn can be varied to suit the players. On the first hand, the first player is determined by who has the highest value single domino in that hand.

[edit] Basic gameplay

Each player begins his/her own private train off of the lead double in the central playing area. Players then must match up his/her dominos to follow a train, with the lead tile of the train matching whatever double is currently being used. The order of play goes in either clockwise or counterclockwise order, depending on the preference of the players, with the players laying down one domino per turn, save in the case of doubles, when it is two tiles.

If a person cannot play on his/her own private train, he must draw one domino from the boneyard; if, after drawing from the boneyard is still unable to play, s/he must place a marker (generally coins) on his/her private train, marking that the train is now open for anyone to play upon. Until the player can play, s/he must continue to draw one domino each time it is his/her turn. Once the player draws the required domino to enable him/her to resume play on his private train and plays it, if s/he does not take the marker off by the end of his/her turn, indicating the train is no longer available for general play by anyone, the train must remain open until the player’s next turn, whereby s/he can remove the marker.

When a player plays a double, s/he must follow the double with an additional tile that follows the tile. If a player plays a double on his own train, then he doesn't have an obligation to statisfy the double. Instead, he can play another tile on Mexican train if he has a matching tile. The next player will have obligation to satisfy that double. If a player plays a double and does not have an additional tile to match the double s/he played, s/he must draw a domino from the boneyard. If, after drawing from the boneyard, the player is still unable to play on the double s/he just laid down, s/he cannot lay any additional tiles down on any open trains, even if there is an available play. The only time two dominos may be laid down in a single play is a double and a corresponding tile to that double. A possible exception to this rule is, if after playing a double and unable to follow the double up with an appropriately numbered domino and drawing, if the player has another double that is available for play s/he may lay that down; however, s/he must follow that double up as well, and if s/he cannot s/he must draw.

Optional Rule: if a double is played and the person cannot finish the play, all other plays are suspended for all players, and it is the responsibility of the next player to finish the already played double. If the next player cannot play on the double, s/he must draw, and if s/he does not get a possible play, then the subsequent player must attempt to play on the double, and so on, until the double has been satisfied.

[edit] Scoring and round completion

The round is finished when a player runs out of dominos and can no longer play. Afterward, the remaining domino’s pips in the other players’ hands are counted as points; the double blank counts for 50 points. If no player can go out, the remainder in each person’s hand is count, and who ever has the fewest points leads the next round. This cycle is continued until the players go through the full domino set, and whoever has the least points wins the game.