Mexican Train Dominoes
Tournament Rules

The rules for playing dominoes in a tournament are slightly modified from what is used in regular domino games. 12 rounds are played at the regular game sessions but due to time constraints, 6 rounds are played during a tournament.

• The tournament is played over two days.
• Players sign up for the tournament in advance.
• Players must be on time for the beginning of play. No player will be allowed to join a game once play has started.
• Players will be assigned to a table with a maximum of seven players to a table.
• No substitutes will be allowed.
• Each table will play a maximum of 6 games beginning with the double 12. The games will be double 12 through double 7.
• If the required double 12 is not in one of the player's hands, then play proceeds to the next lower double and so on down to 7. If this does not produce a required double, then each player will draw another tile until the required double is found, in no case lower than a double
• Play begins with each player drawing 12 tiles.
• The player with the relevant double may then play a tile with the same number to open either the Mexican train or their own train. On this opening play, if they don’t have a tile to match the double, they don’t have to draw and play passes to the next player. After this, all doubles must be satisfied by playing a tile with the same number of dots as the double.
• Play then proceeds in a clockwise fashion with each player playing one tile or two in the case of a double.
• If a player is unable to make a play then they must draw a tile. If after drawing they are still unable to play then they must open their train for other players to play on it by placing their marker on their train.
• If a player plays a double and cannot satisfy the double they must draw a tile. If still unable to satisfy the double they must open their train and play passes to the next player and so on until either the double is satisfied or play comes back to the original player of the double who may then play on any open tile.
• If a player forgets to remove their marker from their train on their turn, they must leave it on their train and other players can play on their train until their turn comes around again. The player must remove their marker at that time.
• On their turn, when a player has only one domino remaining in their hand, this player must tap their last domino to alert the other players that they may go out on the next round. If the player forgets to tap on his turn, they must draw a tile from the bone yard.
• If the last tile played is a double, it does not need to be satisfied.
• When a player goes out, the other players lay their dominoes face up in front of them to count them. Except for the double blank which counts 50, all the dominoes count the number of dots shown on them. The number of dots on the dominoes left in his hand is the player's score for that game.
• At the end of 6 games, the score keeper will turn in the score card to the dominoes tournament head.
• Players will be reassigned on the second day of play.
• The player having the lowest cumulative score for the two days will be the dominoes tournament champion.

3/2013