Dominos, Domino, Dominoes
Dominos, Domino, Dominoes, generally refers to the individual or collective gaming pieces making up a domino set (sometimes called a deck or pack) or to the games played with these pieces. (In the area of mathematical tilings and polyominoes the word domino often refers to any rectangle formed from joining two squares edge to edge.) Standard domino sets consist of 28 pieces called bones, cards, tiles, stones, spinners or dominoes.
Bones
Each bone is a rectangular tile with a line dividing its face into two square ends. Each end is marked with a number of black spots (also called pips) or is blank. The spots are generally arranged as they are on six-sided dice, but because there are also blank ends having no spots there are normally seven possible faces. Standard domino sets have ends ranging from zero spots to six spots (double six set), but specialized sets might range from zero to nine (double nine set), zero to twelve (double twelve set), zero to fifteen (double fifteen set), or zero to eighteen (double eighteen set). The back side of a domino is generally plain, or is decorated in the same manner on every piece. Dominoes have been made of bone, ivory, plastic, metal and wood, and occasionally are made of card stock like that for playing cards. Dominoes are rather generic gaming devices, like playing cards. Many different games can be played with a set of dominoes.
History
While fat domino pieces nowadays are rectangular and made of ceramic or heavy plastic, they were historically carved from ivory or animal bone with small, round pips of inset ebony. The game's name comes from the pieces' resemblance to Venetian Carnival masks known as domini, which were white with black spots. These masks were so named, in turn, because they resembled French priests' winter hoods, being black on the outside and white on the inside. The name ultimately derives from the Latin dominus, meaning "lord" or "master."
The oldest domino sets have been dated from around 1120. Modern dominoes, as most of the Western world knows them, however, appear to be a Chinese invention. They were apparently derived from cubic dice, which had been introduced into China from India some time in the distant past. Each domino originally represented one of the 21 results of throwing two dice. One half of each domino is set with the pips from one die and the other half contains the pips from the second die. Chinese sets also introduce duplicates of some throws and divide the dominoes into two classes: military and civil. Chinese dominoes are also longer than typical European dominoes. Over time Chinese dominoes also evolved into the tile set used to play Mah Jong, a game which swept across the United States in the early to mid 1920s.
The early 18th century witnessed dominoes making their way to Europe, making their first appearance in Italy. The game changed somewhat in the translation from Chinese to the European culture. European domino sets contain neither class distinctions nor the duplicates that went with them. Instead, European sets contain seven additional dominoes with six of these representing the values that result from throwing a single die with the other half of the tile left blank. Curiously, there is also a seventh tile with both halves set as blank. Perhaps this was done for symmetry's sake so that each of the resulting suits would contain seven dominoes each.
Mexican Train
Objective
The object of Mexican Train is to be the first player to place all dominoes drawn at the start of a round. Dominoes may be placed onto the player's train, onto the Mexican train, or on the trains of other players under special circumstances.
Setup
Mexican Train is a domino game for 2 to 8 players usually played using a double twelve domino set. With 2-4 players, 15 dominoes each are drawn; with 5-6 players 12 dominoes each are drawn and with 7-8 players 11 dominoes each are drawn. The dominoes are placed face side down and the dominoes are then drawn. Each player also chooses a colored marker used to designate their 'public' train, and the black marker is set aside to use with the Mexican train.
Gameplay
The player with the highest double starts the play. If no one has a double, players draw in turn until one is found. This player opens the station by placing this double in the center as the engine, then starts their own train on one of the eight sidings of the station by playing a domino that has one half matching the central double domino. Each subsequent player follows suit. Any player that is unable to play must draw a domino, which may then be played if one half matches the central domino.
ANAYA, a player may not play the Mexican train or any other trains until after starting their own train. There is only one Mexican train per game. Once again one half of the domino has to correspond with the central domino. The player who initiates the Mexican train only plays one domino, not a string of them as when he/she started his/her own train. If a player is unable to play a domino on their own train or on the Mexican train, they may play on any other player's train that is 'public'. If they are unable to play on anyone else's public train, or no other players have public trains, they must draw a domino. Once again they may play this newly drawn domino or, if they are unable to do so, that player's train becomes 'public'. A player's train remains public until the time that they are able to play on their own train again. Players may not play on other players' non-public or 'private' trains. A public train is designated by placing a colored marker (or button) on the first domino of the train located closest to the station.
Fast Play
In order to speed up the game, the first player may continue to play off their own train on their first turn until they have no more matches in their hand. All subsequent players follow suit. Any player that is unable to play draws a domino, which then may be played when picked up if one half matches the central domino. When a player initially starts their train, they may play as many dominoes as they can string together. On subsequent turns, players are only permitted to play one domino at a time as usual, unless playing a double (refer to playing doubles).
Playing Doubles
When you play a double, you place the domino perpendicular to the train, then you must make another play on that double if you can. If you cannot, draw a domino and play this on the double if possible. Otherwise you must mark your train as 'public', and play passes to the next person able to play on or 'finish' the double. If the next player is unable to finish the double, they too must draw a domino and play this on the double if possible. If not, their train likewise becomes 'public'. Play carries on in this way until the double is finished. Normal play resumes with the player whose turn follows whoever finally finished the double.
Doubles may be played on not only in line with the train, but also at angle on either side, in the form of a 'W'.
Scoring
As soon as one player is out of dominoes, play ceases. Players then add up the sum of their remaining dominoes and chart their respective scores. After an agreed number of rounds, the player with the lowest score is the winner.