Hi David, this is for you. I have to write a quick disclaimer though...these are not exactly my rules, rather a synthesis between all the rules that I've ever heard for Dominoes---based on Ben Brady's rules.
1. More or less Mexican Train Dominoes.
2. People start out selecting an appropriate number of dominoes...standard numbers apply. The person who selects the double 12 begins. If no one selects this tile, then each player draws one tile at a time until the double 12 is selected. Drawing begins with the winner of the last round, in the case of the first round, it begins with the oldest player at the table. Subsequent rounds begin with the double 11 then the double 10 and on down to the double 0. The game is over after the round with the double 0 is played.
3. The first player has the option to begin his/her own train and one other train, so 2 tiles max. The other train that the first player has played can be called the Mexican train which anybody can ride.
4. All other players can play on any train that is open as long as their train has been opened. The opening of their own train can occur in two ways--either they have played on it or they couldn't play and another player has played on their train. If that is the case they are open until they play a tile anywhere.
5. After the first round, any player can open another Mexican Train.
6. Any player can play ONE tile on each OPEN train per turn including his or her own.
7. If a tile cannot be played (anywhere) then the player must draw a tile. If that player still cannot play anywhere, the player's personal train is OPEN.
8. The end of each round is determined by one of two happenings: Either a player uses all of his or her tiles and goes out, or no one can play on any tile and all the drawing tiles are used. When someone needs to draw a tile but cannot because they have been used, then the game is over and points are totaled. At the end of the game (after the double 0 has been used to begin) then the person with the lowest number of total points is determined to be the winner.
9. When a player has one tile left he/she is to KNOCK on the table to announce that s/he is close to victory. If the player still has not knocked before the next player lays a tile, any player can call "foul" and the player who should have knocked must pick up two tiles.
10. One other rule: When one player plays a double, that double must be "satisfied". This means that it cannot stand alone. It must have a companion that shares its number. The very next tile played after the double tile must be a satisfying companion. If the person who plays the double has no companion, then play continues around the table until someone can play. If subsequent players have no companion they are determined to be OPEN while the original layer of the double does not have to be OPEN since he/she has already played during his/her turn.
Finally, Ben Brady or Kate or anyone else, if there are any major additions or subtractions please feel free to comment on the blog! Of course these are entitled "Bernie's Rules" and my final approval must be given!
