Mexican Train vs Chicken Foot Dominoes July 2026: Complete Comparison
Both games are played with dominoes, and the objective is to create a chain of tiles with matching numbers. However, the relationship between the two games is not immediately clear, and many players are left wondering if they are the same game or two distinct entities. For those who enjoy a game with multiple layers of strategy and the option to manage multiple trains, Mexican Train might be the preferred choice. The social aspect of the game also comes into play, as players often engage in light-hearted competitions and strategic discussions during the game. Players must be vigilant about the dominoes their opponents play and plan their moves to either extend their own lines or hinder their opponents’ progress. Since the game does not feature multiple trains, the focus is on controlling the lines of dominoes and limiting opponents’ options.
Remember that you want to be the lowest scoring player, so emptying your hand is the goal. As always, you must draw from the boneyard (or chickenyard, in this case) if you can’t play a domino from your hand. The highest double domino in the game must be laid first, so ask if anyone in your group has the double nine, or the double eight, and so on until the first domino is placed on the table. Two to four players begin by drawing seven dominoes from a face-down boneyard, then they take it in turns to lay matching domino halves end to end. Straight dominoes (a.k.a. Draw dominoes) starts much like a game of Block dominoes. If at any point you can’t play a domino, you must draw from the boneyard until you find a playable alternative.
Once each player has built these private trains as long as possible, players then start to take turns, placing one or two tiles per turn using their remaining tiles, until one player has emptied their hand, ending the round. This starting layout requires players to think strategically about how to build upon the existing tiles and create connections between them. The gameplay focuses on strategic domino placement and blocking opponents from laying down their dominoes.
Strategic Differences
Despite their shared appeal, there are notable differences in their origins, gameplay, and the overall experience they offer to players. It is about which game fits your group, your mood, and your table. And both can be played with the same domino set, making them a perfect pair for game night. Chicken Foot works well with 2 to 8 players, though most people find the sweet spot is 3 to 6 players. Despite concerns some people have about the name, there is nothing derogatory about it.
Block Dominoes
If a player is deemed to have made a strategic error the highest score of that round is added to theirs. During their turn, a player may choose to play a domino on any train currently marked public, regardless of whether it is possible to play on their own private train.BR 2 It is acceptable to “bend” the train 90° or 180° to keep the train on the playing surface, as long as it does not interfere with the endpoints of other trains. As a result, trains can become quite long, especially with an extended domino set. A player may not pass their turn,BR 3 as the boneyard-draw ruleBR 4 or double covering ruleBR 5 may require that player to designate their train as public. Each player takes a turn, mirroring the first player’s first move by playing one tile starting from the station hub in a direction that leads toward their seat.
The playing of doubles and covering requirements are subject to significant variance depending on individual custom and the rules in use, so the basic rules presented here are based on a consensus reading of the different rule sets, biased toward the earliest rules, published in 1994 by Galt and Parsons and updated in 2012 by Bauguess. For example, if the double-9 domino is the engine and the 9-6 domino is played to start the Mexican Train, the next domino to extend the Mexican Train must have one end with a 6. It is metaphorically on a siding, physically represented by disconnecting it from the station hub, in a place convenient to all players.
The Two Foundational Variants
The placement of the three dominoes creates a formation reminiscent of an old hen’s hock. Block Dominoes Rules — Complete Guide The no-draw variant that emphasizes blocking strategy. All Fives Dominoes (Muggins) Rules Complete rules for the scoring-focused variant. More open ends means more scoring opportunities and more complex board states. Similar to All Fives, but all doubles are spinners (playable on four sides). This dual scoring system makes every play a math puzzle.
- If you are completely new to dominoes, start with Mexican Train and then try Chicken Foot once you are comfortable with the basic matching mechanic.
- In each successive round the next lower double is used until all doubles are used.
- In either case, doubles in Mexican Train are about managing your own trains and timing your plays to avoid penalties.
- However, the relationship between the two games is not immediately clear, and many players are left wondering if they are the same game or two distinct entities.
- Many domino sets use color-coded pips or numerals for the values to help players select matching domino values; however, the color coding scheme may vary from set to set.
- If at any point you can’t play a domino, you must draw from the boneyard until you find a playable alternative.
The length of the game depends on the size of the domino set used and the number of players. Chicken Foot is played in “rounds,” one round for each double domino in the set. This could happen once the chicken yard has been depleted. Second, if no one at the table is able to play a domino, the round is over.
Conclusion: Are Mexican Train and Chicken Foot the Same?
- Scoring is one area where the two games are nearly identical, with one notable exception.
- Another significant difference between the two games is the level of complexity and strategy involved.
- Dominoes are also often referred to as bones and tiles.
One strategy is to try to keep high value exposed ends covered which prevents other players from chickie-ing them. The game ends when one player plays his last bone or when all players have consecutively passed or the chicken yard is empty. The number of bones pulled by each player depends on the number of players. Dominoes are also often referred to as bones and tiles.
Playing doubles
Many domino sets use color-coded pips or numerals for the values to help players select matching domino values; however, the color coding scheme may vary from set to set. However, the game can be played without the Mexican train; such variants are generally called “private trains” or “domino trains”. Many players also enjoy creating their own custom variations, using a combination of elements from different games to create a unique and personalized experience.
Number of Bones drawn per player
Players must balance the need to get rid of their dominoes quickly with the strategic advantage of controlling multiple trains. This mechanism adds a layer of complexity and strategy to the game, as players must manage their dominoes carefully and make tactical decisions about when to start new trains. Both games are played with a standard set of dominoes, and the objective is to lay down all your dominoes before your opponents.
If at any point you play a domino on your own personal train, you can remove the marker if the train was public, stopping other players from adding to it. This is an additional train that can be created at any time by matching a new domino to the central double. As in Chicken Foot dominoes, the first round of turns has players placing dominoes in a double chickenfoot shape. Each player will need some sort of marker (coins are a common choice), as well as a spare marker.
How to play Block dominoes
Chicken Foot, on the other hand, is often more appealing to experienced players who enjoy strategic challenges and complex puzzles. Chicken Foot’s unique starting layout and special rules are designed to create a distinct gameplay dynamic, which may not be compatible with the traditional Mexican Train rules. While both games are enjoyable and challenging in their own right, Chicken Foot tends to appeal to more experienced players who enjoy strategic puzzle-solving. Another significant difference between the two games is the level of complexity and strategy involved. Additionally, Chicken Foot often involves special rules, such as “wild” dominoes or unique scoring systems, which are not found in traditional Mexican Train.
Can You Use the Same Domino Set for Both Games?
All other dominoes go face down in the ‘chicken yard’ (it’s like a boneyard, but with chickens). Gameplay starts in a familiar way – two to four players draw dominoes from a shuffled boneyard. Another strategy is to hold low value bones and try to use up a particular number for which you have a double. Since the object of the game is to have the lowest score, it is in your best interest to get rid of your high value bones and, at the same time, prevent your opponents from playing theirs. In a game with three or more players, the last single domino is left in the chicken yard.
Domino Sets
The leftover tiles form what Chicken Foot players call the chicken yard instead of the boneyard. That single distinction changes how doubles work, how strategy unfolds, and even what you call the pile of leftover tiles. The game generally ends when all the doubles in the domino set are used as the starting double for a round. But if, at any time, you can’t play a domino and you can’t draw a playable one from the boneyard, you must put your marker back on your train, making it chicken train public again. Just like in Chicken Foot dominoes, you start by placing the highest double domino on the table.
What are the main differences between Mexican Train and Chicken Foot?
A player who can play on their own train may also play one tile on each subsequent public train in clockwise order. When a player who has passed finally starts their train, they may play as many dominoes as they can string together. This speeds up the game, but eliminates some of the strategies resulting from the requirement to cover doubles. Once everyone has finished this initial private train building phase, play reverts to turns, using the rules listed above.
The first player then starts a private train, sometimes known as a personal train, by placing a tile that legally starts from the station by matching pip values to the engine in the station hub, in a direction leading towards their seat. In other rule variations, during the opening phase, players may start and build their private trains by using as many dominoes as possible from their hand, radiating out from the station hub towards their seats, instead of placing a single domino. They share similar scoring but have different rules for doubles, different terminology, and a different feel at the table. The chicken toes mechanic creates natural pauses in the action that can feel like a grind, especially in the later rounds when the doubles have higher pip values.
Strategic Differences
If no players have a double, each player takes a turn drawing one tile from the boneyard until a double is drawn and used to “open the station”. The double-blank is used for the final round; however, players may agree to play fewer rounds in a complete game, especially when sets larger than double-nine are used. In each successive round the next lower double is used until all doubles are used. The highest double tile is set aside before shuffling the tiles and placed to “open the station”, starting the game; e.g., with a standard double-twelve set the double twelve is separated before shuffling and placed in the center of the station hub.
Mexican Train gives each player their own line to manage and a shared public train to use strategically. The station hub and train markers add a tactile element that many players enjoy. You want to play doubles when you have tiles ready to fill the resulting toes, so you are not forced to draw from the chicken yard.
You like the idea of managing your own train while keeping an eye on what opponents are doing. Finding that balance between timing and opportunity is the heart of Chicken Foot strategy. Holding doubles too long is risky in Chicken Foot because you might get stuck with them at the end of a round. Experienced players also watch what their opponents draw and play to deduce what tiles are still available. Some Chicken Foot players also use “farm yard,” though chicken yard is more common.
Basic rules
Chicken Foot strategy centers around controlling the layout through doubles. Sometimes you draw strategically to find a tile that lets you keep playing on the Mexican Train while keeping your private train options open. Neither competitor article I found covers strategy differences in any depth, which is a shame because the strategic landscape of each game is quite different. Mexican Train calls the draw pile the “boneyard.” The term comes from the image of a pile of bones (dominoes) that players dig through when they need a tile. One bad round will not necessarily eliminate you, but a string of high-scoring rounds will put you in a hole that is tough to escape. In Chicken Foot, doubles create an entirely different dynamic.
This is your ‘boneyard’, and you must draw seven starting dominoes to begin play. Block dominoes is one of the most basic games you can play with double six dominoes, and it can be played with two to four people. For new and returning players, we’ve created this no-nonsense beginner’s guide to dominoes, including the key rules you need to play some of the most popular dominoes games.
This makes doubles a strategic asset rather than a liability, since playing one effectively gives you two turns in a row. Just like Mexican Train has a boneyard, Chicken Foot has a draw pile called the chicken yard. This creates a fun dynamic where you sometimes help yourself and sometimes block opponents. If no one has the engine in their hand, each player draws one tile from the boneyard in turn until someone pulls it. You get a plastic station hub that sits in the center of the table and serves as the starting point for all the trains. This smaller set works well for the branching tree mechanic because it creates a more manageable layout that does not sprawl out of control on your table.