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Q & A

Q & A

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What are the sizes for dominoes?

  • Mini Dominoes - About 1-3/16" long by 9/16" wide by 3/16" thick
  • Standard Dominoes - About 1-7/8" long by 15/16" wide by 1/4" thick
  • Professional Dominoes - About 2" long by 1" wide by 3/8" thick
  • Jumbo Dominoes - About 2" long by 1" wide by 1/2" thick
  • Tournament Dominoes - 2-3/16" long by 1-3/32" wide by 1/2" thick

 

 

 

How Many Dominoes Are in Each Domino Set?

Double 6 Dominoe Sets   Have: 28 tiles and 168 pips
Double 9 Dominoe Sets   Have: 55 tiles and 495 pips
Double 12 Dominoe Sets Have:: 91 tiles and1092 pips
Double 15 Dominoe Sets Have: 136 tiles and 2040 pips
Double 18 Dominoe Sets Have: 190 tiles and 3420 pips

How do we know how many dominoes to draw to start the game?
A- It depends on the number of players.
Double-Nine
2 players draw 12 tiles each.

3 players draw 11 tiles each.
4 players draw 10 tiles each
Double-Twelve
 5 players draw 12 tiles each.
6 players draw 11 tiles each.
7 players draw 10 tiles each.
8 players draw 9 tiles each.
Double-Fifteen
9 players draw 12 tiles each.

10 players draw 11 tiles each.
11 players draw 10 tiles each.
12 players draw 9 tiles each.
Double-Eighteen
13 players draw 12 tiles each.

14 players draw 11 tiles each.
15 players draw 10 tiles each.
16 players draw 9 tiles each.


Q-What is the correct amount of tiles to answer a double?
A-This variation causes the most stress when people play this differently. Many people play you only answer the double with one tile. We prefer that you answer the double with three tiles. This dramatically changes the game because doubles now have significant strategic value. You can use them to cause an opponent to have to draw towards the end of the game. You can also play a double early to enhance your opportunities to play because there are three legs. There is no right way- just variations for you to choose.


Q-How do you decide who goes first?
A-
We play the person who drove the farthest goes first. Then the person to the right of the person who won,goes on successive rounds. Many people play orderly by rotating who goes next and checking it off on the scorepad


RULES
Q- What's the right way to announce you have one tile?
A-
When you get down to one tile, you can tap on the table and/or announce "uno". If you don't tap and are caught by another player you have to draw 2 tiles.
NOTE:
This is the rule used by most train groups but we have never played with a group that actually enforces the drawing of two tiles. Most train games are social and not tournament play so it's hard to enforce this rule with friends.Most people just scold the offender and say you didn't say uno. Signaling that you have one tile is a courtesy so people know to play their highest points or to strategically play a double to try to block the person who called uno.


Q-Can you go out on a double?
A- T
his ruling is courtesy of Giselle who wrote a set of rules for Mexican Train. At all times,the double must be "Answered". The number of doubles to answer a double varies by group. Most people prefer to have three doubles as the answer. This is what creates a "chickenfoot". Some people also play that you can play all of your doubles on one turn.

A-The biggest dispute is whether if you only have one tile left and it's a double whether you can go out. According to Giselle,you must answer any double. Therefore if you play a double as a last time, you must draw if you can't answer it. So it's strategic to keep the double and it's matching tile in your hand. You won't be calling "uno" or tapping and players will be caught with more points.


DOMINO SETS
Q
-I'm just starting out what set should I buy?

A-We recommend a set that has the hub, trains and case. Start out with a lower priced set to get started.
Q-Why do I need racks for dominoes?
A- Dominoes can tip easily when you reach across the table. Plus, it's much easier to see your tiles and organize them.
Q-Why do I need double 15s vs double 12s?
A- If you play with 8 or more players, double 15s allow you to not reduce the number of tiles you select on the opening hand. The rules state you reduce the number based on the number of players. Additionally, other domino games besides Mexican Train can be played with double 15s?
Q-Why would Cardinal brand dominoes change their colors from year to year?
A- GREAT QUESTION ! We don't know, we loved the old color scheme too.
Q-We think the colors particularly the 6s and 9s are too similiar in color, what do you suggest?
A-Add a drop of red nail polish or paint to the inside of the circle on the 6,so you can easily tell it apart
Q-Why aren't any domino sets made in the USA?
A-It's all about cost. Unfortunately, we can't make the sets for the same costs in the USA. We make the racks and score pads in the USA.



DOMINO -GENERAL QUESTIONS

Q-How Do I Clean a Dirty Domino Tile?
A- Our customers have suggested the following domino cleaning remedies:

  • Clean with a clean cloth and baking powder
  • Clean with rubbing alcohol
  • Get a large bowl, fill with warm water and a few drops of dish soap.
  • With a clean sponge, rub dominoes in water trying to take off the residue.
  • Transfer to a colander. Run water through dominoes to take off any sticky dish soap residue.
  • Dry with paper towel or old rag.


    Q-How Can I tell if I'm missing a tile?lost-domino-tile-replacement.jpg
    A-The best way to tell if a domino tile is missing is to lay them out on a table by numbers. You can quickly figure out which tile is missing. Start with blanks, line them all up, then 1s, all lined up There are 91 tiles in a double 12 set, 136 in double 15 set.
    If you bought it elsewhere, try that seller. 

    Q-How can I fix a broken domino tile?
    A-If there are Pips that you can still save be extremely careful. Use Krazy glue or any type of a “super” glue to glue the pips back on the domino.

    You may not want to bother gluing in the pips but rather just paint. Just match the color using acrylic paints (No need to buy a special plastic paint). Use something that dries and will not wash off as soon as you wash the tiles. NEVER WASH TILES WITH HOT WATER - USE COOL WATER ONLY.

 

Interactive Hub Questions

Q. When do I push the button for the train noise on the hub?

A. You push the hub to announce that you are starting a free-standing Mexican train. You can also blow the train whistle to announce it.

Q. When do I push the button for the chicken sound?

A. You push the button for the chicken sound when you start a double. The double forces players to answer it, so you need to announce it.

One more point - You do not have to listen to the train or chickenfoot noise for the whole sound cycle, a quick flip of the switch, turns it off.

Q-What are dominos made of?

Dominoes are made of Urea. Urea is a compound of plastic material and is amino-plastic without any odor.

  • How did Mexican Train get it's name?
    There are many theories. The most popular one is it was invented by the railroad workers.

 

What are spinners on Dominoes? How did Spinners in Dominoes Originate?

Spinners ( a small pin in the center of a domino)  were actually designed to hold the  two domino materials (often ebony and ivory), together. It attached the white ivory face to the dark ebony side of the domino.

It turned out the spinner had other great features besides just holding the dominoes in place.  The spinner helps protect the face of the domino when shuffled.  It also makes it easier to rotate or spin the domino in place.  The spinner is also referred to as a pivot. The spinner is located in the middle of a domino's dividing bar, and is generally made of metal and rounded off so as to avoid scratching the table top.

Spinner pins are only used in western-style domino sets not in Chinese dominoes.  Most Chinese domino players stack the dominoes and the spinner prevents the tiles from being stacked cleanly.

 

 
Q-Can I start my original turn by playing on other trains if I don't have my starter domino ie; 12 as engine ?
A-You can play on the community train or any available train at anytime during the game, regardless of whether you have started your train.
 

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