Barney Family Traditional Ruleset
To be the player with the least number of points at the end of the game.
The game is played over the course of several rounds, in which players try to play all of the dominoes in their hand. Each round starts with a double, starting with the highest double in the set. Subsequent rounds start with the next lowest double, continuing until the last round which starts with double zero.
- A complete set of dominoes (double 15, double 12, or double 6)
- A circular train hub with enough spaces around the perimeter for each player, plus the Mexican Train, to play a domino touching the hub.
- A train token for each player, plus one for the Mexican Train. If enough train tokens are not available, any sort of unique token will do.
- train: A line of dominoes, starting from the hub and continuing outwards in a straight line. The position on the hub where a player's train token is placed at the start of the game defines the starting point for that player's train.
- open train or train down: a train that is able to be played on by any player. An open train is indicated by a train token on the dominoes of the train (or the table when the train contains no dominoes). A player's own train is always open for them to play on.
- closed train or train up: a train that can only be played on by the player that owns the train. A closed train is indicated by a train token on the hub, at the start of the train.
- Mexican Train: a special train that is owned by no player, and is always open. Traditionally the Mexican Train is marked using a large black train token.
- dead train: a train that is impossible to play on, since all dominoes with the number at the end of the train have already been played. The train token for a dead train is usually laid on its side.
All the dominoes are turned face-down and shuffled thoroughly. Each player takes the number of dominoes as specified below:
| Number of players | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double 15 | 20 | 18 | |||||||||
| Double 12 | |||||||||||
| Double 6 |
Note: Everyone may agree upon drawing a different number of dominoes. If you draw fewer, it will shorten the round or increase the likelihood of starting the round by drawing. If you draw more, it will likely lengthen the round.
A player's dominoes are kept secret, but the number of dominoes a player has should be public knowledge. Usually, they are set on their long end, facing the player.
The hub is placed at the center of the table. Each player places their token on the hub near the edge (usually next to a 'notch' in the hub). The Mexican Train token is placed on the hub near the edge, usually at the position pointed toward the furthest end of the table from the hub.
The player with the starting double for the round places the double at the center of the hub. If no player has the double, players take turns drawing until it is found, starting with the player that went out the previous round. (On the first round, you may determine who draws first any way you wish; for example, whoever won last time you played.) The player who places the starting double then takes a turn. Play continues to the left.
Each turn, a player selects a domino from thier hand which has a number that matches the number at the end of any open train. The domino is placed at the end of that train, with the matching numbers touching.
If a player does not have a valid play, or chooses not to play, they draw a tile from the boneyard. If the drawn tile can be played, the player may immediately play it; otherwise they pass their turn, and their train becomes open (moving their token from the hub to their train and declaring "my train is down").
If the player plays on their own train, and their train is open, it becomes closed, and their train token is returned to the hub.
The play then continues to the next player.
When a double is played, the player immediately plays again, playing either on the double or any other open train (or drawing and putting their train down). If the double is not played on at the end of that player's turn, the following special rules apply to each player's turn until the double is resolved:
- The only open train is the one with the unresolved double.
- If a player cannot (or chooses not to) play on the double, they must draw.
- No train tokens are moved while the double is unresolved, even if a player cannot play after drawing.
- If the player owning the train with the unresolved double resolves it, their train closes (if it was not already closed).
- If the train with the unresolved double is discovered to be dead, the double is considered resolved and play continues as normal.
Note: In the event that the player that plays the unresolved double plays another unresolved double on that same turn, doubles are resolved in any order.
When a player plays their last domino, or when the bone pile is empty and no players can play, the round is over. Players count their round score by adding the face value of all their remaining dominoes.
A player's last tile played cannot be a double. They may, however, play a double followed by their last domino on another open train. If a player's last domino is a double, and there are no more dominoes to draw, they may not play their double unless it is the last domino of that number, making that train dead.
Scores for each round are recorded, and at the end of the game, the player with the lowest cumulative score wins.