Sanctioned Tournaments, the N42PA and the 42 Community

Last update: 14 June 2019

The National 42 Players Association publishes an online list of open and N42PA Pro tournaments that are sanctioned by their organization. Members of the N42PA can compete in open sanctioned tournaments and in their own Pro tournaments to earn qualifying points for internal rankings. By-laws and playing rules are linked at the N42PA website under "Rules." (The "players" cited in Sections 3, 7, 8, and 9 of the bylaw Objectives, Article II, pertain to members of the N42PA.)

Other than requiring straight 42 (no variations), the N42PA does not set the standards for all open 42 tournaments that it sanctions. The rules, however, should be comprehensive and apply to all players participating in those tournaments. The game needs standardized rules that define fair play between competing teams, including the N42PA membership. N42PA members play in sanctioned tourneys to earn qualifying points for their own closed Tournament of Champions. (The N42PA ToC awarded its top two winning teams $2,400 in 2018.)

(Former paragraph posted here removed 28 March 2019)

Comments are welcome. Pertinent extracts will be posted below (names not shown unless instructed otherwise). The objective is to open up private dialogs for public discussion in hopes that sanctioned tournaments can become the best they can be. This can happen if social players feeding into formal tournaments become aware of definitive standardized tournament rules. Most will comply and, in time, sanctioned tournaments could become commonplace outside Texas and New Mexico.

Paul Proft, E-mail
www.texas42.net
19 Mar 2019

Proposed Rule Edits Former Narrative

24 Mar 2019 Footnote: The above and former narrative were linked in the Facebook 42 Strategy Group in Mar 2019 and Dec 2018, respectively. I posted the links there because I believe that FB group best represents the 42 community, both traditional social and modern-day tournament players. The purpose of my posts was to help the game of 42 be the best it can be. In so doing, I apparently stirred the ire of some notable tournament players who have done much to help make sanctioned 42 tournaments what they are today. It was my intent to suggest ways to advance the game even further, e.g., definitive playing rules that enhance fair play that are applicable to all players participating in tournaments sanctioned by the N42PA. It was not my intent to offend anyone, especially the N42PA leaders, past and present, who have worked hard to promote 42 and maintain their reputations in tournament circles. - PP

Comments (Parenthetic italics mine - PP)

• "I do not need a rule to decide what I think is fair." (Therein lies the problem. When players decide for themselves what is fair play, then it's prudent to adequately define fair play practices so the same rules apply to all sanctioned tournament players, i.e., level the playing field.)

• (Playing in open tournaments sanctioned by the N42PA) "... doesn't benefit social players, if they want the benefits, then they need to join the club."

• "Although N42PA covers more than the standard rule guides that come with a set of dominoes. I don't think spelling out those things that are illegal is always the best way."

• "I think that most people are honest in their playing and don't use elaborate cheating systems to win unfairly." (A minority of polled players think acceptable indicating practices need NOT be defined in tournament rules.)

• "The N42PA does not want to take local control away from the tournament organizer ..."

• "Playing in open tournaments sanctioned by the N42PA benefits the majority of social players by raising the ... value of the tournament ..."

• "The number of Pro points that a person (N42PA member) needs to acquire to play in the one closed tournament that the N42PA hosts (Tournament of Champions) is 12. Pretty much anyone who goes to a few tournaments a year will qualify (if he/she is a member of the N42PA) ..."

• "The goal of the N42PA is to popularize and benefit the game of 42 ..."

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