The document below was written by Glynn Hill, a longtime "pure 42" player (50+ years) in northeast Texas. He originally posted his playing philosophy in 2001. It is now archived, and he has graciously allowed me to re-post it here with domino images and links to key topics in the document.

His treatise is filled with sage advice for both beginners and experienced 42 players. You can better appreciate the wisdom in this writing by using a set of dominos to play out his scenarios.

Mr Hill's comments do not necessarily reflect the views of all pure 42 players; however, there is much to be learned in this document by most players.

, Texas42.net
27 November 2007  (More notes at bottom of page)

Glynn Hill's Thoughts on How 42 Should Be Played

The Basics

Forty-Two is a popular game, played and enjoyed for generations in Texas. Although there is some luck involved---the drawing of "good" dominoes (hands that have doubles or trumps), the skillful players will consistently win more games than players who do not understand the intricacies of how best to analyze and play the dominoes they draw. The playing of a hand to the very best of your ability, to make the hand or set your opponent through skill most ordinary players wouldn't recognize how to do, is one of the delights of 42 and makes it an unending source of enjoyment. To the beginner, or the player who reached only a superficial knowledge of the game, 42 may seem like a simple game---but to the experienced player, who has gained insight and savvy and developed an understanding of the skill required to be a great player, 42 is one of the best games anyone can play for sheer enjoyment and pleasure, a game that never grows old, but is always fresh and exciting.

Forty-two requires four players--your partner, who sits across the table opposite you, and your opponents, one at your left and the other at your right. Your goal is to make seven marks--whoever does that first wins the game.

There are 28 dominoes. After shuffling (many Texans prefer to say "shake")--after shaking the dominoes, each player draws seven, puts them on their side so that the other players can't see what he has drawn.

The dominoes are classed as suits:

Sixes:	, , , , , , .
Fives:	, , , , , , .
Fours:	, , , , , , .
Treys:	, , , , , , .
Deuces:	, , , , , , .
Aces:	, , , , , , .
Blanks:	, , , , , , .
Doubles:	, , , , , , .

When you have drawn a hand with several dominoes belonging to a particular suit, you will want that as your trump. You compete with the other players for the opportunity to play your trumps by bidding what you think you can make. The lowest bid is 30 and proceeds, 31, 32, 33, etc. up to 42. The player who bids the highest gets to play the trumps he decides to declare. If you make your bid, you get one mark; if you fail to make what you bid, the opponent gets the mark. You can also initially bid 84, if you think it is unlikely you will lose a trick--if you don't lose a trick, you get two marks; if you lose a trick, the opponents get two marks. If you begin the bidding with 84, the player to the left could bid three marks, your partner could bid four marks, your right-opponent could bid five marks. If players think they wouldn't make their bid, or in instances of bidding 84 or more, lose a trick, they would pass.

There are five dominoes that are especially important in 42--they are the ten-count dominoes of and and the nickel-count dominoes, , , . When bidding 41 or less it is vital that you try to get as many count dominoes as you need to make your bid. If you bid 37 and your opponent captures any one of the count-dominoes, you are set--the opponents get the mark. If you bid 34 and your opponents capture and three additional tricks, you go set. A trick is the playing of a domino from each of the players. A count-domino (, , , , ) that is on a trick is counted and the trick itself counts as one point. An example of a trick is these dominoes: , , , . That counts as six--that's six points toward making what you bid, if you capture that trick; or six points toward keeping you from making the bid, if your opponents get it.

When the player gets the bid and has declared a trump, he puts it at the center of the table. The other players play clockwise one after the other. If you are leading or have captured the trick, you pull the four dominoes over to one side and play another domino; if an opponent captures the trick, he pulls the four dominoes over to his side and proceeds to play a domino. If you want to be exact and precise about it, you can insist that the bidder pull over all the tricks belonging to him and his partner (even when the bidder's partner trumps in, the bidder is the one who pulls the trick over) and if an opponent catches a trick, the opponent pulls the trick over to his side and continues to do so as long as he is leading. But really what difference does it make who pulls over the tricks? The four players have played their dominoes, the trick is completed, just sweep the trick away from the middle of the table and wait for the next play. You don't want to become so engrossed in "don't do this and don't do that" that you squeeze the fun out of 42. If you are not playing in a tournament, you should be relaxed and have fun playing 42 and not be made to feel so self-conscious about nonessential procedure or etiquette that it mars your enjoyment of the game.

You are pleased when you have drawn lots of doubles or high trumps in a suit (, , , , , )--that would be an 84 hand that is called a "lay-down" because there is no need to bother playing it out--because even if an opponent has the rest of the sixes (, , ) you have three high sixes that will draw them out of the opponent's hand, and because you don't have any "offs," you can't go set. You make your 84 and receive the two marks. An off is a domino that is a not a double or trump or "walker." An off is a domino that can be caught by either your partner or an opponent, if he has the right domino that is able to catch it. A walker is not a double, but is the highest of its suit. If aces are trumps, and and both have been played, then is a walker--if it is led, no domino can catch it, other than a trump. A trump supersedes all other dominoes. You must follow suit--if sixes is the suit bid on and have been declared trumps, then you must play a six if one is led, by either your partner or an opponent. But if your partner or opponent plays a suit to which you don't have one, you can trump it, if you are holding a trump. A trump catches any domino, including a double or walker. Just make sure you have no suit like is led, before you trump. For if you don't follow suit when you should, that is called a "renege." Just the act of reneging can cost you the mark.

The best way to learn to play 42 is watching experienced players and having them show you what to do and not do. You may learn the basics quickly. But it may take a lifetime to become expert at it. Even players who take 42-playing very seriously and have played the game for decades, will still make mistakes, still have things to learn. If you think you have mastered "Forty-Two," think again--you simply don't know what you don't know. If you do take 42 seriously, if you very much care to make the perfect play to each trick, 42 will be game you will dearly love and receive much pleasure and enjoyment--the more skillful you become, the more you will enjoy this great game.

Tips and Strategy

Here are some tips and strategy. Some of these could probably be refined or stated better. This player urges you to start refining and stating. Experienced players should record memorable plays they have seen, should share with others the ways of playing they have found successful. Put it on the Internet. If you raise the level of 42 knowledge, the 42 community is benefited. It's a lot more fun to play against experienced, skilled players who have enthusiasm for the game, than those don't take 42 seriously or don't care to play the best they can, or just haven't learned to play well yet. If you can help anyone play better 42 (including this player)--do it!

Players draw for partners: the two who draw two high dominoes play as partners---and the two who draw lower dominoes are partners---or even better, using a bit of masking tape write "1" on two checkers and "2" on two checkers (3's and 4's if there are enough players for another table) and then after shuffling the checkers, let whoever drew the "1's" play together and whoever drew the "2's" play together. It is better because sometimes when drawing dominoes, two people will draw the same number of spots, such as and and then have to draw again---with numbered checkers (or just numbered slips of paper) you never have to get into additional drawings to see who will be partners.

After the dominoes are shaken, the four players draw a domino; whoever drew the one with the most spots gets to be the first dealer; the dealer shakes the dominoes again for the player on his left to bid. The bids, like the playing of dominoes, go clockwise around the table. Each player is given opportunity to bid or pass. The dealer gets to bid or pass last. The dealer always passes a small object such as a checker or button or a dice to the player to his left after shaking the dominoes---the purpose of this is to remind all around the table who bid first, who will bid next. (There is a reluctance among some players to pass anything around; perhaps they don't want to admit they can't remember whose bid it is, don't want to concede they need an aid to help; so throughout the games you hear repeatedly over and over "whose bid is it?"). And it is important to correctly know, for a game can be won or lost depending on whether one player can raise the bid of another (if both you and your opponent have a hand that will make 84 and you bid first, and your opponent gets to bid three marks after you, he gets the marks; so it is important, not to just guess whose bid it is, but to do whatever is necessary to know for sure). The object ought to be placed directly in front of the person who has it; some people will place the object at the corner of the table, making it unclear whose bid it is. Instead of passing a checker or button around, there is a player who preferred to use a little plastic boat (Captain Hook sitting in it) or a little bear. He pointed it, after the completion of every hand, to indicate whose bid it will be, whose time it is to shake the dominoes. It could be an arrowhead or anything similar; the advantage to that is it doesn't require anyone who sneers at passing a button or checker around to do so--all is needed is someone willing to keep up with whose bid it is by using the pointer. Perhaps the best object to pass around would be a die because on any bid from 31 to 36 you can turn the cube correspondingly to the right spots, which would remind everyone exactly what was bid. What would be helpful is for a 42 player to invent an automatic device, perhaps activated by the sound of the shuffling dominoes, that lights or points to the one whose bid is next after each shaking of the dominoes. This would provide a great service for the game of 42, and perhaps make some money for the inventor. Another useful device would be to have a stand on which a camcorder could be placed directly over the 42 table, to record all the games, so especially memorable plays and good times could be preserved.

The highest bidder declares what he has chosen to be his trumps and starts the game by playing the first domino. The first domino played is the trump--if the bidder puts out , then you know he has made fives his trump (unless he states he is bidding on doubles). If he doesn't play a double, he must verbally state and/or point the end of the domino he wants to be his trump toward his partner (if he is leading as his first domino and wants ones as his trump he points the "1" end of the domino toward his partner; that tells all around the table aces is the trump, which can be helpful to hard-of-hearing people or anyone who just didn't understand what was spoken). Each player must follow suit, if he can, to the trump declared by the bidder. This pointing of a domino toward one's partner is done only as the initial lead to indicate what the bidder has named as trump; there is no special requirement afterwards about how the dominoes are pointed, just so they are placed on or near the center of the table for all players to see.

You bid what you think you will make. If you think you can get both ten-count dominoes and two five-count dominoes within five tricks, you would bid 35. You don't tell what your trumps are until after you have won the bid (the other players have bid less than you did or passed). The different bids are: 30, 31, 32, 33, etc. on up to 42. Bids above this must be in multiples of 42 as 84 (two marks), 126 (three marks), 168 (four marks), 210 (five marks). When playing a 42, 84, 126, four-mark or five-mark hand do not cover or "stack" any of the dominoes unless there has been agreement among the majority of players that such covering or stacking will be permitted (it is probably better and fairer for it not to be permitted). Even when stacking is allowed, the bidder should have the option not to do so, if he'd prefer not to stack. Before bidding 126 (three marks), 84 must be bid by a previous bidder; before bidding five marks, four marks must be bid. The won or loss of bids from 30 to 42 counts as one mark, 84 as two marks, 126 (three marks)---if the player to your right has bid 168 and you have the last bid, then you can bid five marks. The loss of one trick sets 42, 84,126, 168 (four marks), or a five-mark bid---and the dominoes are immediately shaken. It is easy to determine what will set a bid. Just subtract the amount bid from 42. That is the maximum you can lose and still make your bid. If 31 is bid, then 31 from 42 is eleven. or on a single trick will not set 31, for that is ten plus the trick (eleven). If your opponent bid 35, subtract 35 from 42; seven is the maximum he can lose and still make his bid; if he loses eight, he is set.

The score is kept by putting vertical marks on paper. Three marks then a dot or hyphen, then three more marks with the final mark being a diagonal mark through the six (111*111). The dot or hyphen provides neat separation of the marks, making the score easy to read with just a glance. Seven marks finish the game. Never use the letters A L L as substitutes for marks (a simple vertical mark is the easiest to read on paper; some scorekeepers make the third line in the "A" difficult for people with less than perfect eyesight to easily see). On each game always write down the names of who are partners---one of the chief delights of 42 is at the end of all playing to determine who played the best, who is the champion, who won the most games---keep a record of it, or post it in the playroom, so good playing can be recognized, so all players can aspire to that recognition by playing to the best of their ability and continuing trying to improve as 42 players.

After the dealer has finished shaking the dominoes, you draw seven dominoes and look for the suit that you have the most dominoes. If you have , , , , , and , you see you have more sixes than any other suit--and so you would probably name sixes as your trump--you might decide to bid 34 on sixes and lead out (the "6" end pointed toward your partner). You are hoping your partner will catch it with and have two leads (doubles or a double and a walker) so you can rid your hand of your offs and . But if your opponent catches your , he will try to set you by getting in as much count (some people prefer to say "game") as quickly as possible. It is unlikely your opponent will be able to catch your , so he may lead if he has it, or perhaps lead a small five in hopes his partner has and you will have a five-off that you must play, which will set you. Or if he has , he may lead it to try to get and if he has or , may lead it to try to get , or to get . After each game one of the winners shakes the dominoes; each new game begins with having one of the losing opponents bid or pass first.

If it is not possible to follow suit, then you can play a trump, count-domino, or an off---any domino you choose. It is very important that you never renege.

You may want to get your trumps in as soon as possible, or you may want to leave a trump out, trusting your partner has it and will trump in later with it, which can be a big help. If you are sure you and your partner are the only ones with trumps and you have an off in your hand, NEVER (well, almost never) take away your partner's trump; for example: if you bid 84 on sixes and had these dominoes: , , , , , , and you saw your partner played and nobody else played a trump, then you know your partner has . You intended to make your bid by walking after leading your ; you had intended to play all five of your trumps then and at the last; but now that you see no one has a trump but you and your partner, you do not play as you had intended. The first play is , the next becomes and then ---that will get your partner in the lead, and hopefully he will have either a double to lead or a walking . Of course if came on the you led, you would then get your partner's , as you no longer have a need for it--you would just lay your dominoes down, showing that there is no way you can go set. The reason you would not immediately play your after you've led is that it could be your partner had and and your opponent, and . It's likely your partner has at least one double, which will enable you to get rid of your and make your bid.

But when you led , if you saw that your partner didn't play a five, you would immediately lead your , as you know your partner could trump it and you would make your bid. (Instead of making sixes your trump, you could have bid on fives, but if an opponent has and two more fives, you would likely go set). Here is a similar example:

You bid 84 on sixes and play . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: .

You intended to play all your sixes, then , and lastly . If you play that way now, you show you need a lesson in proper Forty-Two playing. Obviously your partner is holding --do you now lead a small trump to get your partner in the lead? No, because it is possible that your partner does not have a double. It is better (less risky) for you to lead whatever doubles you have and then depend on your partner to help you with his trump. Leading whatever doubles you have is a better strategy than immediately leading a small trump because your doubles may pull out key dominoes from your opponents' hands that will enable your partner to either have a walker or be able to help you, should he be so unfortunate as not have a double in his hand. Certainly you do not want to now play and take your partner's trump away from him! That would be playing poor 42. You now play to try to draw in , should one of your opponents have it (an opponent might be backing up with --if you take away his , maybe he'd be forced to play when you lead your ). Left-opponent: . Your-partner: . Right-opponent: . You now play . Your left-opponent: . Your partner: . Your right-opponent: . You see that your left-opponent and your partner played a five. But you cannot risk leading your because your left-opponent may be the one with the . You: (you think surely your partner will have one double to help you). Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: . Your partner doesn't have a walker or a double for you. So what does he lead? Does he think to himself, "Too bad I can't help my partner; I'll just toss out any of these and just hope my partner can trump it"? If he is a good 42 player he doesn't think that. He looks at the dominoes that have been played and sees that you have two trumps and a domino that must be an off. He remembers when you played , just he and your left-opponent played a five. He looks at the dominoes again and sees the fives that have not been played are , , . He knows you don't have ; if you did, you would have already thrown your dominoes down, for your would be a walker. Therefore your left-opponent must be the one with . Your partner sees if he leads his or that wouldn't help you. But if you have , possibly he could draw in your left-opponent's , which would enable your to walk. Your left-opponent may also have and not have to play , but your partner leading his is the best shot at helping you your partner can do. If your partner is playing really sharp 42, he will know that you have two trumps and one off; he can count the doubles that haven't been played and see that they are , , and . By observing what has already been played and what is in his own hand, he can see that your off is either or . If you have , your opponents might as well stick a fork in you: you're done! Your opponents are not going to throw away both and and let your walk. The only possible way your partner can help you now is to hope that your off is the and that he can pull in , which will enable you to walk your . So he plays: . Your right-opponent: . You: . Left-opponent: . You thank your partner for the very good play he made! Your walks and so you now have two more marks! Forty-Two is so sweet when played well! But let's change the above-example just a little to this:

You bid 84 on sixes and play . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: . Do you now think to yourself, "I see that my partner has a trump, the ; if only his trump hadn't been so small, I could have put him in the lead and he might have helped me so much--but since I can't get him in the lead, his trump his useless; I may as well continue leading all my trumps and doubles down to my "? Surprisingly, even among longtime players, just such a faulty notion emerges. Absolutely you do not want to take away your partner's trump! Depend on him to use his trump should your fail to walk after you've led your . In this example, if you make the blunder of taking away your partner's trump, you will go set. Whereas if you simply leave him with his trump, play , then , then your partner will trump your , which will prevent your opponent from catching it with his . You easily make your 84 bid.

Some people seemed "programmed" to play their 84 hand one way only--down to the last trick, no matter what their partner has played. You are not a machine or a computer; you can adapt, be flexible. You bid 84, say on treys, with only one off, . On your first play of your partner throws in . As soon as you see you have taken any remaining trumps out of your opponents' hands, and as long as you holding at least one trump, you lead your . DON'T play all the way down to the last trick to lead your . Your partner has told you, the very first play, that he has . He's telling you to come on and lead your four-off, if you have one. If you don't quickly lead a four-off, then he may conclude that isn't what you have as your off, and just might discard , thinking you don't have a four for an off, or you would have responded.

Be quick to respond to the "messages" your partner sends you. Suppose you've bid 35 on aces.

You lead . Left-opponent: . Partner: . Right-opponent: . There is no way to tell where the is, so you decide not to leave it out. You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner chooses to play . Right-opponent: . Now you ask yourself, what kind of partner are you playing with? Is he one of those who just likes to give his partner as soon as he can, or is he a sharp player who is telling you that he has the ? You know your partner is a good player, so you do not lead your (for it is possible your partner might have no six protecting his ; and you certainly don't want to take the chance of taking away his ). So trusting your partner knew what he was doing by playing on your , you play . Your partner will catch it with and give you two walking fives as leads. You make your bid. That was good playing by both you and your partner. He told you he had --and no, that is not cheating or "talking across the board"--that is just good 42. There were no verbal hints about it--you are certainly allowed to play any domino you want, as long as you're not reneging. You played good 42 by quickly responding with .

Your partner bids 34 on fours. Your right-opponent was thinking about bidding 34 on deuces; but decides not to bid 35. He passes. You pass. Thirty-four is just what your left-opponent wanted to bid too. He's willing to lose to an opponent, maybe the opponent who catches with will lead to which he will play his and if he can get rid of his with hopefully only one nickel-count having come on, he thinks he would make a 34 bid. To bid 35 on this hand is stretching; but he's come to play Forty-Two and at times he will bid a little more than he thinks his hand is actually worth. He says he will bid 35. He leads . Your partner plays . Right-opponent: . You don't have a trey or a count-domino to give your partner. What do you play? Do you think, "I may as well just play one of my little dominos, probably or or perhaps and hope someone later will lead into my or ." You could think and play that way. Or you could play sharp 42. Play . You are telling your partner (and of course your opponents also) that you have . What he does with information is up to him. No doubt he intended to play . But he considers that you played . He knows if he leads the bidder will have to use a trump to catch it (and it just might be the bidder will have a six-off). If the bidder has no six and can trump it, the bidder, if he has a five-off, will still have it to run into the . So your partner chooses to keep his in reserve and lead his . Right-opponent: . You: . Your left-opponent plays and goes set. If you had not thrown in on the first play your partner would have led ; your left-opponent would have trumped it and led . His partner would have caught it with , then led one of his doubles to which your left-opponent would have played --he would have made 41. But you were able to set him because you played sharp 42. Most 42-players would have just unthinkingly played , would never have imagined to play on the first trick. You get the mark or your opponent gets the mark, depending on how you play. It's sharp 42 playing versus mediocre playing. The fun in 42 is playing to the best of your ability, playing better than your opponents, seizing opportunities to play in ways they don't know to do or would never even consider doing.

Bidding on Doubles

You bid 31 on doubles and lead (even though you have the highest trump, , it is often best not to initially lead your highest trump. If you run into a situation in which an opponent has all your trumps, you don't want him to come out with a higher trump than you have--to guard against that possibility, experienced players often will, as in this example, initially lead a smaller trump).

Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Notice your partner didn't play any of his deuces. That's because is not now considered to be a deuce; it is a trump in the suit of doubles. Right-opponent: to try to set you as quickly as possible.

Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: . You: (you had to follow suit to the five that was led--you could not play , for that would have been a renege).

You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: (the loss of one more trick will set you; so as a count domino is now irrelevant). Right-opponent: .

You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: .

You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: .

You: . Left-opponent: . Partner: . Right-opponent: .

You: . Left-opponent: sets you with his .

You didn't make 31, even though you had four trumps and a high . But if you had bid 36 on your two sixes, you would have made your bid. There are many possibilities in 42. Evaluating, analyzing how best to play your dominoes is what makes 42 so interesting.

When doubles are declared trump and a player does not have a double to play to the double that was led, he may play any domino he chooses. Some people have it when doubles are trump, if you don't have a double you must follow suit to the double led (if is led and you don't have a double, you must play a four---that is incorrect). Here is an example why it is not correct to play like that:

Your left-opponent bids 31 on doubles. He leads , your partner plays , your right-opponent plays , you play . Your left-opponent now plays , your partner plays and you are ready to put on your and set the 31 bid. It would be incorrect to have you play one of your aces to his . It must be if doubles are the trump, and you don't have a double, then you are free to play whatever you want whenever a double is led. In the above example, don't be confused into thinking that when the is led that it's an ace---when doubles was declared trump, then it ceased being an ace---it has now become one of seven of the suit of doubles (if you bid on blanks and you lead , you don't expect the other players to start playing their sixes on it if they don't have a blank, do you?). If blanks are trumps and you don't have a blank, you are not required to play a six to , or a five to , or a four to . The same logic must apply when bidding on doubles. If doubles are trump, then you can play any domino in your hand when a double is led if you do not have a double. Otherwise you follow suit just as in regular 42. People bid on doubles so rarely many 42 players have not understood about it. If a player leads (and you're holding and and ) you must play your --you cannot trump the with either your or . You must follow suit.

You bid 34 on deuces. You only have three trumps. You don't want an opponent to wind up with a higher trump than you have; so to try to prevent that, you lead , rather than your . You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: .

Your right-opponent will try to hit you as quickly and hard as he can: .

You: . Left-opponent: a 42 player wants to protect his count-dominoes; your left-opponent is protecting his with and two sixes--if he now plays on the that will make his vulnerable to --so he keeps on guard-duty to protect the , and plays ; he still has to protect his only count-domino from a six attack. Your partner plays: .

You don't know where is. You could leave it out, trusting your partner has it. But you see you have a reasonable chance of pulling in with either your or ; and if you can get , you will make your bid. You decide not to leave your trump out. You play: . Left-opponent: trey-blank. It is now your partner's time to play. Most 42 players would just automatically toss the count-domino onto the . But your partner is a sharp player. He sees you have , , on what will now be two tricks--that's 22--putting on his now is not going to be of any real help toward making your 34 bid. The key domino is --whoever captures that will get the mark. Your partner sees and have not been played, neither has nor . A good 42 partner is over there thinking, concentrating, trying to figure out how best he can help his partner with what dominoes he has. He sees the possibility you have behind and an opponent may have and , which could catch your , and the opponent's would result in your going set. So instead of , he plays: . Right-opponent: .

Now you hope you can pull in . You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Your right-opponent sees he can't catch anything, plays .

Now you think. You know your partner doesn't have ; he would have played it on your . You see there are three sixes out, , , . It is likely your left-opponent is protecting his and so if you lead your , you are doomed to be set when you finally have to lead either your or . Your only hope of making this bid is to create a moment of confusion or indecision in your left-opponent's mind. Instead of playing , you play . Your left-opponent is not quite sure what to do. He knows if he plays and your partner plays you will have made your bid. And so in this moment of not strongly knowing exactly how to play, he makes a critical mistake. He plays . Your partner plays . Right-opponent: . You now come back with your and get the , which makes your bid. His partner asks him, "why didn't you catch his with your ?" He responds, "I don't know; I guess I thought his partner would catch it with and maybe he would lead something you would catch and I would put on a trick you caught, or maybe he'd have a four I could catch with ."

You were able to get this mark through good playing. You outwitted your opponent. Of course he should have played to your --his partner might have had or he might have figured you were trying to trick him there. He sees now what he should have played. But your playing , instead of , enabled you to salvage the mark you would have been certain to lose, had you played like most 42 players would have.

Some people play a bid called No-Trump or Follow-Me. This is a bid in which you perhaps have doubles and high dominoes to go along with the doubles you have. There is no trump. This player will play along with anyone bidding this, but would not himself ever bid Follow-Me. To this player, it is simply not 42--- if you are playing 42, a trump should be declared (the only exception to this is a Nel-O bid, which many would say isn't really 42 anyway). It is this player's opinion Follow-Me should never have been allowed into Forty-Two.

Whenever a player trumps a trick that sets his opponent he must immediately turn his dominoes face up for all to see---this should be emphasized, for even many longtime 42 players fail to do this: if a player has trumped in and set his opponent, he should automatically turn his dominoes face up so all players can inspect his hand, to insure no dominoes were overlooked---an opponent should not have to request this; it is the proper thing to do. To not do so, is analogous to someone bidding 84 and saying he has a lay-down, but then turning his dominoes face down and throwing them in to be shuffled, without showing his hand to anyone. He may indeed have a lay-down, but you'd like to see it--you'd like to be sure he hasn't overlooked a domino. Forty-two players do not allow that to happen--why is an opponent ever allowed to get by with trumping in and setting a player without turning his dominoes over to show that he was correct in trumping? It is not that you suspect your opponent is cheating--it is that people just inadvertently overlook a domino sometimes--and you, for sure, ought to be permitted to look and see the opponent was correct that he could use his trump.

Whoever is keeping score marks his marks on that side of the paper where the marks will be closest to him; that way there is no confusion as to which column belongs to which partners---the column that is nearest the score-keeper is his marks, the other is the opponents'.

Behavior

If you see your partner or opponent has not played expertly, it is considered bad form (discourteous or rude behavior) to blurt out, "That's dumb!"---It may be he has indeed played badly or it could be you just don't fully grasp the underlying strategy why a player played or bid in a certain way; ask him in a nice way after the hand is completed to explain it to you.

It's okay to point out your own mistakes; but be very reticent to remark about other players' blunders.

Good-natured banter and even good-natured glee, gloating or bragging over a hand well-played or a hard-fought game won, is part of the zest of 42; it's as spice is to food, adding enjoyment. Cold, formal, rigid playing with no or few comments is not conducive to fun (that may be one reason some people don't like tournaments). If you can't take some ribbing or have no sense of humor, then you probably ought take up some other game. But there is no place in Forty-Two for rudeness, insults or name-calling. Civility across the 42 table, as everywhere else, must be maintained. When 42 players behave or talk rudely, it is time to look for players who are always courteous and polite, considerate of other people's feelings.

If a person accidentally reneges and it is quickly discovered (within a trick or two) and the mistake can be easily corrected, it should be allowed to be corrected. When playing with friends, in non-tournament play, one should not in cutthroat fashion exult in effect: "you reneged! I'm not allowing you to correct your renege, give us the mark!" Behaving like that just isn't right among friends. But if the mistake (the renege) cannot be easily and amicably corrected, if it causes confusion and casts in doubt the outcome of the hand, then the side who reneged should forfeit the mark(s).

An especially crude and onerous act of rudeness is to accuse someone of cheating. This should not be said or even hinted at, even in jest. If you think it really is true, then just avoid playing with that person again, or talk privately with him about it; but NEVER, even in jest, accuse anyone of that before others. If there is even one nonsmoker playing, smoking should not be allowed at or around the 42-table. It is very inconsiderate for people to discharge their poisonous emissions onto and into people who do not share their unconcern for health.

Unnecessary or distracting talk such as profanity, vulgarity, or exclamations of euphemisms should never be tolerated while playing 42. It is ironic many people who profess to be Christians are careless about using the LORD's name in vain, showing no reverence for that name which is above every name, uttering the LORD's name repeatedly during playing, just to express surprise or exasperation. A simple statement such as "that surprises me" or "I wish that hadn't happened" would be preferable to utterances that reveal to non-Christian observers and listeners no respect or reverence for God's will as expressed in Exodus 20:7. Proverbs 3:6 says, "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path." If there is a minister, elder, deacon or Sunday School teacher present at your Forty-Two club, it would be very appropriate for there to be a scheduled break in the playing, for that person to ask if anyone present wishes to share a Bible verse, testimony or praise, and the minister or elder, deacon or Sunday School teacher to pray a short prayer giving thanks to the Lord for His mercies and blessings. This acknowledging of the LORD would be a good Christian witness and might do much to show to any non-Christian players present that Christians are different, that true Christians respect and revere the LORD.

Someone not actually playing should be especially careful not to advise or signal a player how to play. The only time an onlooker is allowed to remark about a hand in progress is to tell the player he is watching that he is reneging (is not following suit when he is supposed to)---this must be said during the trick that is currently being played, so the reneging does not occur. It serves no useful purpose for an onlooker to state someone has reneged after the dominoes have been turned over---it should be said only when the mistake can be corrected (for it's possible the onlooker could be mistaken and no renege actually occurred). In tournament-play, or if playing very seriously, an onlooker would be prohibited from making any remarks, not even allowed to point out a renege (it would be the responsibility of the players to catch the renege).

This compilation is for people who are interested in playing among friends, free from the burdensome and repressive rules and restrictions found in some tournaments. Free to enjoy the game as thousands have since its invention in 1887. It is this player's opinion that the remarks herein, if heeded, would enhance the enjoyment of 42--- and that is really what 42 is about, having a good time with friends and family.

Maintaining the purity and beauty of 42

Over the years certain people have taken it upon themselves to add variations of playing that have marred the beauty, the enjoyment of Forty-Two. Such practices and variations as "Plunging" and "Sevens," the aberration of getting the bid and then asking your partner to designate trumps or naming a trump that is not the first domino led (a player getting the bid, playing first, but saying fours are trumps) that should not be allowed. If the first domino played is , then sixes or fives ought to be trumps, not treys or fours or anything other than sixes or fives {this is done to rid oneself of an off, usually a five; but even though this practice is accepted by many, as stacking is when bidding 84, it seems to this player to be essentially unfair, and Forty-Two would be better played with it not permitted}---and the exchanging of an unwanted domino with a partner (as some do when playing Nel-O) should be scrupulously avoided by all who consider themselves true 42 players.

The variation known as "Sevens" is particularly offensive. Those who play it devastate 42, much like unrestricted Nel-O does, ruining good hands the other players would like to play (hands requiring skill to play well). Having no strategy to it whatsoever, on a "Sevens" bid you might as well just have everyone flip over their dominoes while the bidder attempts to show he has more dominoes closest to seven than anyone else. No true, self-respecting 42 player should ever lower himself to participate in a game in which this detrimental variation is played!

The people who play Nel-O, Sevens, Splash, Plunge, etc. repeatedly in every game, no doubt enjoy getting their marks and games that way. But perhaps they just don't comprehend the challenge and delights of playing straight 42 at a high level of expertise. When there are really sharp 42 players playing a game, you have a battle of wits--cunning and daring come into play. It's the skill that's involved in good 42 playing that makes 42 such a great game. And when a skillful 42 player sees a hand he really wants to play sabotaged by a Nel-O or Plunge or Sevens, and when it's done over and over, he is dismayed and disgusted too--that this great game has been lowered, has been brought down, compromised and corrupted. And when he sees his beloved 42 deteriorated to the level of a player exchanging a domino for a better one from his partner, then it is observed that 42 has sunk to a child's level, a way of playing six-year-old children might devise. Adding variations to Forty-two is like adding water to milk--if people get in the habit of watering down their milk, they may eventually think that is what milk ought to taste like and crave it--and so the variationists who have with glee and merriment watered down 42, now crave their diluted mixture and want to proselytize as many as they can to partake their concoction with them. And that is sad for the future of Forty-two, the game generations have played and loved since its inception in 1887--that there are now large numbers of people actively diluting and degenerating Forty-two. Forty-Two is too good a game to be degraded. People ought to take a stand about this, and not perpetuate, not further the debasing of 42 by participating in games in which variations are allowed.

If you absolutely must resort to playing a variation, perhaps the least repugnant is Nel-O.

If not strictly controlled Nel-O can ruin the enjoyment of 42; but if restricted, can be interesting. But remember, if you don't declare a trump, you are playing something other than straight, pure 42. This is the control and restriction that must be applied: Each player is permitted to play only one Nel-O bid per game---if this restriction were not enforced there are some players who would play Nel-O nearly every hand, devastating the game of 42.

Nel-O may be the oldest of the variations. In the earliest 42 rules this player has seen, Nel-O was an option to be used when everyone else had passed--then the last bidder could be forced to bid, and if he chose to, he could bid Nel-O or "Low." But as a camel that sticks his nose into a tent soon takes over the whole tent, so this very limited permitting of Nel-O has now expanded to a deleterious overuse. When Nel-O is played repeatedly in a 42 game, it curtails the real 42 playing. Playing requiring skill takes a backseat to this variation. It really should not be allowed into serious 42 playing, but given over completely to the variationists. But if you are curious to know how it is played, here is how: A person with all, or nearly all, low dominoes initially bids one or two marks, or he can raise an 84 bid to three marks. The bidder leads out a small domino which he hopes will be caught by his opponents. The bidder's partner doesn't play at all; he is just an observer. If the opponents fail to catch the bidder's lead, he is set and loses the one or two (or more) marks he bid. If an opponent does catch the bidder's initial lead, then he plays one of his low dominoes, hoping the bidder will play a higher one (players must follow suit). If at any point the bidder catches a trick, he loses however many marks he bid. Double catch doubles--a higher double catches a lower double. If a double is led and you do not have a double, then you can play any domino you choose, preferably get rid of a high domino.

Here is an example of a Nel-O bid:

You bid 84 "low" and lead . Left-opponent: (he must decide to play either , thinking maybe his partner will catch the four and have a small domino to lead back or catch the four himself with his and lead back either the or ). He chooses to catch it with . Your partner doesn't play--knocking a 42 player out of playing, even one hand, is not a desirable thing, which in itself can be an argument against allowing Nel-O. Your right-opponent plays (he doesn't know where and are; he may want to lead eventually, in case you are holding one of those fours. By playing , he is ridding his hand of a high five, which is what he wants to do).

Your left-opponent has decided to play , hoping you will have a higher double and will catch it. Your right-opponent: he has only one double and he must play it; he plays . You can get rid of your higher double; and so you play .

Your-right opponent doesn't know what you have; he can lead back a four, five or six. He chooses to lead because it rids his hand of a deuce. You don't have a five, so you play . Left-opponent: .

Left-opponent: . Right-opponent: . You: .

Left-opponent: . Right-opponent: . You: . You can't go set now. You made two marks.

It can be your partner has just one high double (perhaps ) and your opponent has two small doubles, such as and . In this instance it could be best to lead your first, rather than your . Example:

Your left-opponent bid 84 "low" and leads: . Your partner: . Since his partner obtained a Nel-O bid, your right-opponent doesn't play. You: . You can lead because that is a small domino, or your or , for you're thinking your partner might have and to lead and your opponent might have a higher ace or deuce that would set him. Or you can choose to play your , for it is certainly possible he will have a higher double, and if your partner didn't have a double, that would set your opponent. But you suppose he just might have two small doubles and maybe your partner has a bigger double he needs to get rid of. So you lead: . Your left-opponent: . Your partner: .

Now you will see if you guessed correctly. You lead: . Left-opponent: . Your partner now doesn't have a double---so by catching your double, your left-opponent goes set. You get two marks.

As you see, there is strategy involved in playing Nel-O. It can be interesting. The main thing wrong with Nel-O is that very few players restrict how often it can be played in a game. It should be restricted, so it doesn't overwhelm real 42.

There are those who will even warp Nel-O by declaring doubles are high in suit or doubles are low in suit. If you are playing Nel-O, it should always be doubles catch doubles. But it seems there is no end to what some people will devise. Forty-Two is a great game, played as it has for generations---why do some people feel a compulsion to tinker with it? Leave 42 alone! Play it in its pure form--there is no need to invent strange, new variations!

The beauty and genius of 42 lies in its simplicity. It is the enjoyment of overcoming your opponent, of making your bid, or helping your partner make his bid through skillful playing of the dominoes you have drawn. It's not just seeing who can get the most marks any way you can. When the emphasis becomes just that, then the great game of 42 is cheapened. Adding variation upon variation onto 42 does not improve 42--it diminishes it. It's like a surgeon adding hands to your stomach and back--you might can do more things with extra hands; but it would be a grotesque mutation. And that's what's happening to Forty-Two. Forty-Two is not being improved; it's being warped as each new variation is grafted onto it. And it seems most people will go along with any thing. It appears that with many players the enjoyment does not derive from playing the dominoes they draw to the best of their ability--but deem their hand a disappointment if they cannot do something (Nel-O, Plunge, Splash, Sevens, etc.), anything but have to concentrate on playing their dominoes. For to be a great 42 player, you do have to concentrate; you must have a desire to play every trick to the very best of your ability. It seems most players nowadays just don't want to do that much concentrating, don't want to expend that much effort into their so-called 42 playing. So they bid on any thing or they play any and every way somebody has thought to invent and introduce to them. "It's an easy way to make marks," could be the variationist's motto. It's the different philosophy or outlook, the different emphasis on what is important that distinguishes the true 42 player from the variationist. Caring enough to try to play the very best on every trick is not as high on the variationist's priority; but rather, just getting the marks. There is no special desire among the variationist to preserve and play the game as generations before played and loved the game. It's okay with variationists to tack onto 42 any additional way of playing with dominoes anyone comes up with. Of course the very act of doing that changes the game.

Sometimes a variationist will attempt to dampen a real 42 player's abounding enthusiasm for the game by saying to him, "it's only a game." That is like saying to a great cook at a feast, "it's only food." Or to a fine musician in the midst of a recital, "it's only music." To the variationists it is only a game, and will always be only a game. They will never develop the passion and love of 42 that a true 42 player has for the game, because they simply don't care enough about the game to put out the effort to become a really great player, and with their limited knowledge of the game they don't realize what they have in pure, straight 42 is a masterpiece of a game. The variationists think they can improve the game with their additional ways of playing--but it's like someone imagining he can improve a great composition by adding ditties to it or hoping to improve the Mona Lisa by painting others into her portrait. Most variationists will never grasp and experience the greatness of 42--and what is so lamentable is that they revel in their ignorance and teach others to think what they are doing is playing Forty-two. With their love of a multiplicity of variations, they should not hijack the name "Forty-two." They should call their game "Hodgepodge" or "Conglomeration" or Variations or something similar. Forty-two should be essentially the game that was invented in 1887. [For the origin of 42, see the article by Michael Hilton that appeared in the July 1988 Texas Monthly]. Let people play their variations, add a new variation every week, if they want to. But don't call it 42. Let there be a game called "Forty-two" which has not been contaminated. Let 42 be played as originally invented--a trick-taking game in which a trump must be declared (and played as the first domino) and no Plunge or Splash (which, in effect, is talking across the board, letting your partner verbally know that the bidder has three or four or more doubles in his hand). Let "42" or "Straight Forty-two," be the original game played in its beauty and simplicity, in its pure form--a game worthy of cherishing and protecting. And the way to protect it is refuse to join the throng merrily demeaning this great game. Don't sit down at a table where "Hodgepodge/Conglomeration" players are pretending to play 42. Don't become a collaborator to 42's degradation. Organize your own 42 club--insist only pure, straight 42 will be allowed--don't lower your standards for anyone (and if you play on the Internet, always be the host; so you can see to it that pure 42 is played in the games you participate). Let the Conglomeration players play their frivolous plethora of variations--but playing as they do is not for serious 42 players. Hopefully 42 can yet be saved from those who drag it down.

Eight players or more

If there are two tables of 42 playing, it will be more fun to have interaction with all the 42 players present, than if the two tables played all the time separately. Designate a "Head" table and a "Foot" table. The main privilege attendant to being at the head table (also called "champion" table or "table number one") is that head table governs when players shift to the head table. There is no movement until the head table notifies all tables it is time to move (any number of tables can be in the head table system). At head table the partners who win a game (or you could have it as the best two out of three games) call for the winners at table number two (if there are only two tables of 42, then that would be foot table) to come play at head table. Whoever won the most marks at table number 2 proceeds to move to head table---and if there are more tables, the winners there also move up to a higher table immediately upon notification of head table it is time to move; e.g., the winners at table number 3 move to table number 2 to play the losers there. When head table has made its announcement, then at each of the lower tables it is seen which partners made the most marks--the partners at each table who have accumulated the most marks move up to the next higher table. The players at the lower tables are allowed to complete the hand they are playing if tied in marks. If the marks are not tied, the hand is not allowed to be completed. (The score might be four marks to three--the couple with the three marks bid 84 and is just one trick from making the bid when Head table says to stop playing---since the hand is almost finished and it could make the difference who would be ahead in marks, isn't it okay to finish that hand? No. When the winners at Head table indicates by ringing a bell or announcing verbally that it's time to move, all playing ceases at that instant! With the only exception being if the marks on the paper are tied).

Head table NEVER waits for a lesser table to complete a game. The head table ALWAYS is the governing table; it controls when players move. The couple who lost at head table goes to the foot table where they change partners with whoever lost at that table--(if you were playing like in a tournament, you would not change partners at foot table). Some have it when more than one table are playing each table finishes its game; this is undesirable, for that often makes the slowest table govern when players move. Having the winners at head table wait while others finish a game provides no reward for being successful. Players who have succeeded through skillful playing to get to, and stay, at head table should be recognized for their good-playing and should receive the privilege or reward of controlling when players shift to the head table. And the losers at head table should not fail to change partners at foot table; for if you're losing game after game, you want to have hope you will get a partner you can win with. Even though you change partners, you can still determine at the end of all playing who won the most games, if each player will simply, on his own small piece of paper, make a mark for every game he won. Winners should never be made to change partners, only losers, and that only at foot table. If you do not want to change partners, if you want to have your playing like a tournament, you could still do the head table/foot table system. There are different ways to do tournaments. Each tournament organizer must decide for himself which system he prefers. Here is one way: Have all participants draw for partners (that is probably fairer than letting someone choose his own partner; but that is optional--if you want to let people select their own partner, that's okay). However many tables there are, they are designated Table 1, Table 2, etc. and the participants draw a number to see to which table they will be seated. At table number 1 there is a bell which is to be rung as soon as a couple makes their seventh mark. When that bell is rung all play at all the other tables cease--with this exception: if the marks are tied, then the hand must be played out. Only the players at Table 1 are playing to see who gets seven marks first--the players at all the other tables are playing to have the most marks when the bell is rung. Therefore at the lesser tables it doesn't matter who gets seven marks first (they may not even be close to having seven marks); but rather, who has the most marks when the bell is sounded. When the bell is rung whoever has the most marks receives what is called "A Game Mark." The tournament organizer records the names of everyone who has won a Game Mark. At the conclusion of the tournament the couple who has the most Game Marks is declared the winner. It doesn't matter what table you wind up at; what matters is who has the most Game Marks. The tournament organizer can choose to have a time deadline or simply say that who ever gets a certain number of Game Marks first wins the tournament. In a tournament Nel-O, Plunge, Sevens should never be allowed. Since there is sometimes confusion when someone bids on doubles, it should be made clear that if someone bids on doubles players are not required to play a six to , a five to , a four to , etc. (when doubles are declared trumps, they become a suit, just like any other suit in Forty-two--if a double is led, only doubles are required to be played to it). Some tournaments insist that you must line up your dominoes in a certain way (three dominoes in front, four in back) and have forfeiture of a mark if you touch a domino but don't play it, or if you say or do something that might enable your partner to know you have a certain domino or a good hand or bad hand, etc. The tournament organizer has to determine what level of strictness he will enforce. The tournament organizer must be ready to settle any questions or disputes that arise during the tournament--such as, if a player draws out eight dominoes (instead of seven) and looks at them, should there be another shuffle or the mark forfeited because of the error?

Visit several tournaments and decide for yourself the system you prefer. Whatever the tournament organizers decide on should be recognized by all as being fair. A while back this player went to a tournament in which there were only two tables playing. Each table would play the best two out of three games. The winners at each table then played the best two out of three to determine the final winners. On the surface that may seem like a fair way to do it. But as it turned out, the couple who won two games actually had fewer marks than their opponents. With this scheme it can be as big a difference as five marks (if you win the first game seven to nothing and then lose the next two games, but get six marks both times; you and your partner will have 19 marks to your opponents' 14--you have clearly outplayed your opponents by a margin of five marks--but you are declared the loser and out of the tournament). Probably a better way to have done the tournament would be to have both tables play three games and at the end of the third game see who won the most marks. The couple at each table with the most marks then would play three games and count the marks to see who won the tournament. But doing it that way didn't provide good interaction of players. During the first round the losers at each table played against only the two people who were their opponents--when they lost the third game, the tournament was over for them.

Gender should not usually be a factor in determining who plays as partners (the practice of arbitrarily pairing male with female as partners should generally be avoided by all serious 42 players); however, it is probably better when four or six people are playing that husbands and wives not be partners, especially if there is no chance of switching partners during a session of 42. Too often when husbands and wives are partners there is a tendency for one or both to start criticizing the other, which can ruin the 42 for everybody.

When there are six players, it can become tedious and boring for a very good player to draw as his partner a player who makes many mistakes and has to play the whole time with him. To keep that from happening, have the two who lost a game and also the two who are sitting out draw. The two who draws highest dominoes play. If the couple who just lost happens to now draw the two highest dominoes, then rather than draw again, they get up and let the couple who was sitting out play. This is not a perfect scheme, for one who has already sit out a game will have to sit out during the next game. But it will remedy the problem of having a good player stuck with having to play all the time with a player who he wishes he did not have to play with. A player needs to have hope he can get a partner he will win with.

To play 42 with others on the Internet click-onto Curtis Cameron's web page. There you are given an opportunity to buy Curtis Cameron's computer program. For anyone at all interested in 42, his program is well worth the small amount asked. It will give you many hours of enjoyment, plus it enables you to play with others via the Internet. Most of the time it will play adequate to good 42; but unfortunately, in some instances, it makes mistakes a really good 42 player would not do (the 3.48 and earlier versions; hopefully later versions will be programmed to play better). But a very good feature is the Play All Hands--by using it, even a beginner at 42 can learn to play well, by seeing what should be played to make a hand and what results in going set.

After you've downloaded Curtis' 42 program from http://www.ccdominoes.com/download.html you will want to make a shortcut to his Lobby page (bookmark or put into your Favorites): http://www.ccdominoes.com/cgi-bin/Lobby.cgi?Win42 so that you can easily and often return to it. It will show you any games currently in progress, and what the host has chosen to play. When this player sees that Nel-O, Plunge or Sevens is being allowed, he will not take an "empty seat" with those who are degrading 42. You can easily begin hosting your own games and wait for players to join you who will play 42 properly.

You can have enjoyable games online and meet nice people. But you will also encounter rude and obnoxious people online. Curtis ought to program in an "Always Exclude" ability. As it is now, when you're hosting a game, you can refuse to let in someone you remember was discourteous in the past. The problem with that is Curtis' program allows anyone to easily change his screen name and you not be able to recognize it as the rude person you'd like to avoid. When you register the program, you use a code number--Curtis should somehow utilize that number to enable the program to recognize someone you have consigned to the Always Exclude list and display a message to that person informing him that his request to play was refused--with no message appearing on your screen about it. Perhaps Curtis could even provide an option whereby you could inform the excluded person the reason he was being refused. Maybe you would type in "offensive language," "chats way too much," "obnoxious." If the refused encountered several such "Always Exclude" messages, perhaps he would modify his behavior while playing 42 online with others.

If you are a variationist you will like playing the online tourneys or ladders. The winners probably fancy themselves as 42 champions--- but since most of the online players include variations, it's not a true test of excellence in Forty-two playing. The winners are those who are adept at skewing out marks any and every way their variations permit, rather than playing great, straight 42. Someone who has reached the top of the ladder or won such tourneys by playing variations who thinks he has proven his prowess at 42, is like someone who has won in Miniature Golf competitions imagining he can take on Tiger Woods in the PGA--it's just simply isn't the same game. The two may look similar is some ways--but it's not the same game--Tiger Woods' golf is not Miniature Golf. Forty-two that includes variations is not Forty-two.

Getting skunked

One of the most humiliating and dreaded things that can happen while playing 42 is to play an entire game without winning even one mark. This is called "getting skunked." Traditionally one of the triumphant players draws a depiction of a polecat on the opponents' column. The pictorial embarrassment glares out for all to see. The fear of getting a skunk drawn on you should spur all players to always play at their very best.

When bidding, say on sixes, (let's say your partner has and another six), it probably is best to lead , if you have it, so as to give your partner the option to catch or not catch depending on whether he has leads. (A reason a partner might not automatically catch his partner's initial playing of trumps is that he sees that the opponent didn't play a trump and he suspects that the other opponent may have two trumps--so he wants his partner to lead another trump to clear any remaining trumps from the opponent); but it is usually best for a partner to try to catch what his partner leads. If you have bid and you don't have the double-trump, it is often best to play your highest trump rather than a low trump when initially trying to get your partner in the lead---and leading a high trump may prevent your opponents from catching your lead with a low trump--your opponents might even decline to catch your high trump; and thus give you the opportunity to come back on the second play to clear the trumps they hold.

When bidding 84, say on fours, you lead , and your partner plays and your opponent on your right promptly lays down , , proclaiming he has your trump-set. Don't be pliant in letting your opponents quickly turn over the dominoes and marking for themselves two marks. Protest that you want to play the hand out. Your opponents will loudly and vigorously tell you there is no way you can make it for you are obviously trump-set. And you would be set if you just automatically came back with . But don't do that. Lead whatever off you have in hopes your partner can catch it and remain in the lead; if he can remain in the lead, then whenever your opponent trumps in, you will be able to overtrump and then lead your to get his and you then can probably make your bid.

You bid 84 on blanks. You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: . You see that there are two trumps out, the and the . Your partner may have both of them or your partner and opponent may have one apiece. Or, and this is what you fear most, your right-opponent may have both of them. When playing on-line you don't get any physical indicators of what the other players may have. But in playing 42, you are always alert and watching for any hint of what your opponents might have. Wise old-timers at 42 will maintain a "poker face"; but others may inadvertently "brighten up," or give out some slight indicator that you will discern. You noticed your right-opponent now has a slight smile. You believe he is not so wily as to be tricking you. You suspect he is holding both your trumps and expecting to set you. If he does have both trumps, then you see you will quickly go set if you lead . That would leave your right-opponent with after he plays his to your . Your only chance of making this bid is to get your partner in the lead and hopefully he will have enough doubles or walkers to remain in the lead, until you can overcome your right-opponent's trumps. You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: (your partner knows to try to catch whatever his partner leads; he doesn't think to himself, "I don't have ; we're going set--it doesn't matter what I play--I'll just toss in my )--he knows if he has a higher domino than what his partner has led, then he better play a higher domino to it, if he can. Right-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: . You, for sure, cannot trump in--for if you do, there is no hope of you making this bid. So to your partner's , you play one of your doubles--but which one? There is no way your partner can lead an ace that will make you play . But suppose he leads a five, and your right-opponent trumped it--if you had to play your , you would go set. So to eliminate that danger, you play , rather than . Your left-opponent: . Your partner: . Your right-opponent is getting worried. He sees you are skillfully maneuvering to wrestle away from him what first appeared to be a certain defeat for you. He saw you played on your partner's --so he realizes it wouldn't do any good to trump the --you would just overtrump him. So he plays: . You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Your right-opponent is glum. He sees you have outfoxed him. He dejectedly throws down his . You: . Left-opponent: . Now to whatever your partner leads your right-opponent will trump--and you will overtrump him and have the higher trump that will catch his remaining trump. You have played good 42. Most 42 players you encounter would just unthinkingly have led first, and then , and gone set. But you play at a higher level.

Suppose when bidding 84, the only off you have is a behind . If on the next to the last play your partner has and no other six, but perhaps a double, and one of your opponents has and , it can be best to play , rather than automatically playing on the next to the last play. It is risky to do that; but you might decide to play like that, if you saw that not many sixes had been played--you could surmise an opponent is protecting his sixes for the opportunity to set you.

Be alert that your opponents may sometimes be too quick in declaring they have made their bid. Don't assume because they exclaim they have made it that they really have. For example:

Suppose the dominoes were drawn this way:

Your partner bids 35, right opponent passes, you pass, left-opponent bids 36 on treys and leads (Why didn't he play , instead of ? Because he only has three trumps and he fears an opponent has and another one and will wind up with having the highest trump out--and a bidder really doesn't want an opponent ready to pounce with the high trump).

Your partner plays . Right-opponent catches with . You: .

Right-opponent hesitates a while trying to figure out whether to lead a six or a five; your left-opponent throws his dominoes face up and says, "there is no need to worry with it I have the rest of it; I have no offs"---but you say, "don't mark it just yet, I'd like to play it out." Your left-opponent counters, "There's no need to play it out; you see I'll either trump in or catch any five or six my partner leads." BUT THAT'S WHERE HE'S WRONG. Any five or six his partner leads will result in him going set. If his partner leads a six, you will trump in and will set him when your partner plays or if your right-opponent plays a five, you will trump and your left-opponent will play , but your partner will put on and your opponent will have lost his bid.

People are often too quick to throw down their dominoes and declaring a bid is made. It can happen that your opponent has bid 84 and next to the last play have a walking and and the only remaining trump out his partner has. If there is a trump remaining out, it is not fair to the opponents for him to throw down his dominoes and proclaim he has made it; for it can happen and has happened! that his own partner becomes alarmed at seeing his partner play a little unthinkingly will trump his partner's walker and will end up losing the marks because his only remaining domino is an off that will be caught by his opponent, thus what should have been a certain making of a bid was foiled by a blunder. If it had not been played out, if the dominoes had just been thrown down, no one would have guessed his own partner would have blundered so badly. So it should be emphasized, even among experienced players, that as long as there are any trumps out anywhere, the throwing down of dominoes and proclaiming the bid is made will not be allowed.

If you have the misfortune to be playing in a game in which plunging is allowed (someone who has at least four doubles can "plunge" and his partner selects trumps and does the initial leading). Some people even allow that a Plunge bid is a four-mark bid; then it is especially painful when your opponents declare the bid made when it actually hasn't been made. For example:

You: pass

Left-opponent: Plunge

Your partner: pass

Right-opponent leads . You play . Left-opponent plays . Your partner plays .

Your right-opponent throws his dominoes face up and says "we have all the doubles and I have no offs; we made it!" But you say "I'd like to play this out." And if your left-opponent plays either his or his you will be able to overtrump your right-opponent and indeed set him!

If you are weak on trumps or if you want to avoid having to later lead an especially dangerous off, it is often best not to lead your double-trump but instead, retain your double-trump so that later, hopefully, you will catch in and with it be able to clear any remaining trumps out of your opponents' hands. But whenever you are considering leading out a small trump, try to prevent your opponent from catching that trump with a trump that is a count domino, such as or , , for that would make it more difficult for you to make your bid. And it's probably best to nearly always lead a higher trump, rather than a lower trump. And when your partner or opponent bids and leads out a small trump, if you have two trumps, always try to play higher than your right-opponent, but retain your highest trump; e.g.: if your partner bid on sixes and led , your right-opponent played (you have and ) play instead of , for your left-opponent may come up with and it will be to your benefit to be holding the highest trump out.

It is often best to lead your off early, as soon as you can, before your opponents have the opportunity to clear their hands and be able to put count on what you lead, should the other opponent catch it. An exception to this might be if you have a walker, perhaps already have led a double, such as , and you have a walking and offs and . You want to lead out your off soon, for the reason given above, but you certainly don't want your walker to be taken away from you, which could happen if anyone (including your partner) has . So lead your walker before you lead your off . For it can happen to you that if you led first and your partner caught it with that he then leads , which takes away your walking , you are left to go set if he doesn't have any more doubles for you. Figure if you have a walker that can be taken away from you, it will be---don't let that happen.

If you don't have the double to your trump, you don't want an opponent to continue to keep it during the course of playing the tricks. He would then be in the catbird seat (a position of power or control). In some instances it may be best to lead a count-trump in order to entice an opponent to catch the first trick with his double. Here is an example of this: you bid 34 on fours and have:

, , , , , , . Your left-opponent: , , , , , , . Your partner: , , , , , , . Your right-opponent: , , , , , , .

As a usual practice you would not play a count domino as your first lead. But outstanding players sometimes play in unconventional ways in order to make their bid. In this example if you led (as most players would do) you almost certainly would go set if your left-opponent decided to play his rather than his . Even though your partner will catch with and lead two doubles for you, eventually your left-opponent need only wait until he captures his partner's . But if you could entice him to play his the first play, then you have an excellent opportunity to make your bid. So lead as your first play in hopes the will be played.

Suppose the dominoes were drawn like this:

The marks are six to five in your favor and your left-opponent passed, your partner bid 34, your right-opponent passed. If you were behind in marks or if the right-opponent had bid, you might have raised to 36 or more, hoping your partner would have your sixes or . But since your partner bid 34, you figure he probably has a fairly good hand (and your hand is risky), so you pass.

He bids on fours. This is another instance when he probably ought to lead his , in hopes he can entice the into being played. But of course it's risky to do that, for if one opponent catches the and the other opponent can put on or , the mark is lost.

Your partner chooses to lead out , the right-opponent does not have a double to lead should he catch it, declines to play , but plays instead. You play and the left-opponent plays .

You lead , left-opponent , your partner and your right-opponent .

You play , left-opponent . Your partner must now decide what to do. He saw your right-opponent rid his hand of a five on the you led. He worries that may mean your right-opponent has the and is getting ready to pounce at the first good opportunity. So your partner is reluctant to play either or on your . He plays . Your right-opponent now blunders!--he can't bring himself to give away a nickel in count, so he keeps the domino he should play (the ) and plays instead.

When you saw your partner didn't play an off, but threw away one of his doubles, that's when the alarm bells go ringing for you! That showed he must be worried about his trump situation.

The average 42 player would just blithely keep on leading his walking sixes, which would in no way help his partner get out of his peril. So you would positively not lead your walking . But would lead your , so hopefully your partner can somehow catch it, getting in as much count as quickly as possible, before an opponent's high trump captures enough count to set.

So to your , your left-opponent plays . Your partner plays --and your right-opponent, angry at himself for not throwing in earlier, now has to play it.

Your partner tries to get by leading . Your right-opponent plays , you play , your left-opponent plays .

Your partner now has to lead and just hope won't fall on it too. Happily your right-opponent has and both, so the only trick he will capture will be that one. And so your partner only lost six points, making his 34 bid with two points to spare. He made it only because you were astute enough to not make the mistake of playing your walking sixes (for your right-opponent could then just patiently wait for the sure opportunity of catching either or )-- you boldly led what looked like a scary play (the ); but actually was the smartest play you could make to get your partner out of his difficulty. That is playing good 42! So whenever you see your partner is throwing away doubles on your leads, it may mean he is worried about his trumps. In that case, when you see that happening, the more doubles or walkers you play, instead of helping your partner, may actually be just insuring he will go set. As soon as you've noticed he has thrown away a double on what you have led, see which high count-domino is out ( or ) and lead for it--try to make it fall on your lead--and hopefully your partner will capture it.

Another example of what you may want to do when you see your partner throw away a double:

Right-opponent passes. You bid 31 on deuces. Your left-opponent bids 33 on aces. Your partner bids 34 on sixes. Your partner could lead ; but since there are four sixes out including , it possible an opponent would be able to retain --and as indicated before, an opponent ready to pounce with the highest trump is something you want to avoid. So your partner leads . Right-opponent: . You: . Left-opponent: .

You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent sees he can trump this trick and get a count ()---but the only double he has to lead back is , which is not likely to pull in another count. If your partner had bid 36, your right-opponent would trump this trick and lead ; but declines to do so now, for he has his sight on --maybe your partner will trump in on something and when he does, your right-opponent expects to come out with a trump to capture . So instead of trumping this trick, he discards his .

You see you have a walking deuce; so you play it: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Do you hear the bells ringing? Your partner threw away a double on your walking deuce. He noticed your right-opponent didn't play a deuce when you led the double, but rid his hand of a five. Your partner wisely didn't throw his on your walker, for fear it would be trumped. He also wisely didn't trump your with and then lead his . For he knows there is a possibility your right-opponent may have both trumps that are out. If your partner trumped with now, your right-opponent would be sure to capture . Right-opponent plays: . Now what do you play? Because your partner played on your walker, you know he is worried about trumps. Like the previous example, now is the time to lead a five--try to get played if you can--(you're thinking maybe your left-opponent has and your partner can trump it with and that will make 34). You lead . Left-opponent: . Your partner : (your partner certainly doesn't want to play and risk that it will be trumped by your right-opponent). Your right-opponent trumps this trick with . But your partner now is in complete control and will have the rest of the tricks. This bid was made by good-playing on your part in leading and good-playing by your partner in throwing in (which alerted you that he was worried about trumps) instead of . By keeping he was able to play it on your , which would have caught it, had your right-opponent not trumped it.

But if your partner had drawn instead of , then one of your fours would have been a better play than . In 42 you won't always know which is the best domino to lead. You just do your best in discerning who likely has what and relying on what you remember has worked in the past, give it your best shot. Sometimes it will go as you hope; but other times it won't. There are too many possible distributions of the dominoes for you to declare you should always do this or that in every situation. This player favors trying to get the big count to hit the table when he sees that his partner (who has bid) throws away a double. But again, that would have been wrong if, in this example, your partner had drawn instead of the . Forty-two is really enjoyable when you do make the right decision! It's interesting to note, in the above example, that a bid sometimes can be made by declaring as trumps what you have fewer. Your partner had three sixes, but only two fives. If he had bid on fives, had led first, you would have played ; your partner would then lead to which you would trump with and would have fallen on your , which would have made 33. When either you or your partner trumped anything with your five, that would have made 34. In the above example, suppose instead of your partner having , he had either or or ; he just might have decided to bid on one trump. Many very good players, who have played for decades, never even imagine that at times they could make a 30, 31, 32, or 33 bid with only one trump--and because they don't see that as a viable possibility, they let pass an opportunity that might mean the difference in winning and losing. When you draw , , and one other double that may draw in a nickel-count you could play it this way: lead , then and then the double that hopefully will draw in a five-count. At times you will make 33. Outstanding players do sometimes see ways of making bids to which lesser players are without a clue that a bid can be made that way. When would you ever bid on only one trump? If the score were six to six and an opponent who you know is a very good player, one who hardly ever loses a 31 bid, bids 30 31 or 32, that might be the time to raise him with as your only trump. Let's play it out:

The score is six to six. Your right-opponent passes. You bid 31 on deuces. Your left-opponent bid 32 on treys. Your partner bid 33. He can choose to bid on sixes (there are four out somewhere; your partner worries that if an opponent has and another one or two, he might go set. Or he can choose to be a bit bold and bid on fives. Your partner is not the timorous sort. He bids on fives and leads . Your right-opponent: . You: . Your left-opponent: .

Your partner: . Right-opponent: . You . That was a surprise to your partner! This was just the second trick; he didn't expect anyone to trump his . Your left-opponent is somewhat surprised too; he saw he didn't have a six and thought he was going to set your partner by trumping the . Instead, he plays: .

You: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Your right-opponent: . That's 33. You and your partner win the game. (If your partner had not raised your left-opponent, your left-opponent would have made 41 and won the game).

Is there ever an instance in which the opponent is playing his bid and your partner catches his off your putting count on the trick your partner caught will result in your opponent making the bid? Suppose the left-opponent bid 31 and he has led down to , and (deuces are trumps); your partner has , and ; your right-opponent has , and , you have , , . It is your left-opponent's time to play; he previously has led and you know he has for an off. He leads his , your partner plays , your right opponent . Most 42 players will just automatically throw on the because your partner has caught the opponent's trick with his . But if you do, the left-opponent will trump your partner's and then walk his , making his 31 bid. The key to being a good 42 player is not to just play unthinkingly automatically, but to take the time to look on the table and see what has been played and try to the best of your ability to infer what dominoes are out and where they are. Eleven doesn't set 31; putting on your partner's won't do the job. You must get 12, so withhold your by playing on the trick your partner caught; your partner now plays to which your left-opponent will trump---you will have to catch your left-opponent's and that making 12, will indeed set him. So don't be just a domino pusher, a lazy 42 player. Don't just play on automatic; you don't get points by being a fast player; while you don't want to be excessively slow, do take the time and effort to observe what has been played and figure out what dominoes the other players are holding in their hands.

Don't Do the Inexplicable. Differentiate Between an 84 Bid and a non-84 Bid.

Your right-opponent bids 84. You: you don't have a great 84 hand; but over the years you have learned that you are often successful at making 84 with this type of hand--so you are willing to give it a try. You bid three marks. Your left-opponent and your partner passes. Fives are trumps and you lead . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Why would your partner play ? There is a player who makes this play. His explanation seems to be this: he doesn't have anything to help you with, so he will just he'd go ahead and play . Inexplicable. This is an 84 bid--count doesn't matter. What is the point in your partner giving you ??? Does he imagine that his partner is going to think, "I'm so glad to see that come in"? This player is not going to be glad to see his partner play on the first trick of an 84 bid! He seems to have a blind spot in seeing that it makes no sense to throw away one of the best dominoes he is holding, one that might could be used to help his partner make his 84 bid. Here's how it plays out: Right-opponent: .

You have to come back with another trump to get the trump an opponent is holding: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: .

You: you've seen your partner throw away one four; since you have a four behind and you are hoping your partner will catch that four, you decide not to play your trumps now out of fear your partner will gratuitously throw away yet another four. You play: . Left-opponent: . Your partner: . Right-opponent: .

You see that is out. You don't know if your partner has it. Your right-opponent may have it. You decide to play in hopes your partner will have and a double to which you can play y