42 (dominoes)

42, also known as Texas 42, is a trick-taking game played with a standard set of double six dominoes.

[3] According to a 1985 news article written by Christopher Evans of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the game originated in Garner, Texas.

The game they developed, which was the precursor to today's 42, found acceptance since dominoes did not carry the negative stigma of card-playing.

Typically, the bidder determines what to bid by estimating how many of the forty-two total points the team will win based on those seven dominoes.

The winner of the trick usually moves the played dominoes to an area near their hand, face up.

At that time, the team with the highest score and who has made their contract is awarded the correct number of marks.

In some cases, when playing for marks, if the player leading has no chance of losing (e.g., their hand holds the remaining most valuable tiles still in that game), that player may "lay down", meaning they show why they can't lose by exposing the remaining dominoes.

The total of all the count pieces (35) plus the seven tricks equals 42, which is the number of points in a hand, hence the name of the game.

The highest bid wins the auction and that player has the right to name the trump suit and lead.

There are a number of special terms in the game of 42: Also known as nillo, nil, low, nello, nullo, or low-boy, nel-o is an optional house rule that allows players with an otherwise low-scoring hand to bid.

The opposing team will play their lowest dominoes, trying to force the nel-o bidder into catching a trick.

If the nel-o bidder catches even one trick, the hand is immediately over, and the opposing team scores a mark.

If any of these variants are used, a declaration is required and all players must agree to allow them before play begins.

Also called Crash, this variation is exactly like Splash, except four (or in some variants, three) marks are bid and the bidder must have four doubles.

An even less common version of Sevens is looper, where the bidder takes it for less than 42 points (one mark) and can lose a trick.