Game: 42

Thread: Re: is there a penalty for not making the bid?

TheCat — 2008-06-06T04:05:26+00:00

Go down seven times, and "that's it, that's ALL, and there ain't no more."

Thread: Re: is there a penalty for not making the bid?

LurkingMeeple — 2008-06-06T02:02:26+00:00

From Pagat.com (my emphasis)
If the bidders failed to make their contract, they get no points and their opponents get the amount of the bid plus the total of their own points. This is called "setting the contract" or "setting the bid" and it is the goal of the partnership which did not get the bid.

Thread: is there a penalty for not making the bid?

Friendless — 2008-06-06T01:32:42+00:00

What's to stop me from dragging the game out by bidding 42 every time? That way I get to nominate trumps. What happens if I don't make the bid? Does the team that didn't win the bidding ever score any points? It seems this game may be worth playing, but I don't think I've learned all of the rules yet.

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sirkerry — 2008-04-15T03:44:06+00:00

HTGA members playing Texas 42

Thread: Re: Joey's Take on 42

TheCat — 2008-03-21T01:33:42+00:00

Gig 'em, Aggies! I learned how to play 42 at the Dixie Chicken and Dudley's Draw.

I concur with Charles. The perceived lack of options is countered by the point dominoes, which require some finesse to capture. Sure, some hands are lay-downs, but they're quick, and one hand isn't a full match.

There's also something to be said for a game that can be played with various mixes of family/friends. I live in the Midwest now and we play a lot of Sheepshead, where almost half of a 32 card deck are trump. At least in 42, the different trump leave you with different combinations of dominoes, since trump aren't any other suit. A blanks-trump hand is very different from a sixes-trump hand.

Thread: Re: Joey's Take on 42

TexasToast — 2008-03-20T15:04:39+00:00

I'm glad to see a review on what I consider an underappreciated game (which I rate a 10). Yes, I learned at the feet of my grandmother (and at the Dixie Chicken in College Station), in the heart of Texas.

A few additional comments:

1) Although you get less dominos than in a typical card game (7 versus 13), the fact that many dominos can be in two possible suits expands your alternatives.

2) Since the number of dominos you draw is smaller, the hands take about half as long. This reduces the time you have to look at that useless set of bones.

3) Another unique area of interest is that there are five dominos that are worth points, most of which must be captured to secure your bid.

I think it makes an ideal lunchtime game for several reasons:

- You can play a complete match to 7 in under 30 minutes, and two in under an hour.
- It provides some mental challenge while still remaining a social game.
- It can be played "hands-free" while eating as the dominos stand up on their own.
- The dominos are fairly impervious to food/drink related accidents or dirty hands.

I agree there is a learning curve, as some of the concepts are unusual. However, the quick play, surprising depth in bidding and cooperation in making/setting the bid, and short play time have made this a game that I have taught to many people and played hundreds of times over the years.

TT

Thread: Joey's Take on 42

joebelanger — 2008-03-18T20:36:00+00:00

I don't profess to be a 42 grandmaster. After all, I am not a native Texan. However, the game did strike a few chords with me and also hit some dissonant ones as well. The name 42 comes from the maximum number of points that can be taken in tricks in a hand.

I was invited to play in a church 42 night. And being a game fanatic, I felt that I owed it to myself to go, find out about the game and the culture behind it. Apparently, the game originated in Texas and is largely popular in the area that I have moved to.

Asking about the game I found that this might be a game that I suited for. The game has partnerships; something that I am fond of. The game is trick taking, and being a big fan of Hearts, that certainly piqued my interest. Also, the game is played with Dominoes. I am a sucker for "clack-tastic" games, so this was another plus.

Like most partnership games, 42 has a bid to name the trump and to decide who opens the round. I have no foresight into possible outcomes so I was useless in the aspect of the game. Games like Rook, Canasta, 42 and Tichu are all games that have a similar bidding system. And the other similarity between these games is that I stink at them.

Once the bidding is over and the trump is set (The trump is the higher number of the two numbers on the bone or domino.) then the hand begins and play rotates around the table as players try to match suit and try to match or exceed the bid that they made. Or if you and your partner did not win the bid then you try to stop the other partnership from accomplishing this.

A couple of the downsides to this game are:
- you are most likely going to be taught this game by someone who has been playing this all of their life. Therefor, there is a lot of terminology and history behind this game that is overwhelming.
- this is a partnership game. If you are not playing with a partner you are familiar with then it will be difficult to read your partner's confidence in your shared hand. This has nothing to do with 42, I suppose, but with all games in this vein.
- for a trick taking game there aren't enough options. Playing with dominoes does not leave variability in the hand that you draw (from the bone yard). I prefer playing trick taking games with cards because there are more options to be had by having more cards (over the amount of dominoes that you end up with).

I know that I am opening up a can of worms with this review. As I said before I have only been playing 42 for the past couple years. Most native Texans cut their teeth on this game. 42 is a lot like a partnership version of Hearts or even more closely identical to Rook. For simplicity, I prefer Hearts. If you are looking for a more varied and rich game-play, 42 is a more rewarding experience.

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TexasToast — 2005-02-06T15:26:47+00:00

Laydown!

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TexasToast — 2005-02-06T15:26:46+00:00

Count - nickels and dimes

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TexasToast — 2005-02-06T15:26:46+00:00

35, in sixes

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TexasToast — 2005-02-06T15:26:46+00:00

Gig 'em