Texas 42 Strategy: Bidding, Trumps and Count

Good 42 players are not lucky so much as careful. They know what their seven dominoes are worth before they bid, they pull trumps at the right moment, and they always know how much count is still out. This guide walks through the habits that win marks. If you are still learning which domino belongs to which suit, start with the Texas 42 rules.

Valuing your hand before you bid

A bid of 30 means your side must take 30 of the 42 points. Since each trick is worth about 6 points on average (1 for the trick plus a share of the 35 points of count), 30 points is roughly five of the seven tricks. Your partner can usually be counted on for one trick, so you want about four sure tricks of your own.

Here is a simple way to count them:

• Trumps on top. Pick your longest suit. The double of that suit is a sure trick. So is the next trump down if you hold it too, and so on: holding the 5-5, 5-6 and 5-4 with fives trump gives three sure tricks.
• Length. With four or more trumps, your lower trumps usually win too once the high ones have pulled everyone else's.
• Off doubles. A double that is not trump is the boss of its suit. Once the trumps are gone it should win. Count it as most of a trick.
• Dominoes under a double. If you hold the 6-6 and the 6-5, the 6-5 becomes the top six after the double is played.
• Loose count. A 6-4 or 3-2 that is not protected by trumps or a double is a liability: you may have to give it away.

How high to bid

The lowest bid that wins is usually the best one. If North has already bid 30 and your hand is only a little better, let North have it: one of you will play it either way, and a higher bid only raises the risk. Jump in over your partner only when your hand is clearly stronger, for example when you can see that it should take every trick.

Bidding a mark (42) means taking every single trick, so save it for hands with long trumps headed by the double and doubles on the side. One stray loser is enough to be set.

Watch the other side's bids too. A player who bids 34 almost certainly holds a long suit and its double. When they win the bid, expect them to lead it.

Choosing trump

• Choose length and the double. Four trumps headed by the double beat five trumps without it.
• Doubles as trump is a good choice when you hold four or more doubles and no long suit.
• No trump (follow me) suits a hand with several doubles and the dominoes right under them, because nothing can be trumped.
• Count in your trump suit is a bonus: with fives trump, the 5-5 and 5-0 are trumps and much safer than loose count.

Pull trumps first

When you win the bid, lead trump, usually your highest. Each round of trump draws out a trump from each other player. Once the other side has no trumps left, your doubles and the dominoes under them can "walk": they win their tricks safely. Keep a count of how many of the seven trumps have been played. Our game shows them in the trick, and on Hard the computer players remember every one.

The exception: if your partner won the bid, lead them a trump only if you hold a high one. Otherwise lead a double and let your partner pull trumps from their own hand.

Feed count to your partner

The most important habit in 42: when your partner is sure to win a trick, add count to it. If North leads the 6-6 and you have no six, drop your 4-1 or 3-2 on it. Five or ten points ride along for free.

The opposite matters just as much. When the other side is winning a trick, play a domino with no count on it. Your 6-4 is worth more than many tricks put together; protect it until you can win it or give it to your partner.

Defending against the bid

• Hold on to your trumps. As a defender you don't want to lead trump for the bidder. Save your trumps to win tricks with count in them.
• Count what they need. If the bidders bid 34, you only need 9 points to set them. One 10-point domino and a trick can do it.
• Lead your doubles early if the bidder's trumps are thin, before the bidder can pull trumps and take over.

Remember what has been played

Strong players track three things: how many trumps are still out, which count dominoes are still out, and which players have shown out of a suit. When a player fails to follow sixes, they have no sixes left, and they may trump the next six that is led. Our running count ("Us 18 · Them 9 · 15 still out") helps with the count; the rest takes practice.

Want to try other house rules, like Nello or point scoring? See the Texas 42 rule variations. If you enjoy the bidding, you may also like Spades strategy.