In Texas 42, the bid decides everything: who names trump, who leads, and how many points the hand is worth. Each player gets one chance to bid or pass, the minimum bid is 30, and the highest bidder names trump. Bid too low and you hand the trump call to the other side. Bid too high and you get set.
If you’re new to the game, read the Texas 42 rules first. This page covers the bidding round in detail.
How the Bidding Round Works
- The shake. The shaker mixes the 28 dominoes face down. The shaker’s opponents draw seven each first, then the shaker’s partner, and the shaker draws last.
- One bid each. Starting with the player to the shaker’s left and going clockwise, each player bids or passes once.
- Every bid must top the last. The opening bid is at least 30. Each later bid must be higher than the one before it.
- High bid wins. The highest bidder names trump and leads the first domino.
- The shake passes left. Next hand, the player to the left becomes the shaker.
There’s no table talk. You can’t tell your partner what you’re holding, so your bid is the only signal they get.
The Bidding Ladder
| Bid | What it means | What you must take |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 41 | A point bid | At least that many of the 42 points |
| 42, or 1 mark | All the points | Every trick |
| 2 marks (84 in the points game) | A doubled all-in bid | Every trick |
| 3 marks and up (126, 168…) | Each step adds a mark | Every trick |
Two rules control the marks bids:
- The highest opening bid is 2 marks. You can jump straight to 2 marks, but not to 3.
- After that, bids go up one mark at a time. Someone has to bid 2 marks before anyone can bid 3.
The one exception is Plunge, a special contract that opens at 4 marks. It’s covered on the Nello, Sevens & Plunge page.
In the points game, bids above 42 are said as 84, then 168. A bid of 168 is only allowed once someone has bid 84.
What If Everyone Passes?
There are two common rules, so agree on one before the first shake:
- Throw it in: the standard rule. The dominoes are reshuffled and the next player shakes.
- Forced bid: if the first three players pass, the shaker must bid 30. Many family tables play this way so every hand counts.
Under the forced-bid rule, the shaker’s partner sometimes bids 30 on a so-so hand just to rescue the shaker from being stuck.
How Much Your Bid Lets You Lose
This is the most useful number in 42 bidding. Your side is set if the other side takes more than 42 minus your bid. So the other side needs 43 minus your bid to set you.
| Your bid | Points the other side needs to set you | One way they could get it |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 13 | A 10-count trick and 2 more tricks |
| 31 | 12 | A 10-count trick and 1 more trick |
| 32 | 11 | One trick with a 10-count in it |
| 34 | 9 | A 5-count trick and 3 more tricks |
| 35 | 8 | A 5-count trick and 2 more tricks |
| 36 | 7 | A 5-count trick and 1 more trick |
| 37 | 6 | One trick with a 5-count in it |
| 42 | 1 | Any single trick |
Look at the jump between 31 and 32. At 31, losing one trick with the 6-4 or 5-5 in it doesn’t set you. At 32, it does. That’s why so many bids are 30 or 31, and why a confident hand often bids 36: it’s the highest bid that survives losing a 5-count trick.
🁫 New to Bidding Games? Ease In First
If Texas 42 feels like a jump, brush up on the basics with the free dominoes cheat sheet before your first hand.
Download the Free Cheat SheetReading Your Hand Before You Bid
- Count your trumps. Look at your strongest suit. Holding its double and three or four more of that suit is the start of a good bid.
- Count your offs. An off is a domino that will probably lose a trick. Every off is a chance for the other side to catch count.
- Look at the count you hold. Count dominoes in your own trump suit are safe points. Count in other suits is at risk.
- Remember your partner. You’re bidding for two hands, not one. As one Texas author puts it, you aren’t just bidding your hand, you’re bidding your partner’s too.
The full approach, with examples, is on the Texas 42 strategy page.
Naming Trump
After winning the bid, you announce trump before leading. Your choices:
- A number suit, blanks through sixes. Every domino with that number becomes a trump, with the double highest.
- Doubles. The seven doubles become the trump suit, from the 6-6 down to the 0-0.
- A special contract such as Nello, if your bid was 1 mark or more and your group plays them.
Some tables also allow no trump, often called Follow Me.
Texas 42 Bidding FAQ
What is the minimum bid in 42?
30.
Can you bid more than once in 42?
No. Each player bids or passes once per hand.
What does it mean to bid 84 in 42?
It’s 2 marks: you must take every trick, and the hand is worth double.
Can you open the bidding at 3 marks?
No. The highest opening bid is 2 marks. 3 marks only comes after someone bids 2.
What happens if all four players pass?
Either the hand is thrown in and reshuffled, or the shaker must bid 30, depending on your group’s rule.
For how bids turn into points and marks, see Texas 42 scoring.