Texas State Domino Game

42 Adopted: June 17, 2011

The game, 42, became the official state domino game of texas when Governor Rick Perry signed House Concurrent Resolution No. 84 on June 17, 2011.

H.C.R. No. 84

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Citizens of Texas have long enjoyed a reputation for developing original and imaginative ideas that have been embraced by individuals throughout the nation and beyond; and

WHEREAS, One such innovation is the domino game 42, a very popular pastime that was created in the Lone Star State; and

WHEREAS, According to research conducted in 1985 by journalist Christopher Evans of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the game, also called "Texas 42," dates to 1887 and was developed by two enterprising boys in the North Texas town of Trapp Spring, known today as Garner; and

WHEREAS, There, 12-year-old William A. Thomas and 14-year-old Walter Earl one day found themselves in deep trouble with their parents when they were discovered in a barn hayloft playing the card game auction whist, which is similar to the modern game of bridge; card games were considered sinful in the boys' devoutly Baptist families, and William and Walter were disciplined for their actions; and

WHEREAS, The punishment did not end their love of whist, however, and they went on to devise a similar four-player game that used dominoes instead of cards; because there was no prohibition within their faith against playing dominoes, William and Walter were able to show their friends how to play, and their invention was soon taken up by other local residents; the activity later became popular in Fannin County after the Thomas and Earl families moved to the town of Windom; and

WHEREAS, Through the decades, the boys' creation spread far and wide and became known as 42, an entertaining contest of skill and chance that is enjoyed by countless people the world over; the game is a true Lone Star original and a testament to the ingenuity and fun-loving nature of Texans, making it a most fitting symbol for our state; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate 42 as the official State Domino Game of Texas.

Texas State Domino Game: 42
Photographs, prints, posters

Texas Law

Because it was adopted by resolution, 42 is not listed as the official domino game of the state of Texas in the Texas Statutes.

Only a small number of Texas' myriad symbols have been actually adopted by an act of the legislature and written into the Texas Statutes.

Sources...

"House Concurrent Resolution No. 84." The Texas Legislature Online. The State of Texas, 2011. Web. 29 Sep 2011. .

Line of dominoes
Photographs, prints, posters

Additional Information

Learn to Play 42 - A Game of Dominoes (Rules): Texas 42 is a four-player card game with bidding and trumps, played with domino tiles. Learn how to play here.

Texas 42: John McLeod's website featuring rules and information about card and tile games from all parts of the world.

42: CardsandDominoes.com - This page gives you the rules to 42 and all its variations.

Welcome 42 Players!: Play 42 online; Families and individuals may come and enjoy a friendly game of 42. A place where people of all ages, from many different places may meet, chat and have a good time.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Texas state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

Great Book Of Domino Games
Jennifer A. Kelley

Great Book Of Domino Games, by Jennifer A. Kelley. 96 pages. Publisher: Sterling Publishing (June 30, 1999) Discover the fun for yourself with this complete guide to dozens of domino games, with endless variations in rules and styles of play.

Try your hand at basic blocking games, including Stretch, Doubles, Domino Pool, The Fortress, Maltese Cross, Chickenfoot, and One-Arm Joe.

Look into scoring games such as Muggins, Five-Up, Sniff, All Threes, Seven-Toed Pete, Merry-Go-Round, and Double-Header.

Don't miss the trump and trick game Texas Forty-Two, and its many variations.

Choose solitaire games and puzzles, such as Fair Lucy, Luzon, Polka Dots, Baronet, The Big Clock, The Buccaneer, Castle Rock, The Jubilee, Squeeze, and The Sultan. Special sets are also covered, including Double-9, Double-12 and a new Double-15 set, as well as ancient Oriental Dominoes and the latest computer games. Learn the simple basic rules, and you're off and running for hours of steely competition with friends or relaxing times alone.

Winning 42
Dennis Roberson

Winning 42: The Strategy and Lore of the National Game of Texas, by Dennis Roberson. 180 pages. Publisher: Texas Tech University Press; 4th Edtion edition (September 22, 2009) There are two types of people in Texas: those who play 42 and those who need to learn. Winning 42 is written for both. A team game that no one tires of, 42 relies on neither luck nor memory. Skill and strategy separate the best from the rest.

Veterans who relish the logic of each domino played will find challenge in the advanced chapters and fascination in the history and lore. Many who’ve grown up with 42 are nonetheless surprised by its utterly Texan heritage, reaching back nearly a century and a quarter. Beginners will find easy instruction in all the basics, from bidding a hand or setting an opponent to the challenge of the 84 hand, and can advance at their own pace.