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Euchre Column of the Month – June 2001

By Joe Andrews

Contest Update

Last month’s contest featured this two-part question:

a.       What is the fewest number of hands in which a team can win a standard (10-point) game of Euchre?

b.       What is the greatest number of combined hands it would require two teams (pairs) to win a standard (10-point) game of Euchre?

Well, this was "duck soup" for more than 400 people who submitted entries!

The answers are:

a.       Three hands (two "loners" and a euchre or three "loners" in succession by the same team)?

b.       19 hands -- (each team wins nothing but one-point games until the score is 9-9). A 19th deal is then necessary for someone to win the match.

-- And the Winners Are --

jgabriel  and jamoke (nics)

Your prizes are en route.  Well done -- sometimes speed counts!

June 2001 Contest

And Now, the Real Euchre Challenge

Natty Bumppo is the author of The Columbus Book of Euchre, published by Borf Books of Brownsville, KY, and available on online book sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It will certainly improve your game. Check it out!

Natty poses this problem:

Dealer gets Ace and King of Clubs, King and 9 of Diamonds, and a low Heart or Spade (K, Q, 10, or 9).

The 10 of Clubs is turned, and there are three passes to the dealer.  The other hands are unknown and the score is immaterial. What should the dealer do

1.       Pick up the 10 of Clubs or turn it down?

2.       Assume that he does pick up the 10, and discards the low Heart or Spade, leaving his hand with A, K, 10 of Clubs and the K, 9 of Diamonds. What does he play after the eldest hand leads the Ace of Hearts and is followed by three other Hearts? What is the best line of play to make the hand?

If you know of any "live" Euchre tourneys in your area or elsewhere, please send the link to me, and I will post it!

See you in July!

--Joe A.