| The 2003 National Euchre Championship
Three National Champions crowned! Congratulations to Janell Braddock (OH), for winning the Round-Robin Euchre Individual's Event, and to Tim Robinson & Vina Blais, both of London, Ontario, Canada, for winning the Partnership Euchre Event. The Fifth Annual Grand Finals was held in Cincinnati, OH, on November 7th and 8th.
A whopping 92 players participated, and the competition was intense! Our three winners bagged more than $3,000 in prize money and some very handsome trophies! For more information about the Nationals and the Grand Prix Series, check out the Grand Prix Site at:
http://www.grandprixtournaments.com
Euchre Holiday Bidding Quiz -- The Answers
Here is a review of each hand.
You are the dealer for each hand. The score is tied at 6-all. Three passes come around to you in every case. The upcard is identified. You must decide to pick it up (accept the upcard as trump) or turn it down and pass.
Set A -- The upcard is the King of Hearts. You hold:
1.  K,  A,  K Q,  J
PASS. You hold only one Heart, neither Bower, and no Aces. If West calls Next, your two trump may be a nuisance. If West jumps ship and calls a Black suit, you will have a natural stopper in Clubs, or the guarded Left in Spades. Of course, West may be loaded with Diamonds, in which case you could be in trouble!
2.  None,  10 9,  A 9,  K
PICK IT UP -- Any hand with three trump, a side Ace, and two voids is worth playing. If Partner has the Right, you may roll this out for a sweep. You will get Euchred only by a bad trump stack; don't be afraid to pick up the trump King here.
3.  Q J,  J,  None,  Q 10
PICK IT UP -- Here is another borderline hand. However, since the score is 6-6, there is a real threat that West will call Next and go alone. This time, you have the hanging Jack of Hearts, and if West has the Jack of Diamonds, you could be in trouble. It is best to donate here, unless you want to hope that your Jack will be a stopper. Partner may provide a key card, and you could make this hand!
4.  A,  None,  A K,  A K
PASS -- You can't grab the King with a void! Your hand is well suited for defense. Once again, if West has big-time Diamonds and the Ace of Hearts, it could be curtains! However, stand pat and pass.
5.  None,  None,  A K Q,  K Q
PASS -- Same old problem! A void in trump. At least you have a natural trick in Diamonds if an opponent calls Next. Hopefully, partner will have a stopper in Spades.
6.  9,  9,  J 9,  9
PICK IT UP -- Here is another one of those "three trump" beasts, and a dog at that. However, you have no defense against a black-suit Loner. Dump either of the black-suit 9s, and pray to the gods above that partner has the Right (a gift from Heaven!), or a side-suit Ace.
Set B. The upcard is the Jack of Clubs; the score is 6-6.
1.  J 10,  Q,  Q,  10
PICK IT UP -- Three trump, two Bowers, enough said. Loner? Nope, there is not enough horsepower with the those red-suit Queens!
2.  A,  K Q J,  None,  Q
PICK IT UP -- Yes, this is aggressive. However, you hold a side Ace, and you will have two trump, with the Right. If partner comes through with a trick, you might make it home here. And once again, the question "Can you stop a (in this case, black-suit) Loner?
3.  K J,  K,  Q,  A
PICK IT UP -- You could call "Loner" (and drop the Queen of Diamonds). I prefer to eschew the Loner and hope that partner can provide support for a sweep.
Set C. The upcard is the Ace of Diamonds. And we still have a score of 6-6.
1.  K Q 10 9,  None,  K,  None
PICK IT UP -- Your hand is worthless against a Next call. And there is a Loner in the air, here. Do you really think that you will have the chance to call Spades?
2.  None,  J 9,  9,  Q 10
PICK IT UP -- Three trump, and a cheesy hand. (And a few prayers.) And no defense against a Spades Loner.
3.  Q,  10,  Q 10 9,  None
PICK IT UP -- Four trump, no Bowers. Don't go alone here. Drop the Heart, and take your one reasonably sure point.
--And the winner with 10 correct solutions is Jennifer G. of Toledo, OH!
Well done, Jen!
Leading Trump -- Part 1
Let us suppose that your partner is dealing, and after three passes, he picks up the upcard, the Queen of Clubs. He decides to not go alone. The first lead from your right-hand opponent is the King of Diamonds, which you win with your Ace (of Diamonds). You hold any of these three hands.
1.  J 10,  Q 10,  A,  None
2.  9,  J 9,  A,  J
3.  Q 10,  K,  A,  9
In all cases, you MUST lead a trump, after you win the Ace of Diamonds.
Now let us look at another set of hands. Once again partner has picked up the Queen of Clubs, and has declined the option of declaring a Loner. What is your action on the second trick of each hand? (Same opening lead as before.)
4.  A,  K Q 9,  A,  None
5.  None,  K 9,  A,  K 9
6.  J,  Q 9,  A,  K
In hand # 4, you do not have any trump. You win the first trick. Now lead your Ace of Spades, and hope it walks. You have done all you can do.
In hand # 5, you take your Diamond Ace, and then shift to the King of Clubs. Always show partner your best trump.
In hand # 6, you take the Diamond Ace, and now plunk the Left on the table. This is a hand where you might have considered ordering to partner.
In summary, you must lead trump if your partner has picked up the upcard and you happen to be on lead. Do not be tempted to grab any side Ace or two. Give partner your best trump.
Next month's column will explore defensive trump leads, and when not to lead trump. Part 3 will review those instances when the hand calls for a cross-ruff and trump must be saved.
---HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL---
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