Euchre Tips and Strategies

Euchre Column of the Month -- October 2000

By Joe Andrews

Euchre October 2000

If you missed the September Euchre challenge, take a look at the question, then come back to this page. No fair peeking at the answer below.

The answer to the September 2000 Euchre Challenge is:

Bridge and Pinochle!

It was mentioned that Euchre was the number one Partnership Card Game in the United States in the mid to late 1800's. Within 50 years, it was eclipsed by two other partnership games. Bridge was "invented" in 1905, and became a national favorite by the mid 1920's. Partnership Pinochle (especially the double-deck variation), was popularized after 1900, and peaked in the 1930's. These are the correct answers to the question.

Note: "Canasta" is a wrong answer, as this game was introduced to the U.S. in the late 40's. Canasta did become the number one partnership game for about ten years. It declined after the late 1950's, but has made a nice comeback, thanks to the Internet.

"Hearts" is also a wrong answer, as the game is played as an individual's (cutthroat) contest. Partnership Hearts is still a novelty. "Spades" was not created until 1937, and thus was not a factor until the 1970's. "Whist" is also incorrect, as Whist was replaced by Bridge. "Bid Whist with Jokers" has found a new audience -- but cannot compete with Bridge. The top five Partnership Card Games in the U.S., as of 1998, are:

1. Bridge

2. Spades

3. Pinochle

4. Euchre

5. Bid Whist

Other card games do have partnership variations; however, these variations are not the standard game.

The winners of this Challenge were:

· John Hilbert

· Dolores Powell

· Robert J. Bruemmer

Congratulations!

October Challenge

Here is another interesting deal, which was observed at a local Tournament:

	North 10 K K 10 9
West K Q Void Void K Q J		East Void Q J 9 Q 10
	South A J A 10 A Void

Upcard: Ace of Clubs

The score is tied 5-5. West has three trump including the Right, and orders up the Ace of Clubs to South, and declares that he is going alone. This is a very peculiar decision, as he is missing the Left, as well as the spade Ace. He already knows that the Ace of Clubs is in the South hand. A very confident South now declares that he is going alone. South discards the Heart Ten, and now holds all four Aces and the Left.

South is on lead. Can the West bid be defeated? What is the best line of play for both sides? Identify your solution, card by card.

Have fun!