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Euchre Column of the Month -- November 2000

By Joe Andrews

November Euchre Challenge

The October Challenge Hand drew more than 200 responses!  Some of the answers were very creative, and more than half of the entrants were thoroughly convinced that West could be Euchred. This scenario is possible only with inaccurate play by South. For convenience, I will repeat the West and South hands. (North and East's holdings are immaterial).

(The upcard was the Ace of Clubs, ordered up to South, who discarded the Ten of Hearts).

Please note that South has the opening lead, as West made the trump. North and East are not playing. There are some variations in the Rules for "loner" situations. The hand is basically a battle between West and South, as stipulated in the original layout.

Owen Walton provided a wonderful and thorough explanation.

If South leads one of the offsuit (side) Aces, (e.g. the Ace of Diamonds), West trumps with the Queen. He then leads his Spade King, which South must take with Ace.

·          If South then tries to cash his other red Ace (Hearts), West trumps with the King, and the Right scores the third trick.

·          If South, instead, leads back with a trump, West wins this trick with the Right, and plays the Spade Queen, which South is forced to win with the Left (his last trump). Now West will win the last trick with his last trump. If South chooses to lead a trump (the Left and Ace are for all intents and purposes, of equal rank in this layout) on trick #1, West wins the Right. He next leads the Spade King, which South wins.

·          If South grabs the next trick with his remaining (Master) trump, and leads a red Ace, West wins with his last trump, and takes his fulfilling trick with the Spade Queen.

·          If South at the third trick (instead) leads a red Ace, West trumps with his King, and leads the Spade Queen. (South is forced to take this trick -- otherwise West has scored three tricks.) South ruffs with his last trump, and West's remaining trump is promoted to a winner.

No matter how South chooses to lead (and play), West will always prevail with the correct play, and thus, scores three tricks.

Oh yes, there are lots of "cooks" or "help" variations, in which poor or inaccurate play by West gives the hand to South. As long as West is prepared to parry South's maneuvers, he (West) will always win three tricks.

This seemingly simple hand has lots of nuances!

The Winners (first three persons with correct answers) were:

·          Owen Walton

·          Jason Veluso

·          Mike Tennill

Jason and Mike also sent very detailed solutions with the winning line for West, and a variation, which allows South to win (with inaccurate play by West).

I am very pleased to see the interest in these puzzles. Such hands can be challenging and instructional. Here is another one for your analysis.

Let's make November's challenge short and sweet!

Trump is Hearts. South is the dealer. West has ordered the Nine of Hearts to South's hand. After the discard of the Ten of Spades, by South, the layout is as follows. North and East's hands are irrelevant.

Hearts are trump.

Unknown to anyone, the Spade Ace and Diamond Ace were in the deck. Anyway, West is on lead. Assuming best play by both sides, how can West make three tricks?

My daughter, Laurie, composed this problem, and she thinks that it may not be solved. I told her not to underestimate Zone.com's Euchre players!

Have a Happy  Holiday Season!