Generally, what is the stronger call?

[pcather]

What would you do in these cases? And does the round or seat make a difference? Is it better to have 3 trump with only a left bower? Or a right bower with another (in these cases weaker) trump plus an off ace? Would stronger trump with the right make a difference?

Second round, 1st seat and club was turned over.


Second round, 3rd seat and heart was turned over.


I had both of these hands in one game.

[Wes (aka the legend)]

What would you do in these cases?

Second round, 1st seat and club was turned over.

Pass at almost all scores. You have a nice euchre hand. A euchre hand means you have every suit blocked with approximately two tricks in every suit. Instead of calling and fighting for a point, pass and go for two. The only score I would call at would be 9-9. No point in trying to euchre our enemy at that score. In that case, I call hearts and hope for the best.

Assuming we're playing in a stick the dealer format I would pass even down 9-8. IMO, this is an exception to the rule of "Never pass in the 2nd round when our opponents are at 9." Down 9-8, passing with a euchre hand is probably your team's best chance to win the game. This last claim is hard to prove. At the very least passing in the 2nd round when your opponent's are at 9 is defensible/debatable if you have a euchre hand (except at 9-9).

Keep in mind tho that there is a big difference between a stopper hand and a euchre hand. A stopper hand has all suits blocked but not much else going for it. A euchre hand is a powerhouse stopper hand with approximately two tricks in every suit. If my opponents were at 9, and it's on me in the 2nd round, I'm not passing a stopper hand. I'm calling something going with Hoyle if it's close. Trying to euchre your opponents with a stopper hand is too optimistic. You'll usually only have 1 trick locked up and now you'll be hoping your partner gets the other 2 tricks on your opponent's call. Not likely.

Ofc if your opponents are not at 9, then I would pretty much always pass a stopper hand in the 2nd round if I'm weak in all directions. No point in risking a euchre when I have all suits blocked.

Second round, 3rd seat and heart was turned over.


I had both of these hands in one game.

Call spades. You have two guaranteed tricks. This hand is too strong to pass when you don't have all suits blocked.

[jblowery]

I think left + 2 is better than rt+ 1 and left +1, is also better than rt by itself all other things being equal.