AN INTERESTING HAND - OPTIONS

[irishwolf]

This hand has some options on what to play by the Dealer. But he played it all WRONG:

The is the upcard. Dealer makes trump, discards , score 6 to 6. The hand plays out as follows with the Dealer's side being euchred. Clearly there are options to playing this hand differently with a favorable outcome for the Dealer. But the question is: Not knowing who holds what cards, what is the Optimum play?

There are some fundamentals and rules of Thumb here but Go figure!

You can also go to Don's Euchre Lab and play out the options to see how to play this hand better.

CLUBS IS TRUMP! S4/S2 GETS EUCHRED AND LOSES THE GAME TOO!

TRICKS AS THE HAND PLAYED OUT:

TRICKS: TRK 1 TRK 2 TRK 3 TRK 4 TRK 5
S1
S2
S3
S4


Should the Dealer trump the AS trick or create a void in Diamonds?

Since S4 did trump with AC, should S4 lead the AH or the JC?

S3 trumps the AH and and another spade.
Should S4 now trump or trust trick 3?
Do you have to trump a trump a trick just because you can?

How could you play this hand differentlty to give your partner (S2) the best opportunity to win a trick, and minimize the opponents from getting a euchre?

IRISH

[Tbolt65]

If I'm following correctly. Both seat 4 and 2 played poorly. Why is seat 2 not playing trump on trick 3? Plus for dealer taking 1st trick with Ace of clubs(trump) and leading Ace of hearts before trump has been played is not ideal with this hand configuration. Best lead for you and your partner here is to lead trump after taking first trick with seat 4 hand configuration.


Tbolt65
Edward

[irishwolf]

Ed questioned, Why is seat 2 not playing trump on trick 3?

ANS: S4 led the KD on trick 3 so S2 had to play a Diamond!

Yes, no sense in leading the AH to trick 2, and I see it happening all the time.

IRISH

[raydog]

My take:

A sensible call, but always tough when you have only two high trump and good off-suit cards (in last position to play). You have to expect that you will quite often have to expend one of those trump on the 1st trick. Yes, you could play off and void yourself in D (and lose the trick), but I think that is just kicking the can down the road.

I say trump that first trick, then lead the R (2nd trick guaranteed), and hopefully you make your AH good. That was the logic for calling the hand in the first place. Yes, you may draw a potential winning trump from your partner's hand, and yes, an opponent may have 2 trump (and so have a winner still in hand when you draw trump, 2nd trick). But there are few guarantees in euchre. With a hand like this, you are usually counting on your partner to take a trick, unless you get really lucky.

So trump the first trick, draw trump with the R on the 2nd trick, and trust (hope) your partner can win one of the last 3 tricks (if your AH doesn't win).

You have two paths to winning:
1) AH wins 3rd trick
2) opponent expends a trump to beat your AH, and your partner has the best card for one of the last 2 tricks (or your KH / KD wins)

The odds are in your favor - it's why you called the hand - but you will sometimes get euchred. Just go with the odds, and don't get nervous / fancy.
__________________________

As for why seat 2 didn't play trump on trick 3:

I read it as S3 having the lead, and S4 trumping with the R. So when it got to be S2's turn (last to play), partner was already winning. No need to trump.

KD was led on trick 4, and S2 followed suit with the A.

[Tbolt65]

I see it now. Yeah. Seat 4 shoulda laid off on that ten of spades then. Playing the jack of clubs here is asking to be euchred with 2 of the three highest trump removed and Now maker is void of trump with only a fresh king of diamonds left and king of hearts of a suit thats been played already.

Tbolt65
Edward