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The following Euchre Strategies were sent in by members of
The Euchre Freaks Club League
04/04
THE DOUBLE SUIT LEAD. You will find there are a lot of euchre
players who like to lead the same suit back to back. It is therefore important
to understand the do's and don'ts of this play. if your partner has named trump
you put them in a precarious position, between your opponents, if you follow
your suit ace with the same suit. For obvious reasons your p is torn between how
to deal with this lead, and usually this lead damages your P's hand. On the
other hand it can be a very devastating ploy against your opponents, if you can
lead that same suit through the leader toward your opponent. As with many
strategies in euchre the timing is important and whether you are makers or
defenders. An easy reminder for me is, good defense is usually not good offense.
04/04
SAVE THE ACE. If you have 3 or more of a suit which is not trump, and
your partner called trump, and it is your lead... If you have the ace of this
suit, don't play it! Your partner may think the ace is strong and play off,
allowing the trick to be trumped by the next player. If this is the only suit
you have left, it is best to play a lower card of the same suit (preferably the
king), so that your partner knows the lead is not solid.
04/04
TO LEAD OR NOT TO LEAD. Whether your team calls trump or you are
trying to euchre the other team, the way you play your trump is very important.
All hands are different and because something works one time doesn't mean it
will work the next. I have found that if it is your lead on the fourth
trick, and not all trump have been played, that if you lead non trump your
partner tends to trump in. Now there are other scenarios to this...say
your partner doesn't have any trump. In this case if you have three
definite tricks (meaning JJA), then you can wait because you know you will make
a point. You don't have to pull all the trump right away! It would
be wise when it's your lead that you pull one set of trump just to lessen the
chance of your off suit bring trumped. On your next lead you can lead your
off suit.. Why? Maybe your partner will have the ace to that ten you are
holding or he may have the extra trump. If he does then its all good but
if not then at least you are sure you have point. Now if you don't have
the sure point (JJA) you could play the same way. Lead off suit trying to
draw out the higher trump, hopefully from your partner (count your partner for
one). Euchre is a game of skill as well as luck. The more you fiddle
with what you think works the best, the more skilled you will become.
Don't be afraid to lay off trumping because in the end, trump take all!!!
05/04
STOP A LONER. Stopper for Loners!!!! I have used this many times
and it usually works 90% of the time. If your opp is going alone and you are
stacked in a single suit...that tends to be the opps off card. I have made many
loners that could be stopped if only they had saved the right card, their bulk
suit in this case. I have also held the stopper on many occasions using this
same technique. Try it out.
05/04 CHANGE SUITS 1. Have the first hand with order up red (vice versa
black)
2. the next card follows should be opposite until the 5 cards are played
(sample: if red is called trump, the next card has to be black, next red, then
black and last card in hand per person is red, exceptions, no color in hand but
cannot out trump the card of the correct color).
05/04 GOOD HAND DEPENDS ON WHO LEADS. The reason I love euchre is
because of the many variables. Alot depends on who the dealer is; and therefore,
who gets to lead the first card. A hand that would work if you or your partner
has the lead might get you euchred if your opponents have the lead.
Weak three suited hands are the toughest to call. Having the left and two small
and three suited is one of the hardest to win but must be called if you or your
partner have the lead. If they have the lead, they should lead trump to pull out
the right. I have been set by my partner who did not lead trump and had it. They
decided to lead the off ace which was trumped by the opponents. If you have the
lead, you need to play your second highest trump to force the right. Then, you
need to hope your partner has it and your golden. You really need to count on
you or your partner having an off ace to make the third trick. If you get set,
it is only two points. Being euchred is not the end of the world, but that is
another subject.
If you don't have the lead, the odds of making the three tricks is much harder.
You need to have an off ace that you can make your last trick. Or, hope your
partner will trump one of the opponents aces.
05/04 DEFENDING LONERS The first thing you should keep in mind is that
you are only trying to take one trick. If you have the lead and only one ace in
your hand, DO NOT LEAD IT! You should lead the suit that you have the most of
and don't have the ace of that suit. For example, I have the ace of diamonds,
queen/ten/nine of hearts, and king of spades. (None are trump) Lead a heart.
Because I have so many there is a good chance my p doesn't have any and will be
able to trump or overtrump. Another reason NOT to lead an ace is that your p
might have the other two off suit aces. If you don't throw one of the off suits
you will force your p to pick which ace to save for last card. The only time
you lead an ace on a loner is when you have two aces. (so you won't have to pick
which one to save for last card.) Finally, NEVER lead trump when defending a
loner!
05/04 IF YOU CALL IT, LEAD IT. Always lead out with trump.... 9 out of 10
times it pulls the trump you are seeking and makes your aces good.
06/04 RIGHT BOWER AND 9 OF TRUMP The right bower and a 9 trump.
Should you call it? It's a good call to make. If you make sure to get a trick
before you use the right bower you will get 2 tricks and your partner can be
expected to get 1 trick.
06/04 TOUCH OF HOYLE Always make next for your partner if you are after the
dealer, if the dealer is to your right, and when the dealer is to your left you
make the opposite suit trump, because 9 out of 10 times the reason your Partner
passed in the first place is because he never had that turned up suit or low
ones to have called or ordered. Also unless you have more than one trump in your
hand and your partner makes trump you never lead it to him, always lead an off
suit putting you in control if the player to your left takes the trick. I have
led trump to find out my partner was making it on barely nothing and actually
drew out his trump and gone set. The best strategy is if you are sure of one
point in your hand play for your partner to at least take 1 trick, and/or play
it alone.
06/04 DO NOT HELP THY NEIGHBOR. After 25 years of playing Euchre I have noticed
alot that when an opposing team calls the suit, that someone I partner with will
lead in that suit. For example, the opposing team calls it spades and it's my
partners lead. My partner leads with a spade. I never lead with what's trump
when the opposing team is the one who ordered it. I make them come and take it
because if I lead in that suit I'm also pulling any spade that my partner might
have which could make the difference of the opposing team getting 1 point or 2.
(Exception to the rule is if I'm holding enough spades in my hand to possibly
euchre the opposing team then I will lead in the suit they call trump.)
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