"Calling Next"

Situation:

You are sitting just left of the dealer and he turns up the Jack of Spades.

You look at your hand and realize that you must pass.

Much to your surprise, everyone passes and the dealer turns the black bower down. Your call first. What would you do?

Although it might look too risky at first, making Clubs trump in this scenario is actually a reasonable bid.

Bidding the suit of the same color that was turned down is known as NEXT  or  HOYLE in many euchre circles.

The concept of Next  is simple.

If a black upcard (in this case Spades) is passed and then turned down by the dealer, the dealing team for the most part indicates that they do not have the Left Bower and/or side-ace help, otherwise they would probably try it. It also works the same of course for the red suits with a red upcard.The higher the upcard that is turned in fact, the stronger the chance that the dealing team is dry.  When the dealer turns down a black bower, and you sit in first seat without the other black Jack, there is a good reason to believe that your partner has it.

In the event that it is buried, the next highest trump out there would be the Ace (the Left was turned down).

Basic Euchre Strategy

Harvey "the Rabbit"

In this example, the dealer turned down the Jack of Spades. You are holding the King and Nine of Clubs. Clubs are the NEXT color.  Yeah sure, you risk being euchred. The odds are slightly in your favor that you will make it however.

It's also important to note that having the side-ace is  a must when calling with only two trump, preferably the opposite color of trump. Your hand has a singleton Ace of Hearts which is a very likely winner after all the trump is out.

Although there are many different ways to play this hand which could work, you can only reasonably expect to take two tricks yourself, and that is, as long as you don't screw it up by leading the Ace of Hearts first, allowing the opponents a cheap shot at it!  Count on your partner for at least one, and expect it to be big!

Vol. 1

With

Any euchre neophyte can figure out what to call when they are dealt three big trump and two side aces. It's the mediocre cards which gather in the meantime that separate the apprentices from the journeymen.

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