Playing the Cards Dealt (Unfortunately)

How's it going, folks.

One of the annual parties for this friend group of ours is the Colliers' epic Euchre Tournaments. 

Collier is incredibly detail-oriented, and his set-up is second-to-none for something like this. Like in previous years, he's got the entire tournament set up in a series of nine or ten rounds, each with randomized players assigned to six tables spread out throughout this house. Each round consists of each player dealing two hands, and however many points each team gets is added to their running total. This information is entered into an Excel Spreadsheet with running formulas that keep track of scores, randomize playing teams, byes, and tables, and rank the tournament standings in real time (seriously.)

With a buy-in of $10, first- and second-place get cash payouts, with third place getting the collection of donated quarters (every time a team is euchred, they have to place quarters into cups stationed at each table.)  This year Collier did away with the rule that last and second-to-last place had to sing a karaoke duet, which is a shame, really - that's always fun to watch.

The last few years the Colliers have hosted this shin-dig, Yours Truly has usually finished around 7th/8th/9th place out of, say, twenty or so players - safely in the middle. 

This year, however, my hands throughout the evening were pure bullshit: I was regularly dealt hands with 9's, 10's, Queens, Kings, etc. - very rare Jacks and Aces. As such, I finished the evening at an abysmal 13th place out of twenty two, which I believe is my worst showing, ever.

Whatever. I guess it beats coming in dead last. . .  like Danielle.

So here you go, folks - another Euchre Tournament at the Collier residence. 

Enjoy. . .

See the TV on the stand in the corner? That's hooked up to an iMac Mini from which Collier is running his spreadsheet. Makes it easy for people to check out their tournament standings.

The Host

Second or third game of the tournament I was paired up with Erik. We won this round, which was cool, but from this point forward I more or less ate shit the rest of the evening.

Mitch and Erik get into the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked (my all-time favorite bourbon, ever since we visited that distillery back in August.)

Folks congregated in the Collier's recently-renovated kitchen as games wrapped up each round (some games finished a solid 20 minutes before others, so while waiting for the next round folks just grazed over the insane amount of food on hand.)

One of the last rounds of the tournament.

Sent this pic of all the wives to Kris, who was away with Abby downstate on some church youth retreat or whatever.

After the tournament wrapped up, a lot of folks began to take off. Those that stayed just continued to drink and gorge themselves stupid (as usual.)

Some of the usuals (Mitch, Erik, Omkar, Lonnie Big Balls, Collier, etc.)

(Not sure what's being discussed here, but it sure looks serious.)

Ran my hands through my hair and, with some residual product left in there from earlier, this is the result. I'm the life of the party, folks.

At the end of the night, on my way out to the car at 11:30pm or so, I took this pic of the Colliers' front yard, where you could see the remnants of the beer shotgunning that went on throughout the night. Yet another Collier Euchre Tournament in the books. Hopefully next year I do better. . .

- Brian