Anna Hansen
NEW GLARUS — Who knew a simple card game could be such a draw?
Local News
Popularity of World Euchre Championship in New Glarus surprised even its organizers
- Abbey Machtig
Hundreds gathered Saturday under the chandeliers in the New Glarus Fest Haus for the first day of competition in the second annual World Euchre Championship — pretty much the Midwestern version of “American Ninja Warrior.”
As she watched the chaos unfold Saturday afternoon, players raising their hands to flag the yellow-shirted volunteers flitting between tables, Mary Siegenthaler couldn’t help but smile. “The energy is great,” said the New Glarus Cares Foundation board member.
The foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to community projects, launched its inaugural World Euchre Championship last year to raise money to buy land for Candy Cane Park. This year’s proceeds will go toward the construction of an inclusive playground there.
Siegenthaler said many local shops are helping out, including five major sponsors: Bicycle Cards, Jack Links, the Fest House, New Glarus Brewing Co. and Decatur Dairy, the latter of which supplied 200 pounds of cheese curds, according to Siegenthaler.
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“The community has just come together for this,” she said. “Our businesses have been so good to us.”
Last year, 62 people fought for the title of champion over the course of a single day. About 170 people came to partake Saturday, and 260 more were slated to play doubles Sunday. That’s a seven-fold increase.
“We just grew so fast,” Siegenthaler said.
Euchre, popular in the Midwest and in Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain, is played with a deck of 24 cards — the nines, tens, jacks, queens, kings and aces of each suit. The objective of the game is to be the first team to reach 10 points.
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As the games on more than 40 tables began at 1 p.m., the conversation diminished to a low hum as players locked in. Competition, though fierce, remained lighthearted. The trash talk, however, abounded as players angled for that coveted championship belt.
“I’m here to win the world championship and take home the belt,” said Kelly Korte, of Indianapolis. “Failure is not an option.”
If you ran a DNA test on Korte, it would likely return some traces of playing card ink. He got his start the way many lifelong euchre players do, through family. As soon as he was old enough to have the necessary fine motor skills, his grandmother put the first of many sets of cards in front of him.
“She made me gamble with her,” he said.
The euchre family stretches beyond genetic bounds and national borders. Players came from as far away as Canada to participate in the New Glarus championship. Some of the Americans have played the game even farther away. Chicago resident Paul Lythke didn’t have too long a trek from his home to New Glarus, but he recalled brushing up on his skills in southern Mexico, Germany and Italy. The game is a language of its own, he said.
“I’ve traveled around the world and found people that play euchre,” Lythcke said. “It’s a Midwestern game, generally speaking, but it’s an easy game anybody could play.”
The way Korte and Lythcke carried on Saturday, observers may have taken them for lifelong friends. In fact, like many others Saturday, the pair were newly acquainted.
“It’s just fun,” Korte said.
Euchre, as it turns out, is also spectator sport: Dozens of observers found themselves on the outskirts of the Fest Haus, perching at the bar or finding a spot along the wall to keep a safe distance from the more ferocious of the beer- and cheese curd-fueled athletes, for fear of losing a finger in the shuffle.
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The fun started Friday night. Just as a torch run ending with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, the euchre enthusiasts kicked off their weekend with a poker run, descending upon the bars and restaurants of New Glarus. Siegenthaler said the tournament has been more than a fundraiser for park equipment — it has given the local economy a boost.
“My ultimate goal is that when people leave here this weekend after playing they want to come back. They want to go home and tell their friends about it. They want to say, ‘Hey, come back with us next year,’” she said. “It’s just a great little town.”
Popular board games released the year you were born
Popular board games released the year you were born
1930: Sannin shogi
1932: Finance
1934: Sorry!
1935: Monopoly
1936: Go to the Head of the Class
1938: Scrabble
1939: Hexagonal chess
1940: Kalah
1941: All Star Baseball
1942: Hex
1943: Wolf chess
1947: Electric football
1948: Cheskers
1949: Cluedo
1950: So Long Sucker
hti
1952: Stadium Checkers
1953: Y
1954: Tactics
1955: Careers
1956: Los Alamos chess
1957: Risk
1958: Gettysburg
1959: Diplomacy
1960: Hi Ho! Cherry-O
1961: Stratego
1962: Aggravation
1963: Mouse Trap
1964: Probe
1965: Trouble
1966: Fight in the Skies
1967: Battleship
1968: Battling Tops
1969: Lines of Action
1970: Mastermind
1971: Crossfire
1972: Boggle
1973: Anti-Monopoly
1974: Connect Four
1975: Pay Day
1976: TEG
1977: Rummikub
1978: The Campaign for North Africa
1979: Guess Who?
1980: Civilization
1981: Axis & Allies
1982: Trivial Pursuit
1983: Talisman
1984: Balderdash
1985: Dragonchess
1986: Fireball Island
1987: Arkham Horror
1988: Mall Madness
1989: Taboo
1990: Monopoly Junior
1991: Nightmare (Atmosfear series)
1992: Articulate!
1993: 13 Dead End Drive
1994: RoboRally
1995: Catan
1996: Chess960
1997: Twilight Imperium
1998: Cranium
1999: Tikal
2000: Carcassonne
2001: Risk 2210 A.D.
2002: Puerto Rico
2003: A Game of Thrones
2004: Ticket to Ride
2005: Twilight Struggle
2006: Bananagrams
2007: Pandemic
2008: Ultimate Werewolf
2009: Small World
2010: 7 Wonders
2011: Mansions of Madness
2012: Lords of Waterdeep
2013: Axis & Allies: World War I 1914
2014: Eldritch Horror
2015: Codenames
2016: Mechs vs. Minions
2017: Gloomhaven
2018: Rising Sun
2019: Wingspan
"It's a Midwestern game, generally speaking, but it's an easy game anybody could play."
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