CHAFFEE, Mo. -- A euchre tournament Sunday drew some 50 card players from across the region for an afternoon of fellowship and friendly competition at the St. Ambrose Parish Center in Chaffee.

Elmer Enderle said he has played for decades but each hand presents new challenges.

"It's a game you never learn how to play," Enderle said. "Sometimes strategy works, sometimes it works against you."

Euchre is played with a 24-card deck between two teams of two. The partnerships were assigned randomly. Each player is dealt five cards and the remaining four are used to establish trump, or a dominant suit. Players attempt to collect "tricks" by laying down the cards that will beat those played by his or her opponent. The game is point based, with 10 points needed for a win.

Betty Vandeven said the tournament, hosted by the Daughters of St. Ambrose, is well-known for the chili and chicken noodle soup served, and for its peaceful environment.

"This is a card-playing community," Vandeven said. "There are folks from New Hamburg, Kelso, Oran. It's just a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon."

St. Ambrose hosts the tournament three times each year to raise funds for the school and to cover the cost of bereavement meals that follow funerals. Vandeven said the event usually brings in about $300 and is in its fifth year.

Cleo Schaffer of Bell City, Missouri, said the game requires some skill and more luck.

"Get the cards and hope for the best," Schaffer said. "When they deal them out there, you don't have no more friends."

Richard Johns of Oran, Missouri, said figuring out how to play euchre is like learning to swim by reading a book.

The tournament required an entry fee of $10, which included a meal. A 50-50 raffle provided players with an opportunity to win some money back. Additionally, names were drawn for the dispersal of the euchre-cup quarters, paid each time a team is "euchred," or fails to meet their bid.

Pertinent address:

St. Ambrose Church, Chaffee, Mo.