Blitzes
A blitz is showing a set of high trump to double the stakes: both black queens (Q♣ Q♠) is a blitz, both red queens (Q♥ Q♦) is an Indian blitz, and three jacks is a Johnny blitz. At Sheepshead Club the picker shows a blitz as they take the blind, and a non-passing partner may show one after the bury.
The three blitzes
| Name | Cards shown | Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| Blitz (black blitz) | Both black queens, Q♣ and Q♠ | ×2 |
| Indian blitz (red blitz) | Both red queens, Q♥ and Q♦ | ×2 |
| Johnny blitz | Three or four jacks | ×2 |
When you may blitz
- The picker, on the pick. The blitz is shown in the same moment the picker takes the blind, from the six cards they were dealt, before seeing what the blind holds. Once they have picked, their chance is over.
- A non-passing partner, after the bury. A partner who never had the chance to pick may show a blitz when the doubling round comes. At jack of diamonds this reveals the partner, which is part of the price.
- A defender, as a crack. A non-passing defender with a blitz holding may show it to crack at four times instead of two. That is a blitz crack.
One blitz per player per hand. Cards shown once cannot double the hand a second time, whether they were shown on the pick, after the bury, or on a crack.
How often you are dealt one
A particular player is dealt both black queens in their six cards about 3% of the time, roughly one hand in 33, and the same for both red queens. Three or more jacks comes about one hand in 67. At a five-handed table, somebody is dealt both black queens in about one deal in seven.
Is it worth showing?
Usually, yes, if you are picking anyway. In our simulations at call an ace, a picker who showed the blitz rather than picking quietly gained, on average per decision, about 3.9 units with the black queens, 2.2 with the red queens and 1.2 with three jacks. The exception is a hand with nothing else: two black queens and no other trump is a hand to pick quietly or not at all. On a crack it is different again: a blitz crack measured as a loss on three trump or fewer and a gain from four trump up.
About the numbers: they come from our own simulations, in which our strongest computer players play the same deals both ways and the results are compared. A unit is one defender’s base payment. They are measured at five-handed with the live table rules, against strong opponents, and they are averages, not guarantees for any one hand.
Four queens
A picker holding all four queens after the bury makes the sheepshead call rather than a blitz. A club can instead treat four queens as a double blitz at four times, shown on the pick, with no requirement to take every trick.
How tables differ
Blitzing varies more than almost any other rule. Some tables only blitz the black queens, some let any player blitz before the pick, some let the picker blitz after seeing the blind. The version described here is the one Sheepshead Club deals at every table; you can deal yourself a hand with both black queens to see it.
Related
- Cracking and recracking
- The sheepshead call
- When to crack
- House rules and defaults
- Blitz, in the glossary
Play a hand
Try it: deal a practice hand holding both black queens and press Pick. Or sit down at a table, free and with no account needed.