Calling a Ten
In call-an-ace sheepshead, a picker who holds all three fail aces has no ace left to call, so they call a ten instead, and whoever holds that ten is the partner. The picker’s own ace of that suit is held back: it must be played on the first lead of the suit and cannot win that trick, so the partner’s ten takes it unless somebody trumps.
When it comes up
Only at call an ace, and only once the picker has the blind in hand and holds the A♣, A♠ and A♥ together. It is rare: a few times in a few hundred hands, and many players go a long time without seeing it. The jack-of-diamonds game never needs it, because the jack is always somewhere.
Which ten you may call
- A fail ten you do not hold. You will always hold a card of that suit, because you hold its ace.
- Not the 10♦: diamonds are trump and can never be called.
- If you hold all three fail tens as well as all three fail aces, there is nothing left to call and you play alone.
- You may also choose to go alone rather than call a ten. With three aces and real trump, that is often worth considering.
Why the picker’s ace goes under
Without this rule the call would defeat itself. When the called suit is led, the picker’s ace would beat the partner’s ten, and the picker would be taking the trick away from the very player they chose. So the ace is held back for that trick, and when it is played it counts as the lowest card of the suit for deciding who wins. Its 11 points are not lost: they go to whoever takes the trick, usually the partner. Because it is committed to that trick, the ace cannot be buried.
A worked hand
After taking the blind, the picker holds:
Q♣ J♠ A♦ 9♦ A♣ A♠ A♥ 7♥
All three fail aces, so no ace can be called. The picker calls the ten of hearts: they hold hearts, and they do not hold the 10♥. The A♥ must stay in hand, so they bury the A♣ and A♠, banking 22 points, and keep Q♣ J♠ A♦ 9♦ A♥ 7♥.
Later a defender leads the K♥. The picker must play the A♥, which counts as the lowest heart. The partner plays the 10♥. If nobody trumps, the ten wins a trick holding at least 4 + 11 + 10 = 25 points for the picking side, the partner is revealed, and the partner is on lead, free to lead back toward the picker. If a defender is out of hearts and trumps it, the defense collects all of that instead, which is the risk every called-suit trick carries.
How tables differ
Some tables make a picker with three aces go alone. Others let them call a ten but leave the picker’s ace live, which lets the picker beat their own partner. At Sheepshead Club, call a ten is offered at every call-an-ace table, and the ace always goes under. You can deal yourself a hand that forces it and press Pick to see it happen.
Related
- Call an ace: the partner rule this belongs to
- Card under: the other case with no ace to call
- Which suit to call
- Going alone
- The bury
Play a hand
Want to see it first hand? Deal a practice hand that forces call a ten, or sit down at a call-an-ace table. Free, no account needed.