Batesville native among top finishers in the Euchre World Championship

Story by The 812's Valerie Weston

(New Glarus, WI) – Joseph Cerniglia took a hobby and turned it into a memorable experience.

The 2020 Batesville graduate recently participated in the Euchre World Championship. 

Cerniglia moved to Batesville around 12 years old where he was first exposed to euchre through local Boy Scout Troop 634.

He began playing more regularly in college and eventually joined a league in Chicago where he now lives. It was through the league where he first heard about the championship.

The Euchre World Championship, hosted by Bicycle Playing Cards, took place May 17th and 18th in New Glarus, Wisconsin. 

The tournament is made up of singles and doubles games. The doubles tournament begins with 200 teams divided in two heats. After the two preliminary heats, the top 50% of each continues onto the finals. Participants play 6 games of twelve hands where their score is totaled and carried throughout the championship.

Cerniglia and his teammate, Patrick McKeever, placed 1st in their preliminary heat of the doubles tournament. They went on to place 3rd overall. They strategized that being aggressive and seeking loners is what led them to success.

Being that it was his first time entering the championship, Cerniglia was shocked by his rank.

He recalled literally jumping for joy with his teammate as they were announced winners of the first heat then being joined by his friends in a group hug. He described the moment as surreal.

Cerniglia said, “It’s fun when a hobby takes you somewhere you’ve never been.”

Following their win in the first heat, Cerniglia and McKeever were awarded gift bags full of cheese, playing cards, and other gifts and were interviewed by the World Euchre

Championship.

The euchre player appreciates his teammate and friends and the people he met along the way for making this experience so memorable. He also gives thanks to Boy Scout Troop 634 for introducing him to the game.

Cerniglia and McKeever were invited back next year to participate in the Euchre World Championship for placing 3rd.