Second Annual Champoux Cribbage Tourny

Note: Yes, this is terrifically overdue; get over it and enjoy!

As May rolled around, it was time again for the Second Annual Champoux Family Cribbage Tournament (we really need a shorter name for that, seriously). A tradition unknowingly born long ago in the Champoux family, it’s a day of camaraderie, competition, and cribbage. If you’re a semi-regular reader of this blog, you may recall that at last year’s competition, I walked away as the first ever Cribbage Champ (woo hoo!). So this year as we gathered again, it was my responsibility to not only defend the title, but also to host the main event. Now, seeing as I don’t (in the most technical sense) actually have a place to live (let alone host the dang thing) it was necessary for me to call in the reinforcements: Papa Poux and Bonus Mom. Fortunately, they are two of the most generous people I know and were only too happy to open their house for the day.

So with that minor detail reconciled, I sounded the horns (if you will) beckoning all Champouxs near and far to heed the call and commemorate the passing of our beloved patriarch and matriarch (22 and 2 years ago, respectively). All in all we had 24 players answer the call to come and compete for their share of family fame. Really it was quite a good turnout – several families from the east-side of the mountains made it and even some out of staters!

I adopted a few minor changes this year in an effort to a) keep people involved a little longer and b) to shorten the length of the event (all in all I think it took nearly 12 hours last year…yikes.) So instead of round robin play to establish seeding, followed by a best of three match-up (winner moves on, loser is eliminated), we decided on single game match ups with double elimination. That meant there would be both a winner’s bracket and a loser’s bracket. (So you’re tellin’ me there’s a chance…)

With 24 players to start, the first round would narrow it to 12 players; the second round leaving us with 6; and the third round with only 3 players left in contention in each bracket. The winner’s bracket at this point took a break, while the losers bracket played a game of three-hand, sudden death cribbage. The winner of this game would join the remaining three from the winners bracket and comprise our final four. From here play would commence as you might expect until only one player remains.

So after a good solid hour of socializing (and waiting for our final players to arrive…) we finally divvied up crib boards and playing cards and each of us began the seemingly monstrous task of winning 5 games in a row to claim the coveted trophy as our own.

My first match-up was against Maddie Bradshaw, who, though still being in grade school, is quite the little card player. Despite her onslaught of 15-point hand after 15-point hand, I was just scrappy enough to keep up. Unfortunately, shortly after we rounded the skunk line, she straight up laid down a 25-point hand and I said good-night. After the first round, I was in the loser’s bracket. It was going to be a long road to victory alright….

Despite being in the loser’s bracket, I cruised through the next three rounds defeating Monica, Cristy, and Jackie to take my place as one of the final three “losers” fighting for a place in the final four. I soon learned that Uncle Joe and Pete Bradshaw were my fellow competitors and we immediately set to work. What followed was probably one of the most intense games of my life. The three of us each desperately trying to eke out a lead, pegging as many points as possible, hoping to find our peg out in front come the finish line. Would you believe it came down to the final card? The three of us were all clustered right near the stink hole, with one card left in our hand. Each of us had the potential to peg the final point to victory. Who would it be?? Let me tell you, it was intensity in ten cities. When all the cards had been laid, it was Pete who was able to claim that final, victorious point and with it a chance at ultimate victory. I was sad to see my hopes of winning for the second year in a row finally snuffed, but I couldn’t have asked for a more exciting ending. If I was going out, that was how I wanted it to be.

Due to an earlier forfeit, the bracket was slightly skewed, so it turned out Pete had one final match up to play, before the final four was determined. Unfortunately for Pete, that one last game put an end to his winning streak and he opponent Jeff claimed the final seat in the final four. We drew names to determine the matches and it was set for Katy Jo to face Jeff and for Mark to battle my dad. I was pleased to see such a strong representation by my immediate family, but since they were facing each other, I hardly knew who to root for!

In the end, it came down to Katy Jo and Mark. Interestingly enough, this was an opposite sex mirror image of last year’s championship match between Billy and myself. (For those readers who don’t have our family tree memorized, Katy Jo is Billy’s sister and Mark is my brother.) Somehow, the whole thing seemed perfectly balanced.

Both players had great momentum heading into the final match – Katy Jo had been playing great all day, redeeming herself from an early elimination last year. Mark too had confidence on his side as he had skunked nearly every one of his competitors. The game began close, with the characteristic swapping of the lead that is common early in the first few hands of cribbage. However, Mark slowly began to edge out a lead until just after he passed the skunk line, when he laid down a monster (insert a Russian accented John Malcovitch voice here). For the second time that night Mark had managed a 20 point hand with trip 7s and two Aces*. Victory was undoubtedly his.

Even though it was inevitable that a family member was going to win, I have to admit, I was particularly proud that the champion was still within the immediate family. Congratulations Mark – you certainly earned it!!

All in all, it was another extremely successful Tournament. The easy socializing, the constant grazing over the seemingly infinite plates of food, the frequent rumble the laughter from the uncles in another room…it was the kind of day I will always associate with family and I can’t think of a better way to honor our grandparents.

*He cut for the second Ace, in case you were wondering.