Making The Most Out Of The Cards

    Playing cards is somewhat of a dying art these days. Not as many younger people are apt to sit down for a game of whist, pinochle, or rummy.  Yet, an event being held in Lake City this Saturday will encourage card players of all ages to try their hand at the game cribbage. This is all in memory of a man that not only played that card game but dedicated a good deal of his life to it, John Vrchota.
    John grew up in Lake City. He and his siblings learned the well-known game that features cards, a board and pegs from their father Albert. John’s sister, Jane Quinn, noted that the kids learned math by playing the game. “And dad would never let us win,” she laughed. 
    The Vrchotas, who were well drillers by trade, often had down time during the long South Dakota winters and would play cribbage continuously. Adrian Heitmann, who often played cribbage with John, noted, “It was what kids in Lake City did,” he said. “I don’t know how many hundreds of games John and I played.” 
    As an adult, John continued playing cribbage often. “Even when we were older, I couldn’t wait to get to Britton to try to beat him,” said Quinn. John and Heitmann even went on to organize tournaments at the Lake City Municipal where people of all ages could play. “John was a big proponent of getting people to play cribbage,” said Heitmann. “It’s a good game for everyone, including kids.” 
    Some of the youngsters who particularly enjoyed playing were John’s own children. “I can’t remember not knowing how to play cribbage,” commented Jenna Nordquist, one of John’s daughters. “Cribbage was always around our home,” added his oldest daughter, Sara Raabe.
    Over the years, his daughters told how their dad kept track of how many games he played and what his win record was. “He had a lot of cribbage sayings that he would use when we played,” said Nordquist. “He would ask a slow player, ‘Are your pegs glued to the holes?’”
     Another John saying was “Make the best out of the cards you were dealt,” added his daughters. That is precisely what John did. Though he was sick with cancer, he still enjoyed playing cribbage until late in his life. John passed away in the winter of 2020. His family buried him holding the perfect cribbage hand, a 29.
    In 2022, knowing what the card game meant to him, the family started a memorial cribbage tournament in his honor. Just like the old days, it is held at the Lake City Municipal. The event will take place this Saturday. “This is a way to keep the family tradition alive,” said Nordquist. “And a way to remember our dad and the game he loved playing.” 
    The Vrchota family says they welcome people of all skill levels and add that the tournament is not overly competitive and is all in fun. The entry fee is $5 per person  and the winners receive special monogrammed boards. The tournament starts at 9:30 a.m. and people are encouraged to bring their own boards. No pre-registration necessary.