Euchre - Chapter Rules
| All Variations | Two-Handed | Three-Handed | Four-Handed |
Euchre - Rules for All Variations
At the beginning of a games session:
- if the number of men wanting to play Euchre is 4 or less:
- there will be one game of either Two, Three or Four-Handed Euchre, depending on the number of interested players
- if the number of men wanting to play Euchre is 5:
- there will be one game of Three-Handed Euchre, and
- there will be one game of Two-Handed Euchre
- if the number of men wanting to play Euchre is 6 or 7:
- there will be one game of Four-Handed Euchre, and
- there will be one game of Two or Three-Handed Euchre, depending on the number of interested players
- if the number of men wanting to play Euchre is 8:
- there will be two games of Four-Handed Euchre
- if the number of men wanting to play Euchre is 9:
- there will be one game of Four-Handed Euchre
- there will be one game of Three-Handed Euchre
- there will be one game of Two-Handed Euchre
- if the number of men wanting to play Euchre is 10 or 11:
- there will be two games of Four-Handed Euchre, and
- there will be one game of Two or Three-Handed Euchre, depending on the number of interested players
- if the number of men wanting to play Euchre is 12:
- there will be three games of Four-Handed Euchre
The Deck
The deck consists of 32 cards, consisting of the aces through sevens.
Ranking
The cards are ranked from ace to seven, except for the trump suit.
For the trump suit, the jack of the suit, termed the right bower, is highest, followed by the jack of the opposite suit of the same color, termed the left bower, followed by the ace, king, queen, 10, 9, 8, 7.
Note that the suit opposite trump only contains seven cards, the jack belonging to the trump suit.
Determining the Dealer
Each player selects one card from the deck. The player selecting the highest ranking card is the dealer. For the purpose of determing the dealer, the cards are ranked from ace high to seven and in order of the suits hearts high, then diamonds, then spades, then clubs.
Two-Handed Euchre
Determining Trump
After the cards have been shuffled and cut, the dealer deals three cards to the other player, then himself, the two cards to the other player, then himself and turns the next card up.
If the opponent thinks he can make three tricks with the turned up card as trump, he says "I order it up!", which makes the turned up card trump. The dealer must then place an unwanted card from his hand at the bottom of the deck and adds the turned up card to his hand.
If the opponent does not think he can make three tricks with the turned up card as trump, he says "I pass!". If the dealer thinks he can make three tricks with the turned up card as trump, he says "I take it up!", which makes the turned up card trump. The dealer must then place an unwanted card from his hand at the bottom of the deck and adds the turned up card to his hand.
If the dealer does not think he can make three tricks with the turned up card as trump, he says "I pass!". The dealer then places the turned up card face up at the bottom of the pack.
If the opponent thinks he can make three tricks with any of the remaining suits, he can declare that suit trump.
If the opponent does not think he can make three tricks with any of the remaining suits as trump, he says "I pass!". If the opponent passes and if the dealer thinks he can make three tricks with any of the remaining suits, he can declare that suit trump.
If the dealer does not think he can make three tricks with any of the remaining suits as trump, he says "I pass!".
If both the opponent and the dealer pass, the hands are thrown in and the opponent becomes the dealer.
Playing the Hand
The opponent leads any card for the first trick. The dealer must follow suit, if possible. Otherwise, he may play any a card from any other suit, including trump. The highest card from the suit lead takes the hand, unless trumped. The winner leads the next hand until all five tricks have been played.
Points
Each player attempts to win as many hands as possible. Whoever declare trump must win 3 or 4 hands to get 1 point. If he wins five tricks, called a march, he gets two points. If he wins less than 3 hands, he is euchred and his opponent gets 2 points.
Scoring
Games are continued, switching the dealer each game. The first man to get 10 points is the winner. After a game is won, a new game may begin mixing up players from other games.
Three-Handed Euchre
Also called "Cutthroat Euchre".
Similar to Two-Handed Euchre, with these differences:
Determining Trump
Deal rotates clockwise, each player receiving five cards, as in Two-Haned Euchre.
Either of the non-dealers can "order up" the turned up card as trump. If he does so, he commits to winning three tricks. The other two players are "teamed up", with the goal of preventing the declarer from winning three tricks.
If both non-dealers pass, the dealer may declare "I take it up", making the suit of the turned up card trump.
If the dealer passes, the card is returned, face up, to the bottom of the deck. Going clockwise, players may declare any other suit trump, making a similar commitment to making three tricks, with the other two players "teamed up" to prevent it.
If all players pass again, the hands are thrown in and the next player clockwise becomes the dealer.
Playing the Hand
The player clockwise from the dealer leads any card for the first trick. The other players must follow suit, if possible. If not possible, the player may play any a card from any other suit, including trump. The highest card from the suit lead takes the hand, unless trumped. The winner leads the next hand until all five tricks have been played.
Points
Each player attempts to win as many hands as possible. Whoever declare trump must win 3 or 4 hands to get 1 point. If he wins five tricks, called a march, he gets three points. If he wins less than 3 hands, he is euchred and his opponents gets 2 points each.
Scoring
Games are continued, switching the dealer each game. The first man to get 10 points is the winner. After a game is won, a new game may begin mixing up players from other games.
Four-Handed Euchre
Similar to Two-Handed Euchre but where players opposite each other play as partners.
These are the differences from Two-Handed Euchre:
Determining Trump
Play rotates clockwise from the dealer, each player receiving five cards, as in Two-Handed Euchre.
The player to the dealer's left can "order up" the turned up card as trump. If he does so, he commits to winning three tricks with his partner.
If the first player passes, the second player, the dealer' partner may declare "I assist", making the suit of the turned up card trump. The dealer (not the second player) then discards a card and takes the turned up card into his own hand.
If the second player passes, play goes to the third player. The third player can "order up" the turned up card as trump. He then discards a card and takes the turned up card into his hand.
If the third player passes, the dealer may "take it up", making the suit of the turned up card trump. He then discards a card and takes the turned up card into his hand.
If the dealer also passes, the card is returned, face up, to the bottom of the deck. Going clockwise, players may declare any other suit trump, making a similar commitment, with his partner, to making three tricks.
If all players pass again, the hands are thrown in and the next player clockwise becomes the dealer.
Playing the Hand
The player clockwise from the dealer leads any card for the first trick. The other players must follow suit, if possible. If not possible, the player may play any a card from any other suit, including trump. The highest card from the suit lead takes the hand, unless trumped. The winner leads the next hand until all five tricks have been played.
The player making trump may also declare "I'll play it alone". His partner then tosses in his hand, face down. Play proceeds as in Three-Handed Euchre, with the declarer playing against the other two partners.
Points
Each player attempts to win as many hands as possible. Whoever declare trump, with his partner, must win 3 or 4 hands to get 1 point. If he wins five tricks, called a march, his team gets 4 points. If he wins less than 3 hands, he is euchred and his opponents' team gets 2 points.
Scoring
Games are continued, switching the dealer each game. The first team to get 10 points is the winner. After a game is won, a new game may begin, mixing up players from other games.
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