OBJECTIVE OF BUCK EUCHRE: Be the first player to reach zero points or fewer
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4 players
NUMBER OF CARDS: 24 cards
RANK OF CARDS: (low) 9 – Ace, Trump Suit 9,10,Q, K, A, J (same colored), J (high)
TYPE OF GAME: Trick Taking
AUDIENCE: Adults
INTRODUCTION OF BUCK EUCHRE
Buck Euchre takes the classic Turn Up Euchre and makes it far more challenging. In this trick taking game for 4 players, each player is trying to take at least 1 trick, and the player who called trump must take at least 3. Players begin the game with 25 points and subtract points for meeting their trick requirement. Don’t think you will be able to capture at least one trick? No worries! You can drop out of the round.
THE CARDS & THE DEAL
Buck Euchre uses a 24 card deck (9’s – Aces). In this game, 9’s are low, and Aces are high for the non-trump suits. The trump suit ranks 9,10, Queen, King, Ace, same colored Jack (known as the left bower), Jack (right bower). For example, if Spades were determined to be the trump suit for the round, the Jack of Clubs would become the second highest ranking card, and the Jack of Spades would be the highest ranking card.
The dealer doles out 5 cards to each player in packets of two and three. The rest of the cards are placed face down on the table. The top card is turned up to help determine the trump suit for the round. If the turn up card is a Club, the trump suit is automatically Clubs for the round. If it is one of the other three suits, players will have the opportunity to order up or pass.
ORDER UP OR PASS
Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player looks at the turn up card and decides if they want that suit to be trump or not. If they do, they tell the dealer to pick it up. If they do not, they say pass. If the dealer was told to pick it up, they do so and place a card from their hand face down. The suit of the turn up card becomes trump for the round.
If all of the players (including the dealer) pass, the dealer turns the card down. Going around the table one more time, each player has the opportunity to declare a trump suit or pass. If each player passes again, the hand is played with no trump suit.
Once the trump suit has been determined (or the round is determined to be played without a trump suit), each player has the opportunity to drop out of the round if they choose. This begins with the player on the left side of the dealer and moves around the table. If a player chooses to drop out, their cards are kept face down on the table until the end of the round. They do not incur any penalty points. Players may not drop out if the turn up card is a Club.
THE PLAY
Any player who decides to stay in for the round will participate. The round begins with the player to the left of the dealer, and that player leads the first trick. They can play any card they want from their hand. Following players must play a card in the same suit that was led if they can. If they cannot, they play any card they want. Remember, the same colored Jack (left bower) must be played as if it is part of the trump suit. The player that captures the trick leads the next one. Play continues as such until all of the tricks are completed.
SCORING
Players deduct one point from their score for each trick they captured. The player that ordered up trump or determined the trump suit must capture at least three. Failure to do so results in 5 points being added to their score.
Any player that participates in the round and fails to capture at least one trick adds five points to their score.
If the hand was played with no trump suit, each player must capture at least 1 trick. If they fail to do so, they add five points to their score.
Players who dropped out do not add or subtract any points from their score.
WINNING
The first player to reach zero points or fewer wins the game. If a player captures all 5 tricks during a round, they automatically win the game.
- TRIPLE SNAKES - February 15, 2021