OBJECTIVE OF EUCHRE: You aim to win at least three tricks in Euchre.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 or 4 players
MATERIALS: A modified 52-card deck and a joker (optional)
TYPE OF GAME: Card game
AUDIENCE: Adults
OVERVIEW OF EUCHRE RULES
Euchre is a game that originated in the Americas sometime in the 19th century! Euchre is a trick-taking card game for 2 to 4 players. The goal is for you or your team to win three or more of the five tricks in a round.
Euchre is a partnership game. There will be two teams of 2 with partners sitting opposite each other.
You will set the target score for winning before the game begins. It can be 5, 7, or 10 points.
In the article below we will go over all the standard Euchre rules and some variations. If you are interested in more versions of Euchre, we also have Three-Hand Euchre, Railroad Euchre, Cincinnati Euchre, Ghost Hand Euchre, Uka, Tuque, Bauer, and Hasenpfeffer. .
SETUP FOR EUCHRE
First, you will modify the deck. You will need to remove all cards ranked six and lower. This modification leaves you with a deck of 32 cards.
Some variations remove the 7s or the 7s and 8s. This modification can leave you with a 28 or 24-card deck respectfully.
There is also a variation that adds a joker to the deck. Then, this would change the deck totals to 33, 29, or 25.
You will draw cards for partners and the first dealer. The two highest-ranked cards will be partnered, and the two lowest-ranked cards will also be partnered.
The lowest-ranked card is the first dealer. The ranking is King (high), Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, and ace (low). In future rounds, the turn to deal will pass to the player to the dealer’s left.
THE DEAL
The dealer will shuffle, and the player to their right may cut the deck. Then, the dealer will deal each player a hand of 5 cards in batches of 3 and 2 cards. Dealing is done clockwise.
After dealing, you will place the remaining cards in the play area’s center, revealing the top card. If any player accepts this suit as trumps, the dealer may exchange one card from their hand with the exposed trump.
DECLARING TRUMPS
Starting with the player left of the dealer, each player may pass or accept the trump.
If all four players pass, tuck the revealed card under the deck, and all players now have a chance to call a trump suit (it cannot be the same as the rejected card).
The dealer gatheres the cards if all four players pass again, and the next dealer redeals.
Once a trump suit is accepted, the team of the players who called trumps becomes the declarers.
PLAYING ALONE
If after declaring trumps, the player who declared feels they would have an easier time winning alone, they may declare, going alone. Their partner then lays their cards face down and does not participate in the round.
CARD RANKING
The ranking for the trump suit changes depending on whether you’re playing with a Joker. If playing with a joker, the ranking is Joker (high), Jack of trumps (also known as the right bower), Jack of the same color (also known as the left bower), Ace, King, Queen, 10, 9, 8, and 7 (low). If there is no Joker, the highest-ranking trump is the right bower.
All other suits rank Ace (high), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, and 7 (low).
HOW TO PLAY EUCHRE
Euchre is a relatively easy game to play. For each trick or round of play, the first player will lead with a card, and all players will take turns playing their eligible cards afterward.
FIRST TRICK
The player leads the first trick to the dealer’s left, or if the player’s team is going alone, then by the player across from the dealer. You may play any card to start a trick, and all future plays to this trick must follow the suit chosen at the trick’s start.
FOLLOWING
The following players must follow suit if able. If they cannot, they may play any card, including trump cards. When following up on a trick, you have to follow suit if you have a card of that suit, even if you know you will lose.
WINNING A TRICK
The trick is won by the highest trump played, or of not applicable, by the highest card of the suit lead. Players will compare all the cards played in the trick. If all the cards are of the same suit, then the highest-ranked card is the winner. When you play a card of the trump suit, you will compare all cards that are trumps, and the highest-ranked one is the winner. If you play a card of another suit, there is no winning the trick.
The player that wins the trick will start the next trick.
FUTURE TRICKS
You will play all future tricks the same as the first. The winner will always lead the next trick until you play all the tricks for the round.
SCORING
Once you play all five tricks, scoring can begin.
If the declarers won 3 or 4 tricks, they earn 1 point. If they win all 5, they score 2 points. When playing alone and they win 3 or 4 tricks, they score 1 point.
Playing alone and winning all five tricks, they score 4 points.
If the declarers fail to win at least three tricks, the opposing team scores 2 points.
END OF GAME
The first team to reach the targeted score wins.
EUCHRE VARIATIONS
There are several variations on the Euchre game rules. Here, we have two variations of the standard Euchre rules. One is a harder game version, and the other adds betting!
Buck Euchre is the cutthroat version of the traditional game. Bid Euchre is the version where you place bets.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Is the Left Bower and Right Bower?
The right bower is the jack of the Trumps, and the left bower is the jack of the same color as the trump suit.
What Does Go Alone Mean?
When a player chooses to go alone, they say they have a good enough hand and think they can beat the other team without their partner.
This move results in a higher score at the end if a player manages to win all five tricks in the round.
What Is the Trump Ranking?
The trump ranking is: Right bower (high), Left bower, Ace, King, Queen, 10, 9, 8, and 7 (low).
If you play with a Joker added, the ranking becomes: Joker (high), Right bower, Left bower, Ace, King, Queen, 10, 9, 8, and 7 (low).
What Is the Highest-Ranked Trump Card?
The answer depends on if you’re playing with the Joker variation. If no joker is in the deck, the highest trump is the Right Bower. However, if there is a joker, the joker is the highest-ranking trump card.
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