2 and 3-player variations listed below.
Eachre is a partnership game: 2 teams of 2
Deck-24 cards (All 9�s, 10�s, Jacks, Queens, Kings and
Aces).
You will also need 2 2�s and 2 3�s for keeping score.
Each partnership�s �score cards� should be of the same suit. Preferably,
each set of score cards used should be of opposite colors.
Object: Your partnership tries to capture 3 or more out
of the five tricks in a hand. Capturing all five gives you double points.
Partners: Euchre is a partnership game. You and your
playing partner (who sits across from you at the table) work together to
get 10 points before the other team.
Deal:
Choose one player to start dealing. He offers a
cut to the player on his right (who is on the other team) and, after the
cut, he begins dealing. Euchre has a special dealing method, and it goes
as follows:
While dealing the first round, the dealer gives
2 or 3 cards to each player. (He still deals clockwise). Then, on the second
round of dealing, the dealer deals out 2 or 3 cards. (still goes clockwise)
If a player was dealt 2 cards in the first round of dealing, he is dealt
3 cards in the second. If a player was dealt 3 cards in the first round
of dealing, he is dealt 2 cards in the second. Each player checks to make
sure he has five cards. If not, the same dealer redeals. If each player
has 5 cards, the dealer flips over the top card of the leftover pile and play begins.
After the hand is finished, the deal goes to the player on the dealer�s
left. Any player can try to�steal� the deal, by picking up the deck
after a hand, as if he was the player who was suppsoed to deal.
If a player �steals� the deal and gets away with it, he deals normally.
If caught, deal goes to the player who is supposed to deal (last dealer�s
left) and that player deals normally. Remeber that the dealer has an advantage in this game.
Play:
NOTE: Crossboarding (giving signals to your partner)
is against the rules and is punished by giving 2 points to the other team.
(When playing informally, you might want to give each player one warning
about crossboarding.)
Scorecard sets are placed facedown. Each player
picks up their hand. Now look at the flipped-over card. It is time for
the naming trump process.
Naming Trump process:
The player to the left of the dealer goes first.
If he wants the suit of the faceup card to become trump, he says �I order
it up�. The dealer picks up the faceup card and discards one of the
cards in his hand facedown. The suit of the card that the dealer just picked
up is now trump.
Terms:
order up: Ordering up a dealer from the other team
assist: Ordering up your partner
take up: to pick up the card yourself if you�re dealer
If the first player does not want that suit to be
trump, he says �pass� and thus leaves the choice up to the next player (his
left). The second and third players may pass also. If all of the first
three players pass, the dealer may order himself up. If the dealer
passes also, he flips over the faceup card and puts it out of play . If
this happens, the first player gets a chance to name trump without anybody
picking up any cards. He may pass here too. Then the second player gets
a chance to name trump. He may pass to the third playe. The third player may pass to the dealer. If the dealer passes on the 2nd round,
the hand is no good and the player on the dealer�s left redeals.
As soon as trump is named, you may start playing.
Strategy: Notes on naming trump (IMPORTANT):
Having cards in the trump suit is good. Besides
the six cards in the trump suit (9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace), there
is another card that is considered part of the trump suit: the other Jack
of the same color. For example, if Hearts is trump, the Jack of Diamonds
is counted as part of the trump suit. The cards in the trump suit are ranked
as follows (from highest to lowest) :Jack (right bower), Jack of same color
(left bower), Ace, King, Queen, 10, 9.
Also, make sure you have a lot of cards in the trump
suit before calling trump- not just one or two (unless maybe those two
are the cards that will be the two bowers) You should expect your partner
to have some trump suit cards-but it�s not a sure bet. Also, remember that
ordering the dealer up gives him one of the 7 trump cards, in addition
to any trump cards he already has. This isn�t such a big deal if the card
is the 9,10 or Queen, but if it�s the Jack, Ace or King, you could be in
deep trouble.
Note: The card that the dealer discards is to be placed
facedown and the four extra cards are to be put out of play.
Play: Note: A player may decide to �go it alone� before the
hand starts if he has enough high trump cards. His partner folds in his
hand and the game becomes a three-player game. Any points scored by a player
�going it alone� count for the entire partnership. If you want to �go it
alone�, make sure you have at least the two bowers and the Ace of the trump
suit, or else you will get walloped. If you �go it alone� and get all 5
tricks, then you score 4 points.
The player to the left of the dealer goes first,
no matter who named trump. He leads a card of his choice. It is a good
idea for him to not lead trump unless it is the right bower (Jack) or if
he has all of the trump cards that would beat his lead. If he does not
do this, another player could beat it with another trump card.
Once the first player leads, the second player plays
a card and must follow suit if possible. Same goes for the third and fourth
players- you must follow suit if possible. You follow suit on the card
that was lead. If you cannot follow suit, you may play any
card you want. This is the time where you can �trump�, or play a card
of the trump suit. The trick belongs to the player who trumped, unless
it is beaten by a higher card of the trump suit.
Note: You must always follow the suit of the card that
was led, if possible. This applies even if the trick has already
been trumped. If the trick has been trumped and you have no cards in the
original suit, you may play a higher trump card.
The highest trump card wins the trick. If there
are no trump cards in the trick, the highest card in the suit that was
led takes the trick. Remember, the left bower (the Jack in the same color
as the trump suit) counts as being in the trump suit. Also, except for
the trump suit, Jacks are in their normal place above 10�s and below Queens.
You want to take tricks no matter what. The player that takes the trick
leads another card to begin the next trick. Play still goes clockwise.
Repeat this process five times (five tricks), so
there are no more cards left in anyone�s hand.
SCORING: If a partnership takes 3 or 4 tricks between them, they
receive 1 point. If a partnership takes all 5 tricks, they are awarded
2 points.
Term: Marching is another word for taking all 5 tricks.
EXCEPTION: If the partnership that did not call trump
takes 3,4 or all 5 tricks, they have �Euchred� the partnership that called
trump and get 2 points no matter what. Also, remember if a player �goes
it alone� and gets all five tricks, he gets 4 points.
Also, two points are awarded if the other team crossboards.
You may use a device specifically designed for scoring
Euchre. (These do exist) Or you can use the two-and-three scorecards.
How to use the 2 and 3 scorecards(It actually makes sense)
1 point- One of the �pips� (suit symbols in the center
of the card) of the 2 is stuck out from under a facedown 3.
2 points- Two is faceup on top of facedown 3.
3 points- Three is faceup on top of facedown 2.
4 points- One pip on the 2 is sticking out from under
a faceup 3. The cards are straight.
5 points- The cards are arranged facedown in a V. (Roman
numeral 5)
6 points- Cards are arranged in a V, but one pip of the
2 is sticking out while under the facedown 3.
7 points- Cards are arranged in a V, 2 is faceup, 3 is
facedown
8 points- Cards are arranged in a V, 3 is faceup, 2 is
facedown.
9 points- Cards are arranged in a V, 3 is on top, one
pip of faceup 2 is sticking out.
First team to 10 points wins.
Strategy: 1. Don�t order the Jack into your partner�s hand. If
your partner has a decent hand, he�ll take the Jack when it�s his turn.
2. Please, don�t play a higher card on a trick your partner
has won. This would be a waste of one of your good cards. However, you
must do this sometimes if the higher card is the only thing you can play
under the following-suit rule.
3. If the faceup card was flipped down, remember what
it is. Then you don�t have to worry about it being out against you.
4. There is obviously more.
Variations:
7-Ace deck or 8-Ace deck: Add the 7s and 8s to your
Euchre deck, or just the 8s. The 7�s and 8s will be in their normal positions
below 9�s.
Farmer�s Hand: If you are dealt solely 9�s and 10�s, you
may throw your hand in and demand a redeal. (Applies to a 7s and 8s hand
with a 7-Ace deck and to 8s and 9s with a 8-ace deck)
Screw the Dealer: The dealer cannot pass twice during
the naming trump process. He must call something as trump. He can still
pass the first time.
