Last update: 1/6/02
A very popular game, Euchre is best suited to four-handed play,
with two teams of partners. A 24-card pack, running from Aces down to Nines
is used in this game, which is played as follows.
Choosing The Dealer
The dealer is usually chosen by way of a person shuffling the
cards and dealing them one at a time to each individual until a JACK is
turned up. The player who receives the JACK is the leading dealer.
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The Deal
The dealer deals clockwise, usually in a pattern, giving each
player two cards, then three. (obviously this pattern can be three, two)
When all players have received their cards, the dealer will then turn the
top card of the remaining cards are placed on the table in front of him.
The left over cards are known as "The Kitty".
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Rank of Cards
Once a suit is declared to be trump, it's Jack becomes the Right
Bower, or the highest card of the suit. Next is the Jack of the same color,
or Left Bower; then the trumps run A,K,Q,10,9. If Hearts was made trump,
the cards would rank as follows....
J
J 
A K Q 10 9
Other suits would run A, K, Q, J, 10, 9 except for diamonds which
would have no Jack since it has become the "left bower".
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The Play
Play normally begins with the player on the dealer's left, who
leads a card. The others follow suit in rotation, until all four have played,
making a trick. If unable to follow suit, a player may play any card he
wishes. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick; but trump takes
all others.
Whoever wins the first trick leads to the next; this continues
until all tricks are taken. The object of each team is to take three tricks;
with an underlying goal of taking all five.
Immediately after the dealer has dealt every person 5 cards,
he places the remaining cards in front of him, turning the top card face
up on the pack. Whatever its suit, each player now has the option of making
that suit trump, beginning with the player on the dealer's left. If he thinks
his hand is strong enough for his partner and himself to win three tricks,
he will tell the dealer to "pick it up", which means that the
dealer picks up the trump card from the pack and discards
another form his hand, face down.
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Passing
If the first player does not like his hand, he will "pass",
or choose not to make the showing suit trump, and the choice will then go
to the next player. If he wants the turned up card to be trump, he announces,
"I assist" or "pick it up", because the dealer is his
partner. The result is the same. The turned up card
becomes trump; the dealer picks it up and discards another.
The second player can pass if he wants to; the third player then
has the same options of ordering it up or passing. The latter choice leaves
it up to the dealer, who can say, "I turn it down". In that case,
he takes the showing card and turns it face down and that suit is no longer
a possible choice of trump.
The first player then may make another suit trump, but if his
hand is weak, he can "pass". If he passes, it goes onto the second
player, then the third and finally the dealer. If nobody wants to make trump,
the hands are thrown in and the cards are passed to the next dealer.
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Scoring
Once trump is made, the play begins as described. If the team
that called trump takes 3 or 4 tricks, they score one point. Taking all
five is a march and scores two points. If they take less than three tricks,
they are Euchred and the opposing team scores two points.
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Going Alone
During the preliminary of accepting or calling trump, each player
may also announce, "I'll play alone". This means he has a strong
hand and does not need his partners help. So his partner lays his hand down
and the play proceeds. Whoever is to the left of the dealer makes the first
lead.
When playing alone, a player scores four points if he takes all
five tricks; if he takes 3 or 4, he scores only one point; if he takes less
than three, he is euchred and the opposing team scores
the usual two points.
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Rules of Thumb
Sometimes, veteran players like to play a structured game, which
consists of some rules to follow. Keep in mind that these "rules"
do not always work, and require a feel for the game as well. This "feel"
can only come with the actual playing of the game. These "rules"
are also determined by watching how your
opponents play. (If your opponents "bag" a lot, then following
the "next" rule would NOT be wise!) They are however, good rules
to follow as they usually prove themselves to work, and for the most part
should be followed. Try em!
- A) Lead Trump. If your partner
calls trump, and you have the left or right bower,and it's your lead, lead
it.......he'll appreciate knowing where it is. (trust me)
-
- B) Make it Next.
If the person sitting to your right is the dealer and he/she turns down
a card that everybody has passed on, then the "rule of thumb"
is to make it next, or the same color suit. If Diamonds was the suit turned
down, then make it Hearts ect...
-
- C) Make it for your Partner. If your partner is the dealer and he turns down
a suit due to everybody passing and the next player doesn't make it next
for his partner, then make it the opposite color suit. If you don't, then
chances are that your opponent sitting to your left will call trump for
his partner, so that your partner (the dealer) doesn't get the chance to
call trump.
-
- D) Never trump your partners Ace. If your partner leads an Ace, and you trump it,
then chances are your partner will do one of two things.... A) Shoot you
or B) Shoot you. Actually there does come a time when trumping your partners
Ace is appropriate, like when all you have in your hand is trump or if
you know that the person sitting behind you does not have any of the suit
that your partner has led.
-
- E) Always lead trump.
If you called trump and it's your lead, then lead it. Try to draw out the
trump from the oppositions hands. This also gives you the opportunity to
see what your partner has. If you lead trump and your partner doesn't throw
trump out, then start to pray! Leading trump can also make your Aces good
if you have some. NOTE: if you called it "light" or "on
a prayer", then leading trump my not be wise. Try leading an ace.
Also, if your partner called trump and he/she calls it light, then leading
an ace if possible would be great. It may not take a trick, but it will
draw out trump, hopefully making the few trump you do have good.
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- Phrases and Terminology
Here are some of the phrases and terms that are popular in my
little corner of the world. I suppose some of them will make you think "Now
where in the world did he get THAT from?". It's ok, have fun. That's
why we're here! Just click on the phrase below and like magic, you will
be whisked away to yet another page of babble.
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On-line Euchre & Backdoors
If you need to get back into your card game after a lockup or
a disconnect but the site, room or lounge that you're playing in is full...
how in the world do you get back in? No fear... just go through the
Pogo and Yahoo
Back Doors-EuchreClub.com!
Are you looking for a place to play Euchre on-line? Well, your
search is over. Look no further! (Unless you are a WebTV user). There are
several places to choose from! I have not listed them all, nor do I play
much anymore.
I don't play much anymore, so if you want a description or review
of what each place is like, check out The Columbus Book Of Euchre site located
here.
In my opinion, these people are some of the few that truely know the game.
A shareware Euchre game that you can play off or on-line. You
can try it out for free. What have you got to lose?! I like this place a
LOT. They also have other games but
Yahoo! Games is a FREE site that
offers 14 different games! If you have a java enabled browser and don't
want to pay to play, then this place is for YOU! This site is arguably the
best on-line Euchre site available.
Pogo also offers the following games: Bridge, Cribbage, Hearts,
Solitaire and Spades plus tons of other games!
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The Legal Stuff
If you happen to be goofy enough to try and hold
me responsible for anything stemming from using any strategies from any
text from any page of mine, then you are not just goofy, you are stupid!
First, I make no claims to the validity of ANYTHING on this page, or any
page linked to these pages, written or implied. It is intended for ENTERTAINMENT
PURPOSES ONLY. If you write me and tell me that you're suing me because
you lost your car, house, wedding ring (s), bicycle,dog, cat, bird, life
savings OR ANYTHING NOT LISTED HERE material, imagined or otherwise, I will
have no choice but to ROFLMAO, which will result in my personal injury and
you getting a return call from MY Lawyer.
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rsquare
Check out these links!
The Columbus
Book of Euchre
Is your Euchre playing skills just "so-so"? Just started playing
the game? Play a good game of Euchre but just don't seem to have "the
edge"? The Columbus Book of Euchre is *THE* definitive book on Euchre.
I honestly don't see the term "According to Hoyle" ever being
replaced but if it ever is.... "According to Columbus" gets my
vote. Included in the book are:
There are two ways to play Euchre; the wrong way and the Columbus
way. After reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that "There
Is No Other Euchre Book"!
by Silver
Creek Entertainment
Check out my latest new link, a shareware Euchre game that you can play
off or on-line. Download the game and check it out! Send me a note
and tell me what you think.... good or bad!
Euchre Card Game From Special K This classic Euchre
game plays in Windows 95/98/ME/2000.
Metalhead's
Euchre Page
Check out Tims Strategies page. Lots of information for the novice as
well as for advanced players. Also includes a "point system" used
as an aid in making trump.
Scott Cunningham's
Euchre Page
PaidtoPlayInc..................