EUCHRE RULES

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OBJECTIVE OF EUCHRE: The objective of Euchre is to win at least 3 tricks.  

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 or 4 players 

MATERIALS: A modified 52-card deck, an optional joker, a way to keep score, and a flat surface. 

TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game 

AUDIENCE: Adults 

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OVERVIEW OF EUCHRE 

Euchre is a trick-taking card game for 2 to 4 players. The goal is for you or your team to win 3 or more of the 5 tricks in a round.  

Euchre is a partnership game. There will be two teams of 2 with partners sitting opposite each other.  사설토토

The target score for winning is set before the game begins. It can be 5, 7, or 10 points. 

SETUP FOR EUCHRE

First, the deck is modified. All cards ranked 6 and lower are removed from the deck. This leaves a deck of 32 cards. 

There are also variations that remove the 7s, or the 7s and 8s. This 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.  

Players draw for partners and the first dealer. The two highest-ranked cards will be partnered and the two lowest-ranked cards will be partnered as well.

The lowest-ranked card is the first dealer. For this, 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 left of the dealer.  

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 is done the remaining cards are placed in the center of the play area and the top card is revealed. If any player accepts this suit as trumps, then 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 4 players pass then the revealed card is tucked under the deck and all players now have a chance to call a trump suit (it cannot be the same suit as the rejected card).

If all 4 players pass again the cards are gathered 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 if you’re playing with a joker or not. 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 no joker then the highest-ranking trump is the right bower.  

All other suits rank Ace (high), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, and 7 (low).  

GAMEPLAY 

The first trick is led by the player to the dealer’s left, or if the player’s team is going alone then by the player across from the dealer. The following players must follow suit if able. If they cannot, they may play any card including trumps.  

The trick is won by the highest trump played, or of not applicable, by the highest card of the suit lead.  

The winner of the trick leads the next.  

SCORING 

Once all five tricks are played and won; scoring can begin.  

If the declarers won 3 or 4 tricks, they earn 1 point. If they won all 5, they score 2 points. When playing alone and they won 3 or 4 tricks, they score 1 point.

When playing alone and they won all 5 tricks, they score 4 points.  

If the declarers fail to win at least 3 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.  

Buck Euchre is a cutthroat version of the traditional game. Bid Euchre is also a version where bets are placed.  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the left bower and right bower?

The right ower is the jack off 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 are saying that have a good enough hand they think they can beat the other team without their partner.

This results in a higher score at the end if a player manages to win all 5 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 re choosing to play with a joker added then 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?

This depends on if you re playing with the joker variation. If there is not a joker in the deck then the highest trump is the Right Bower. If there is a joker, however, then the joker is the highest ranking trump card.