LET'S PLAY
EUCHRE
Euchre is a fast-paced team game where trick-taking meets strategy and chaos. The ever-changing trump suit and the weird Jack ranking throw new players for a loop, but once you get the hang of it, the mind games and teamworkmake it addicting. Whether you’re calling trump, stealing tricks, or getting Euchred, this game keeps the tension high and the plays even higher.
Object
The first team to reach 10 points wins.
What You Need
• A 24-card deck (9s through Aces of all suits). Some play with an 8s through Aces deck, but 9s through Aces is more common and that's how I play
• Four players, seated in teams of two, with partners sitting across from each other.
• A way to keep score
Card Ranks
In a non-trump suit (low to high): 9, 10, J, Q, K, A
In the trump suit (low to high): 9, 10, Q, K, “Bower” (off-suit Jack of the same color), “Best Bower” (Trump suit Jack)
Set Up
• Each player draws a card to determine the first dealer. The player with the highest card deals first. If there’s a tie, only the tied players draw again.
• The dealer shuffles and deals five cards to each player in groups of 2 and 3.
• The remaining four cards are placed face down, and the top card is flipped up to begin the bidding phase.
• The deal rotates clockwise after each round.
Watch the step by step guide here!
Game Play
The Bid
• The flipped-up card’s suit is the first potential trump suit.
• Going clockwise, each player can pass or order up the dealer to take the card (making its suit trump).
• If everyone passes, players may name any other suit as trump in a second round. If no one names a suit, the hand is re-dealt.
• If a player calls trump, their team must win at least 3 out of 5 tricks to score points.
Game Play (Trick-Taking)
• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick.
• Players must follow suit if they can.
• If unable to follow suit, players can play any card, including trump.
• The highest card of the suit led wins, unless a trump is played, in which case the highest trump card wins.
• The winner of the trick leads the next one.
• Play continues until all five tricks are played.
Scoring
• Calling team wins 3 or 4 tricks → 1 point
• Calling team wins all 5 tricks (a March) → 2 points
• Calling team wins fewer than 3 tricks (Euchred) → Defending team scores 2 points
• Going Alone and winning all 5 tricks → 4 points
Going It Alone
• If a player believes they can win without their partner, they may declare “Going Alone.”
• Their teammate sits out, and they play 1 vs. 2.
• Winning all 5 tricks alone earns 4 points instead of 2.
The Farmers’ Hand Rule
• If a player is dealt four or more 9s and 10s, they may declare a “Farmer’s Hand” before bidding.
• They exchange three of their worst cards for the three facedown cards in the kitty.
• Only one player per round may do this.
Winning the Game
The first team to reach 10 points wins.
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Common Euchre Variants
Stick the Dealer
• In standard Euchre, if all players pass twice (once on the upcard and once when selecting any suit), the hand is redealt.
• With “Stick the Dealer,” the dealer is forced to call trump if no one else has.
• The dealer must choose a trump suit, even with a bad hand.
• This speeds up the game and prevents frequent redeals.
No Trump (Ace No Face)
• If a player is dealt a hand with only Aces and 9s/10s (no face cards or Jacks), they may call “No Trump.”
• The hand is played without a trump suit.
• Aces are now the highest cards, and tricks follow normal rules.
Screw the Dealer
• Similar to Stick the Dealer, but in this version, the dealer must pick a suit from their own hand rather than choosing freely.
• If the dealer has no strong suit, they may be forced to call a bad trump.
Bid Euchre (Pepper)
• A version where players bid how many tricks they think they can take.
• The highest bidder picks trump and must take at least the number of tricks they declared.
Jamboree (Joker Euchre)
• Uses a Joker, which becomes the highest trump card (above the Right Bower).
• The Joker must be played if a trump card is led.
These variations add new layers of strategy to Euchre. Stick the Dealer is the most common, as it prevents excessive redeals and forces more aggressive play.