Five cards each, two teams, one trump suit. Name trump and take three tricks, or stop the other team from doing it.
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How to play Euchre
Four players in two teams. Your partner sits across from you. The deck is just the 9s, 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces: 24 cards. Everyone gets five, and one card is turned face up.
Naming trump
- Starting left of the dealer, each player can order it up, making the turned-up card's suit trump, or pass. If it's ordered up, the dealer takes the card and throws one away.
- If all four pass, the card is turned down and each player can name any other suit, or pass again.
- Whoever names trump can also go alone: their partner sits the hand out.
The bowers
- The Jack of trump (the right bower) is the highest card.
- The other Jack of the same colour (the left bower) is next, and counts as trump. With hearts trump, the Jack of diamonds is a heart.
- Then the Ace, King, Queen, 10 and 9 of trump.
Playing
- The player left of the dealer leads. You must follow suit if you can.
- The highest trump wins the trick, or if there's none, the highest card of the suit led.
Scoring
- The team that named trump takes 3 or 4 tricks: 1 point. All 5 (a march): 2 points. All 5 alone: 4 points.
- If they take fewer than 3, they're euchred, and the other team scores 2.
- First team to 10 wins.
A little history
Euchre came to America with German-speaking immigrants in the eighteenth century, probably from an Alsatian game called Jucker. In the 1800s it was the most popular card game in the United States, and the Joker was invented for it, as an extra trump higher than either bower.
Today it's still a favourite in the American Midwest, Ontario, Cornwall and New Zealand, where Euchre nights fill church halls and pubs. This version is the standard 24-card game, without the Joker.
Euchre FAQ
What are the bowers?
The two Jacks of trump's colour. The Jack of trump is the right bower, the highest card. The other Jack of the same colour is the left bower, the second highest, and it counts as a trump.
What does ordering it up mean?
Telling the dealer to pick up the turned-up card, which makes its suit trump. Your team then has to take at least three tricks.
What happens if everyone passes?
The card is turned down and everyone gets a second chance to name any other suit. If everyone passes again, the cards are thrown in and the next player deals, unless Stick the dealer is on, in which case the dealer has to name trump.
What does it mean to be euchred?
If the team that named trump takes fewer than three tricks, they've been euchred, and the other team scores 2 points.
What is going alone?
The player who names trump can play without their partner, who sits the hand out. Taking all five tricks alone scores 4 points instead of 2.
How many points do you need to win?
10. Hands go quickly, so a game takes about ten minutes.
Ready for more? The Euchre strategy guide → covers what to do in every phase of a game.