Euchre

• Object of the game
To be the first partnership to score at least 10 points.

• The pack
In North America, a 24-card deck is most common (using 9, 10, J, Q, K, A in all four suits). Some players prefer a 32-card deck (adding the 7 and 8 of each suit).

The British version of Euchre uses 25 cards (the 24 listed above, plus a joker). There are other variations as well.

The following rules are for the North American 24-card Euchre variant.

• Number of players
4 players in 2 partnerships.

• Rank of cards
The general rule is that Aces are the most valuable cards and 9s are the least valuable.

There are two exceptions. The Jack of the trump suit is the "right bower," and is the most valuable card. The other Jack of the same color is the "left bower," and is the second most valuable card.

Both bowers are part of the trump suit.

For example, if hearts is the trump suit: the Jack of hearts is the right bower (most powerful) and the Jack of diamonds is the left bower (second most powerful). In this example, the third most powerful card would be the Ace of hearts.

• The set-up
Partners should sit across from each other. The first dealer is selected at random. The turn to deal then rotates clockwise throughout the game.

Five cards are dealt to each player in two clockwise rounds. The dealer gives a packet of two or three cards to each player, in any order - any player who was dealt two in the first round gets three in the second and vice versa. The remaining four cards are placed face down in the middle of the table. The top card is turned face up; this card initially sets the trump suit.

There will be four cards remaining. These are placed face down in the middle of the table, and the top card is then turned face up and placed on top of the others. Initially, this card sets the trump suit.

Note on dealing:
Some traditions have the dealer pass out cards as follows: three to the opponent on his left, two to his partner, three to the opponent on his right, two to himself, two to the opponent on his left, three to his partner, two to the opponent on his right, then three to himself.

• The play
Players bid, starting to the left of the dealer and continuing clockwise, on whether or not to use the face-up card's suit as trump. Players have the following choices:

• The player to the left of the dealer may pass or say "I accept" and take the face-up card, replacing it with a card from his own hand (face down). If he accepts, no other player may bid.

• The player across from the dealer (the dealer's partner) may pass or say "I accept" and take the face-up card, replacing it with a card from his own hand (face down). If he accepts, no other player may bid.

• The player to the left of the dealer's partner may pass or say "I accept" and take the face-up card, replacing it with a card from his own hand (face down). If he accepts, no other player may bid.

• The dealer may pass or say "I accept" and take the face-up card, replacing it with a card from his own hand (face down). If the dealer passes, a second round of bidding will take place (see below).

If no one takes the face-up card, it gets turned face down and a second bidding round occurs.
In the second bidding round, the first player who names a suit has chosen trump. If no player bids, all the cards are shuffled together and the next player deals a new hand.

(Note: Some people play that if no one bids in the second round, the dealer must name a trump suit. In other words, the dealer cannot pass in the second round of bidding.)

The partnership that chooses the trump suit in either bidding round is known as the "makers." The other partnership is known as the "defenders."

• Going alone
If you think you have an outstanding hand, you might want to "go alone." This means that your partner sits out, placing his cards on the table face down, and you play this hand without a partner.

Anyone may announce that they're going alone after trump is selected but before the first card is led. It's possible that two players, one from each partnership, will both choose to go alone on the same hand.

• The hands
The player to the left of the dealer leads first by playing any card from his hand.

Exceptions: If someone has chosen to go alone, the player to that person's left leads first. If two players have decided to go alone, the player on the team that did not choose trump leads first.

Players must play the suit of the card led if possible. If not, they may play any card. (Remember that the bowers are both part of the trump suit.)

The highest card played in the lead suit wins the trick, unless one or more trumps were played, in which case the highest trump card wins the trick.

The player who wins the trick leads in the next trick.

• The scoring
If all four players take part in a hand, the makers score 1 point for taking three tricks. They score a bonus point (2 total) for taking all five tricks. If the makers fail to take three tricks, they are "euchred" and the defenders score 2 points.

If a maker goes alone and wins all five tricks, his partnership scores 4 points. If he wins three or four tricks, his partnership scores only 1 point.

If a defender goes alone and wins three or four tricks, his partnership scores 2 points. If he wins all five tricks, his partnership scores 4 points. (Note: Some people score so that a lone defender scores 4 points if he wins three or more tricks.)

The first team to score 10 points wins.