British Euchre
From The Hangman's Guide to Card Games
Euchre is a game that doesn't take much skill except to remember
the few rules, and also happens to require 4 players.
However, it can be confusing for players who are used to the
standard hierarchy of card values (A,K,Q,J,10,9). There
are many variations on the rules, so stating the rules before
starting can be wise. The British way to play Euchre is
slightly more complex than North American play.
Players, Teams, and Seating
4 Players consisting of 2 teams of 2. Teammates must
sit opposite each other, ideally at a square table.
The Deck and Card Ranking
The cards needed are A, K, Q, J, 10, 9 of all suits, a Joker
(or Two of Spades), and two Fives with two Sixes for scorekeeping.
The order of value from highest to lowest is as follows:
- The Joker (Two of Spades if no Joker is available), considered
trump suit no matter its color.
- The Jack of the trump suit.
- The other Jack of the same color as the trump Jack, considered
trump suit and not its own suit.
- The remaining trump cards, in standard order (A, K, Q, 10,
9).
- The hand's suit, in standard order (A, K, Q, (J), 10, 9),
not including the Jack if the hand's suit is trump.
If the hand's suit is not trump, but the same color as trump,
the Jack of that suit is, instead considered the same suit
as trump.
- All the remaining cards, in standard order (A, K, Q, J,
10, 9).
The Objective and Scoring
The ultimate goal of Euchre is for partners to succeed in collecting
11 points before their opponents do. Scoring is as follows:
- 1 pt. to the makers' team if they win 3 or 4 tricks in a
hand.
- 2 pts. to the makers' team if they win all 5 tricks in a
hand.
- 2 pts. to the defenders' team if the makers do not win 3
tricks in a hand.
- 4 pts. to the makers' team if a member goes alone and scores
all 5 tricks in a hand.
- 4 pts. to the defenders' team if a member goes alone and
scores at least 3 tricks in a hand.
The Deal and Play
The selection of the dealer is not specified. From the
first dealer, dealing moves to the left each hand. The
player to the left of the dealer may cut or bump the deck to
insure shuffling. 5 cards are dealt to each player over
two rounds, one of three cards and the other of two cards, in
any order. The suit of the first card, after 4 sets of
5 cards have been dealt, indicates trump.
Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, each player
is given the opportunity to make the up-card's suit
trump. Each player may pass, or choose not to use their
turn, if he believes his hand not to be superior to his opponents'.
The next clockwise player can then make a choice.
Should either of the dealer's opponents "Order up"
the card, or should the dealer "Take up"
the up-card, the dealer then adds the up-card to his cards,
the up-card's suit becomes trump, and the dealer must discard
another card from his hand. Should the dealer's partner
"Turn down" (not the same as pass) the up-card,
the dealer's partner chooses to play against both opponents
alone without the dealer's hand and without the up-card in play.
Lastly, if the Joker (or Two of Spades) is turned up as the
up-card, the dealer must choose a trump suit at random (without
looking at his hand) and then pick up the up-card, discarding
as usual. For this reason, it is important that no one
look at their cards until the up-card has been turned over.
If all four players, ending with the dealer, pass, the up-card
is turned face down and each player is given a chance to choose
their own suit as trump, beginning with the player to the dealer's
left. The suit cannot be made the same as the up-card's
suit. When a player passes, the choice moves on to the
next player. Should all four players pass again, a new
deal is dealt by the next player without playing through the
round.
Once the trump suit has been decided and before any cards are
played into the game, any player may indicate that he will be
"Going alone." This is also automatically
the case if the dealer's partner "turns down"
the up-card, as mentioned before. To go alone means that
the player feels his hand is superior and does not wish his
partner to interrupt the possibility of his hand's success.
Should a player name a suit as trump, the player to his left
leads. This is the case for almost every circumstance
at the beginning of a round. However, should a player
from both teams decide to go it alone, the defender always leads.
Leading refers to the start of each hand where the suit for
the hand is determined by the first card played face up into
the middle of the table.
After the leading card indicates the suit of the hand, each
player must, in clockwise order, play any card of the same suit
into the pile. If a player cannot play the same suit,
he may choose any card from his hand to play. Keep in
mind that the other Jack of the trump's same color and the Joker
(or Two of Spades) are also considered the same suit as trump.
The player who throws in the highest valued card wins the hand,
or takes the trick, and must then lead the next hand.
Upon the completion of all five hands, the round is scored.
New rounds are dealt until a team reaches the 11 points needed
to win the game.
Terminology
Trump The suit that is valued higher
than all other suits.
Benny or Best Bower
The Joker (or Two of Spades).
Right Bower The Jack of trump suit.
Left Bower The other Jack of the same
color as the trump Jack.
Trick The winning of a hand by any team
member by placing the highest valued card on the table.
Up-Card The card turned face up at the
end of the dealing and also determines the default trump suit.
Makers The team whose member chooses
trump by ordering the up-card up or down, or chooses trump after
all the other players have passed.
Defenders The team opposite the Makers
who must detur the Makers from winning 3 tricks in a hand.
"I order it up." The correct
phrase to be used by either member of the team opposing the
dealer indicating that the dealer should add the card to his
hand, making the up-card's suit trump.
"Turn it down." The correct
phrase to be used by the dealer's teammate indicating that the
up-card's suit is trump, that it should be turned over, and
he is going it alone against the opposite team.
"I'll take it up." The correct
phrase to be used by the dealer indicating that he will take
the up-card, making its suit trump.
"Going alone." The correct
phrase to be used by any player wishing to play without his
partner for the current round.
Euchred To be euchred is for the makers
to be kept from scoring 3 or more tricks by the defenders.
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