Rules

  • Euchre is played with 4 players in 2 teams of 2.
  • Teammates sit across from each other.
  • The deck uses only the 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of each suit.
  • Each player is dealt 5 cards.
  • One suit is chosen as trump each hand.
  • Trump cards beat all non-trump cards.
  • The highest trump card is the Right Bower, which is the Jack of the trump suit.
  • The second-highest trump card is the Left Bower, which is the Jack of the same color as trump.
  • Trump ranking is:
    Right Bower, Left Bower, Ace, King, Queen, 10, 9
  • Non-trump suits rank normally:
    Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9
  • Players must follow suit if they can.
  • If a player cannot follow suit, they may play any card.
  • Each round has 5 tricks.
  • The highest card in the suit led wins the trick, unless trump is played.
  • If trump is played, the highest trump card wins the trick.
  • The team that chooses trump is called the makers.
  • The makers must win at least 3 tricks.
  • If the makers win 3 or 4 tricks, they score 1 point.
  • If the makers win all 5 tricks, they score 2 points.
  • If one player goes alone and wins all 5 tricks, their team scores 4 points.
  • If the makers fail to win at least 3 tricks, they are euchred.
  • When a team gets euchred, the other team scores 2 points.
  • A player may choose to go alone, meaning their partner sits out for that hand.
  • The first team to reach the target score, usually 10 points, wins the game.