Euchre
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Euchre may be played either as a two-, three- or four-handed game, the latter being the most popular form. For greater facility of explanation, however, we will commence with the two-handed game.
Euchre is played with the "piquet" pack of thirty-two cards, consisting of the ace, king, queen, knave, ten, nine, eight and seven of each suit. The above is their rank in play, subject to the qualification that the knave of the trump suit for the time being is known as the "Right Bower", and takes temporary precedence of all other cards. The knave of the opposite suit of same colour (e.g. of diamonds when hearts, or of spades when clubs are trumps) is known as the "Left Bower", and ranks next in value. The Left Bower is considered for the time being to belong to the trump suit, so that if this card is led, the trump suit, and not its own, must be played to it.
The players having cut for deal, five cards are dealt (by twos and then threes, or vice versa at the pleasure of the dealer) to each player. The eleventh card is turned up by way of trump. If the non-dealer thinks his hand good enough, with the suit of the turn-up card as trumps, to make three tricks, he says, referring to that card, "I order it up". This fixes that suit as trumps. The dealer discards the worst card of his own hand, placing it face downwards under the pack, and the turn-up card is thenceforth considered to form part of his hand. He does not, however, actually take it into his hand until the first trick has been played.
If the non-dealer does not consider his hand good for three tricks, or is of opinion that he would be likely to gain by a change of the trump suit, he says, "I pass", and the dealer examines his own cards from the same point of view. If he thinks his hand is good enough with the subsisting trump suit to make three tricks, he says, "I take it up", and proceeds to place, as before, one card under the pack. If he does not think his hand safe for three, he says, "I turn it down", and places the turn-up card below the rest of the pack. This annuls the trump suit, and the non-dealer has now the option of saying what suit shall be trumps. He considers what will best suit his hand, and says, "Make it hearts" (or otherwise, as the case may be), accordingly.
If he decides to " make it" of the same colour as the previous turn-up card spades in place of clubs, or hearts in place of diamonds), he is said to "make it next". If otherwise, to "cross the suit".
If, even with the privilege of making the trump what he pleases, he doubts his ability to win three tricks, he again "passes", and the dealer "makes it" what best suits him. If he too has such a bad hand that he thinks it safer to "pass" again, the cards are thrown up, and the deal passes.
The trump suit having been "made" by the one or the other player, the non-dealer leads a card, and the dealer plays to it, the two cards constituting a "trick". The second player must follow suit if he can, subject to the qualification that (as already stated) if the Left Bower be led, a trump must be played to it. The higher card wins, trumps overriding plain suits ; and the winner of the trick leads to the next.
The player who has "ordered up", "taken up" (save in obedience to order), or "made" the trump, thereby tacitly undertakes to win at least three tricks. If he makes less than this number, he is "euchred", and his opponent scores "two". If he makes three tricks he wins "the point", and scores one. Four tricks are no better than three, but if he make all five he wins a "march", which scores two. The non-challenging player is not under any obligation to win, but scores if his adversary fail to do so.
Five points constitute "Game".
Marking the Score.
The method of scoring at Euchre is somewhat peculiar. The score is usually kept by means of spare playing cards, a three and a four (of any suit) being used by each side. The " three" face upwards, with the "four" turned down upon it, indicates one (however many pips may chance to be exposed). The "four face upwards, with the "three" turned down upon it, indicates two. The face of the "three" being uppermost counts three; and the face of the "four" being uppermost counts four.
Another method of keeping the score is by means of a cross x chalked at the outset of the game on the table beside etch player. "One" is scored by rubbing out the centre of the cross, leaving the four arms still standing, and these in turn are rubbed out, one for each point which the player becomes entitled to score.
Where to play.
You can play Euchre online at Carbon Poker.
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