Euchre

Quick Pitch

Euchre is a fast-paced trick-taking game using a 32-card deck (A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 in each suit).

Hook

The flipped card suggests trump, and everyone around the table has to decide: accept it, or pass? The player who calls trump has to win at least 3 of the 5 tricks — or hand 2 points to the other team. Here's the twist: both Jacks of a certain color become the top trump cards, making hands with the right Jacks enormously powerful. Euchre is a fast four-player team game that rewards bold bidding and sharp play, and it's especially beloved across the Great Lakes and Midwest.

Equipment Needed

• One 32-card deck (remove all 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s from standard deck)
• Paper and pencil for score tracking

Setup

1. Remove cards 2-6 from deck, leaving A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7
2. Shuffle and deal 5 cards to each player in two rounds (3-2 or 2-3)
3. Place remaining 4 cards in the center; flip top card face-up (the "kitty")
4. The flipped card determines the proposed trump suit
5. Establish player order and partnerships (if 4 players)

Rules

Objective

Score points by winning tricks. Be the first partnership/player to reach 10 points.

Bidding/Trump Selection

Proposing trump:

1. Player to dealer's left reviews their hand and may accept the flipped card as trump
2. If all players pass on the initial card, there's a second round where players may name any suit as trump
3. If still passed, the dealer is forced to choose trump in the second round (or may pass if allowed by variant)

Going alone: Any player can declare "I'll go alone" (play without their partner's visible hand) for extra points if successful, but double penalty if they fail

Kitty: The player who called trump picks up the flipped card and discards any card face-down (putting it out of play for the hand)

Gameplay

1. Lead: Player to dealer's left leads first trick with any card
2. Following suit: Players must follow suit if able.
   • Exception: The Jacks of trump suit and same color have special rules (both are trump; discard from other trump suit if unable to follow suit)
3. Playing trumps: If suit cannot be followed, a trump card may be played. If a trump is led, players must play trump if able
4. Trick winner: Highest card of suit led wins, or highest trump if trump was played
   • Rank in trump suit: Jack of trump (right bower) > Jack of same-color suit (left bower) > A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7
5. Collecting tricks: Winner leads the next trick

Scoring

Points per trick: Not directly awarded. Success is measured by making the contract.

Round scoring:

• Team calling trump makes 3+ tricks: 1 point (2 points if going alone)
• Team calling trump makes all 5 tricks: 2 points (4 if going alone)
• Team calling trump makes fewer than 3 tricks: 2 points to the defending team (4 if caller went alone)
• Euchre (get no tricks): Defending team gets 4 points (8 if caller went alone)

Game ending: First to 10 points wins (some variants use 7 or 15)