How to Play Card Games Tutorial - Rules of Euchre

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Six Player Euchre

In Cornwall, England, this is played between two teams of three, sitting alternately. Either adds the sevens and eights to the pack, making 33 cards (the 8 and 7 are then the lowest cards of each suit, below the 9), or play with a double 25 card pack - 50 cards in all.

When playing with a double pack, if two equally high cards are played to a trick, the second to be played beats the first. If the two Bennies are red and black, the one which is the same colour as the trump suit beats the other one. If they both look the same, then the second one played beats the other, as with other cards.

If a player wants to play alone, both of the player's partners discard their hands face down, but the lone player can ask one of them for a card. The partner asked gives a card of his choice to the lone player, without consultation and without showing it to the others, and the lone player discards a card face-down in return.

The score for winning all the tricks or euchring the makers is 3 points instead of 2. If the winner is playing alone the score is 6 points instead of 4.

North American Euchre

In Canada and the USA, Euchre is played without a joker, so that there are just 24 cards in the deck, and the right bower is the highest trump. The target score is 10 points (not 11). The score is indicated by using two low cards overlapped - some use a six and a four, some use two fives, and I have been told that there is also a method using a two and a three.

In the USA any player, including the dealer's partner, is allowed to order up the up-card. (In other places - Australia, England and Canada - the dealer's partner cannot order up the turned trump; the only way the dealer's partner can select the turned suit as trump is to play alone).

Some people do not allow a defender to play alone - only the maker is allowed to play alone. Some only allow a defender to play alone against a lone maker.

In Canada it is not usual for the cards to be cut before dealing.

A common method of choosing the first dealer is to deal the cards around until a black jack appears.

Screw the Dealer. In this variation the dealer cannot pass a second time when naming the trump suit. On the second round, if the first three players pass, the dealer must name a suit. This variation is often played when playing time is constrained.

The Super-Euchre A "Super-Euchre" occurs when the making team takes zero tricks. Some play that the defending team then scores 4 points.

Railroading. This is a variation in which, if your partner is going to play alone, you may pass your partner a card (your best card) face down. Before looking at this card partner must choose whether to discard a card from hand and take the card offered in exchange, or to discard the offered card.

In Canada, some people play that if the first three players pass, the dealer is only allowed to take up the turned trump if already holding at least one trump in hand. For this purpose, the left bower is not counted as a trump.

Continue Rules of Euchre Tutorial: More Variations