Euchre is one of the newest side games at CarbonPoker. With deep roots, this popular game of skill is a trick-taking card game. With the American rules in play at CarbonPoker, I'm sure that they'll be familiar to you. If not, here is a refresher.
The game is played in teams of two, with four players. Partners sit across from each other at the playing table. Euchre uses only 24 playing cards: Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, Tens and Nines -- of all four suits. Knowing this is important for Euchre strategy.
When choosing who will deal, players usually deal until the first player receives a Jack. When that occurs, that player is the dealer of the first hand. The dealer button rotates clockwise.
Each player is dealt five cards, clockwise. The cards that remain are referred to as the kit, or kitty. The kit's top card is face up, beginning the bidding. In turn, the dealer asks players if the suit of the face up card should be the Trump. If this is the case, the dealer picks it up and discards to retain the 5 card hand. If no player selects it, in turn each player is given the chance to name the trump suit. If this doesn't happen, it's a misdeal.
A trump suit (determined at the beginning of the hand) outranks any other card or suit, paying no attention to the actual value of the card.
Each partnership is attempting to be the first to score at least 10 points.
The Jack of the trump suit is the most valuable card and is called the "right bower". The "left bower" is the Jack of the same color. Example: if the trump suit was Spades, the Jack of Spades would be the "right bower" and the Jack of Clubs would be called the "left bower". The left bower is the second most valuable card in the game. Following the two bowers, standard card rankings go into effect - starting with Ace.
GamePlay:Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, players bid clockwise -- determining whether to use the face-up card as trump suit. Players have these possible choices:
The group of players who choose the trump suit during a bidding round is referred to as the Makers. The remaining group is called Defenders.
Going AloneWith a good enough Euchre hand, a player has the option of "going alone". For this to occur, their partner must place thier cards face down and sit out the hand. To go alone, a player must announce following the announcement of the trump suit, but before the first card is played. It's possible that one player from each pair can go alone.
HandsThe Euchre player to the dealer's left begins by playing any of his hand's cards. Following players must play cards in the suit that was lead, if they have the cards. If not, any card is acceptable.
The highest card in the leading suit wins the trick -- unless a trump card is played (in this instance, the highest trump card will win).
The winning player is the lead of the next hand.
ScoreIf 4 players are in a single hand, the Makers earn one point for taking three tricks. An additional point is awarded for winning all five. However, if the Makers fail to win at least 3, the defenders are awarded two points.
Going Alone points:The first team to accumulate 10 points wins the game of Euchre.
