Ultimate Book of Card Games: The Comprehensive Guide to More Than 350 Games (60 page)

CARD RANKINGS
The jack of trump (called right bower) is always the highest-ranking trump, followed by the jack of the suit matching the color of the trump (called left bower). So, if clubs are trump, the card rankings are (high to low): J of clubs, J of spades, A of clubs, K of clubs, Q of clubs, 10 of clubs, 9 of clubs, 8 of clubs, 7 of clubs. In non-trump suits, cards rank (high to low) from A to 7, not including the jack if it is left bower.

The left bower is considered trump in all aspects. When clubs are trump, for example, the J of spades may not follow a spade lead (unless you are void in clubs and intentionally mean to trump the spade lead) and, when J of spades leads a trick, clubs must follow (not spades).

SCORING
The goal is to score 5 game points. Points are awarded for winning at least three of the five tricks in each round. If the
making
side
wins three or four tricks, they score 1 point; if they win all five tricks, it’s called a
march
and earns 2 points (a lone maker scores 4 points for march).

The making team is
euchred
if they fail to win at least three tricks. The defending team earns 2 points for a euchre. A lone defender scores 2 points for three or four tricks, 4 points for a euchre.

HOW TO PLAY
Starting to the left of the dealer, each player has an opportunity to accept or decline the proposed trump suit (indicated by the suit of the turn-up card). Players say either “I order it up” to accept (dealer’s partner says “I assist” to accept), or “pass.” The dealer alone accepts trump with a proclamation of “I take it up.” If the turn-up is accepted, the game starts immediately and the dealer is allowed to swap a card in her hand for the turn-up.

If all players pass, the turn-up card is placed face down and the player to the left of the dealer nominates any suit as trump (except the suit just passed on), followed by all players having a chance to accept or decline the newly proposed trump suit. If no player accepts the trump suit in the second round, the dealer must choose trump.

Whichever player accepts trump is called the
maker
; the opposing team is called the
defenders
. If the maker has a strong hand, he may declare “I play alone,” which automatically
force-folds
his partner. If this happens, either partner on the defending team may reply “I defend alone,” which force- folds the defending partner.

The first trick is led by the player to the left of the dealer, no matter which player is the maker. The only exception is if the maker is playing alone—in this case, the first trick is led by the player to the left of the maker. All other players must follow suit if possible; otherwise they may play any card. Tricks are won by the highest trump played or, if none, by the highest card in the leading suit. The trick winner leads the next trick.

HOW TO WIN
You should “go for maker” when holding any three trump cards. It’s more risky—but still common—to go for maker holding an ace and king. In games where the score is 4-1 or 4-2 in your favor, it’s worth going for maker even with a weak hand. At worst, you lose 2 points; at best, you win or prevent the defending team from winning with a lone-player bonus.

Never hold off playing a winning card on the assumption that the card will be even more useful later. And never ever play a higher card than your partner, or trump a trick that your partner is already winning.

IRREGULARITIES & DISPUTES
The worst transgression in Euchre is failing to follow suit when you can. There is no penalty if you fix the error before the next trick is played. Otherwise, the cards remain as played and score -2 points for the penalty. Table talk is off-limits. If you break this taboo by discussing strategy or your cards, the opposing team may name a suit for your team to lead on the next hand! If you accidentally pass or bid out of turn, your team loses the right to bid on the hand.

VARIATION 1: 24-CARD EUCHRE

This is the most common form of Euchre played in the American Midwest. The rules are identical to the standard game. The main difference is the deck: start with fifty-two cards, and remove all 2s through 8s, for a total of twenty-four cards. Games are typically played to 10 points.

VARIATION 2: 25-CARD EUCHRE

This is the version of the game most commonly played in Britain. The rules are essentially identical to 24-Card Euchre, except that one joker—called
best bower
—is added to the deck. The best bower is always the highest trump, ranking above right bower. When the jack is the turn-up card, hearts are the proposed suit.

VARIATION 3: HASENPFEFFER EUCHRE

Follow the rules for 25-Card Euchre, but deal each player six cards. The last card, left face down on the table, is the
widow.
The player to the left of the
dealer starts a round of bidding. All players bid only once, from 1 to 6, and highest bid wins. If all players pass, the bid is forced at 3 to the player holding the joker.

The bid winner takes the widow, names a trump suit, replaces the widow with any card from her hand, and leads the first trick. Games are played to 10 points. If the bidding team achieves their bid, they score 1 point for each trick won. Otherwise, they lose the amount of their bid.

VARIATION 4: THREE-HAND EUCHRE

Got three players? You can play Euchre (follow the standard rules) with two simple modifications. The trump maker always plays alone against the other two players, who form a temporary partnership as defenders. And the maker scores 3 points for a march while the defenders each score 2 points for euchres.

VARIATION 5: SIX-HAND EUCHRE

Two teams of three compete head to head here. Start with the thirty-two-card Euchre deck and add one joker (which is always the highest trump). If a maker wants to play alone, the maker’s two partners discard their hands face down, and the lone maker can ask either one for a card. A card is given—without discussion or consultation—from the partner to the maker, and the maker discards a single card in return. A march and a euchre score 3 points instead of the standard 2; for a lone maker, the scores are 6 points each, instead of the standard 4. Games are played to 10 points.

VARIATION 6: CALL-ACE EUCHRE

This is an old-fashioned version of Euchre, and rarely played. Don’t let that stop you—it’s plenty of fun and can be played by four to six players. Follow the standard rules, but once a maker is selected, he nominates any suit (trump or not), and the player holding the highest card of that suit secretly becomes the maker’s partner. It’s secret because the maker’s partner does not announce herself. It will simply become obvious at some point during the round.

There are two exceptions. First, the maker may declare “I play alone,” and play without assistance. Second, the maker plays alone if he happens to hold the highest card in the nominated suit. Again, this isn’t known immediately—the maker may think he has an anonymous partner in the game, but he does not! When the maker has a partner, score points for the making team and the defending team exactly as in the standard game. When the maker has no partner, each defender scores her own points. In games of five or six players, a team that scores a march earns 3 points.

1. DIFFICULTY
   :
   low
   
2. TIME LENGTH
   :
   medium
   
3. DECKS
   : 1
   

Pedro evolved from the older Italian game of Briscola. While you could argue that Pedro is merely a simplified version of Briscola, that’s not giving Pedro its due. The game is fast-paced, competitive without being ruthless, and makes an excellent introduction into partnership trick-taking games.

HOW TO DEAL
Start with a fifty-two-card deck, and deal nine cards to each player, in batches of three. Card ranking is standard, with aces always high.

The 5 of trump is called
pedro
; the
low pedro
is the 5 of the suit of matching color (e.g., when clubs are trump, 5 of clubs is pedro, 5 of spades is low pedro). The low pedro acts as a trump, ranking below the pedro but above the 4 of trump. When hearts are trump, for example, cards rank (high to low): A of hearts-K of hearts-Q of hearts-J of hearts-10 of hearts-9 of hearts-8 of hearts-7 of hearts-6 of hearts-5 of hearts (Pedro)-5 of diamonds (Low Pedro)-4 of hearts-3 of hearts-2 of hearts.