Euchre
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Wikipedia-Article "Euchre"
Euchre is a trick-taking card game played in many parts of the world. It is closely related to the French game Écarté.
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Geography/History
The United States, the British Isles (most notably in Cornwall), Canada and Australia all have large followings of the game. In the United States, the game has declined in popularity since the 19th century, when it was widely regarded as the national card game, but it retains a following. Today, it is frequently regarded as a Midwestern game; although Euchre players can be found across the country, it is believed that the game is most predominant in the Midwest (particularly Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan) and a card player from that region is almost certainly expected to have heard of or played the game. Euchre is also popular in parts of Pennsylvania, because of its ties to the Pennsylvania Dutch, as well as parts of Iowa and upstate New York because of German settlement in those areas during the 19th century. In Canada, the largest following is in Ontario.
Setup
Euchre is a game that requires decisiveness on the part of its players. It uses a deck of 24 playing cards, the cards from 2 to 8 being left out, although 32-card variants (with the sevens and eights included) are also played. There are four players, divided into two partnerships, with partners sitting at the table facing one another. Each player is dealt five cards; the remaining four cards (the kitty) are placed in the center on the table.
In non-trump suits, the order is the normal Ace high-King-Queen-Jack-10-9 low, but in the trump suit, the highest card is the jack of trump, called the right bower. (The term bower comes from German bauer, peasant, a word also used for the card called in English the knave or Jack. The German spelling is occasionally used in English, but the spelling bower is standard.) The second highest trump (even higher than an ace) is the jack in the suit of the same color as the trump suit, called the left bower. For all intents and purposes, the opposite jack is considered as if it were part of the actual trump suit. This is important later in the game, and is usually known by newcomers as the hardest part to learn about the game.
Gameplay
Dealing
Euchre is a game of etiquette, and before the cards are dealt, the dealer offers the deck to be cut by the player to his right. Also, as in many card games, the order of deal is traditional, and expected to be followed. Cards are dealt clockwise starting with the player left of the dealer in sets of 3, 2, 3, 2; 2, 3, 2, 3, although in casual play, any combination may be dealt, as long as the dealt cards go around twice to everyone. The remaining 4 cards are placed in a pile, face-down, on the table next to the dealer. This pile is known as the "kitty" or "widow".
Making trump
After the deal, the top kitty card is 'turned' to be displayed face-up on top of the kitty. Starting with the dealer's left, the players decide if they would like to call the suit displayed on the upcard as trump. If the player wants the upcard's suit as trump, they advise the dealer to "pick it up". If the player does not want the upcard's suit as trump, the player will pass (defers selected to the next player to the left). The decision to pass may be communicated by saying "pass" or by simply knocking on the table. The choice (to pass or pick it up) continues to each player around the table until either (a) the dealer is ordered by a player to pick up the upcard, or (b) the choice comes back around to the dealer, who may order himself to pick up the card or pass (which is indicated by the dealer's turning of the upcard face-down on top of the kitty).
It is important to note that in this phase of bid-making, regardless of who "orders it up", the dealer is the only person that may pick up the upcard. When picking up the upcard, the dealer discards another card from his hand, by placing it face down on the kitty, showing it to no one.
If no one "orders it up", the choice of trump goes around the table again, and each player in succession is given the opportunity to pick the trump suit from the remaining three suits. This continues until trump is selected or the choice comes back around to the dealer. If the choice comes back around to the dealer, the dealer can either select trump, or call for a redeal. In this case, the hand is not played, and the deal is passed to the next player.
In some variations, the following rules are added during the bid. First, if the dealer's partner orders up the dealer, the dealer does not play in the hand and the dealer's partner must play alone against two defenders (described further below). Second, if all players pass the bid twice, the dealer is stuck making trump from the remaining three suits (i.e., cannot opt for a redeal. Also, this rule is sometimes known as "stick-the-dealer"). These additions are sometimes referred to as "Canadian rules."
The team that selects trump is sometimes known as the "makers" for the remainder of the hand. The opposing team is known as the "defenders" for the remainder of the hand.
Trick-taking
The lead starts with the player to dealer's left (or the dealer's partner if the player to dealer's right has decided to go alone), and this person plays the first card. All following players must play a card of the same suit (called "following suit") if they have a card of that suit in their hand (the left bower is considered a member of the trump suit).
The player who played the highest trump wins the trick. If no trump have been played, the highest card that followed suit wins the trick. The player that won the trick is responsible for clearing the played cards from the play area and then leading the next trick.
After all five tricks have been played, the hand is scored. The player to the left of the previous dealer then becomes the dealer for the next hand, so that the deal moves clockwise around the table.
Going alone
If the player making trump is dealt a very good hand, or if his team is in danger of losing the game, the player making trump has the option of "going alone". Here, his partner sits out that hand. This is advised when the player makes trump, and the player is then known for the remainder of the hand as the "loner".
Scoring
- Makers win 3 or 4 tricks: 1 point
- Makers win all 5 tricks: 2 points (this is known as a "march")
- Defenders win 3, 4, or 5 tricks: 2 points (this is known as a "Euchre" or "set")
- Loner takes all 5 tricks: 4 points
The first team to score 10 points wins the round. Score is usually kept using cards from the deck that are not in play, such as a six and a four, or a pair of fives. In this case, one card is used to cover the other so that only the correct number of pips are showing.
Cheating
As mentioned above, Euchre is a game of etiquette. For this reason, there are several opportunities to cheat. Some of these breaches are significant enough to have become a permanent part of the game, either as an accepted part of the rules, or as part of specific variations. Some of these include:
- Failing to offer the cut: When a dealer fails to offer the opportunity to cut to the player to his right, after shuffling and before dealing. When caught, the dealer forfeits his turn to deal and passes it to the next player.
- Reneging: Failure to follow suit when able. When it is noticed, the hand is generally forfeited, and 2 points are awarded to the opposing team. Because of the fast pace of the game, catching a reneger is difficult.
- Stealing the deal: When a player either intentionally or accidentally deals out of turn. Depending on the variation(s) played, there is a slight advantage to being the dealer, as the making of trump based on the upcard automatically gives the dealer one trump card. When it is noticed, the hand is generally forfeited, and 2 points are awarded to the opposing team.
- Table talk/signals: When a player or team intentionally communicates the contents of their hands to each other or otherwise interferes with otherwise objective play. When caught, the hand is generally forfeited and 4 points are awarded to the opposing team.
- Stacking the deck: When the dealer arranges the cards prior to the deal so that he and his partner become more likely to win.
Gameplay Variations
Variations in gameplay are generally invoked by agreeing on them before gameplay begins.
Throw-ins
These variations (and others) allow a player dealt one of several types of poor hands to "throw in" their cards and initiate a redeal.
- Nines & Tens: a hand consisting only of 9's and 10's. It is impossible for more than one player to have such a hand in regular gameplay. Also known as a "Farmer's hand"
- Ace, No Face: a single ace and nothing else except 9's and 10's.
- King Nothing: a single king and nothing else except 9's and 10's.
- Bitches' Hand: three queens and nothing else except 9's and 10's.
- Jack Shit: a single jack and nothing else except 9's and 10's.
- No Ace, No-Face, No-Trump: a throw-in hand determined after the make, containing only non-trump 9's and 10's.
Farmer's hand
Common in the Midwestern US, certain throw-in hands are designated as "farmer's hands". The first player, upon being dealt one of the designated farmer's hands, to call out "farmer's hand!", is then allowed to exchange some pre-determined number of cards in their hand with the same number of cards from the kitty. Some variations allow for multiple farmer's hands to be called out, but those exchanging cards with those left behind in the kitty after the first exchange are essentially guaranteed very poor cards.
Making trump
- Stick/Screw the Dealer: If the trump selection comes all the way back around to the dealer the second time, the dealer must call the trump suit. In other words, there is no option to redeal.
- Club Euchre: Whenever the upturned kitty card is suited clubs, the dealer must "pick it up" and his team must play as the makers, with clubs as trump.
Trick-taking
- Super-Euchre: If the defenders take all 5 tricks, then they score a Super-Euchre and 4 points are earned.
Going alone
- Partner's Best: When a maker "goes alone", he and his partner exchange a single card from their hands, concealed from all other players, before trick-taking begins.
- Canadian: When a player orders his partner to "pick it up", he must attempt the hand as a loner.
- Blind-Double Loner: Before the maker sees his cards, the maker calls "blind double loner". Here, the turn card is automatically trump, and the game is played by normal loner rules. If the Blind-double Loner wins all 5 tricks, 8 points are awarded to the player's team.
- Defending Alone: When a maker decides to go alone, one of the opposing players has the option of "defending alone". Here, one of the opposing players calls out "I'll defend alone" right after the loner establishes himself or herself. If the "partner's best" subvariation is invoked, then this "lone defender" also has the opportunity to exchange a single card with their partner before tricks are played. In either case, if the lone defender Euchres the loner, then his team earns 4 points. If the Blind-double Loner is Euchred by a Blind-double Lone Defender, then the latter's team receives 8 points.
Scoring rituals
- In Upstate NY, the scoring is almost always done with a 2 and a 3. the score is the number of pips showing. When the score is 5 or more the cards are turned into a V shape and then the score is 5 plus whatever is showing. The V is the Roman numeral for 5.
- For some players in the Midwest, when a team has nine points one places the score cards next to each other, face down. The team is now "in the barn" (also "on the corner") or "mooing". Some more casual players have been known to place the two score cards in their ears upon "entering the barn." If the team scores their tenth point then the "barn doors are opened:" the cards are flipped to show all ten pips.
- On many American college campuses, the players of a losing team which failed to earn any points at all are considered to have been "skunked" by the winning team. Sometimes, the relatively rare event of being skunked implies that the losers must perform some form of ritual penitence such as streaking the campus.
International variations
Other variations of Euchre are widely played in the southwestern counties of England, where it is common for a pub to have its own team which takes part in competitive league matches with other teams. The most common form of the game played in the UK is one where a twenty-five card deck is used; the deck consists of A-K-Q-J-10-9, with an extra card called the Benny. This card, usually a joker card or the two of spades, is the highest trump no matter which suit is called. Should this card be the one turned over by the dealer, the dealer must decide which suit to call for trumps before looking at their own hand. The bidding then continues as normal.
Extra-Cards
Players can also play with the extra cards 8 and 7, which adds more uncertainty to which trump cards can still be in opposing players' hands.
See also
External links
- http://www.pagat.com/euchre/euchre.html
- http://games.yahoo.com/eu - Play online at Yahoo!
- http://play.pogo.com/rooms/roomtabs.jsp?game=euchre&sls=3&site=pogo - Pogo! Euchre
- http://home.cwru.edu/~mjs2/euchre.html - The Semi-Official Euchre Page, intended to be amusing, but still a very informative resource
- http://www.thegang1.com/Formats.html - Many alternative formats for a fun game
- http://zone.msn.com/en/euchre/default.htmMicrosoft Zone's Euchre, a free and very friendly community.
- http://members.tripod.com/~Borf_Books/borfeuch.htm - Information on the Columbus (IN) Rules of Euchre and a link to purchase the humorous and informative publication