EUCHRE RULES Intramural Sports Iowa State University
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EUCHRE RULES Intramural Sports Iowa State University PLAYERS: Teams of two. Partners face each other. CARDS: A pack of 24 cards made from a regular pack of 52. Discard all two’s to eight’s inclusive. The highest trump is the jack, called the right bower. The second highest is the other jack of the same color, called the left bower. For example, if spades are trumps, the jack of spades is right bower and the jack of clubs is the left bower. The rest of the trump suit ranks: A (third best), K, Q, 10, 9. In each non-trump suit the rank is: A (high), K, Q, J (if not the left bower), 10, 9. THE DEAL: The first dealer is selected at random. The turn to deal then rotates clockwise throughout the game. The dealer shuffles and the player to the dealer’s right may cut or “bump” - that is, knock the cards to indicate that they should be dealt as they are, without cutting. The dealer deals clockwise, giving each player a packet of two or three cards. Each player receives five cards. The dealer then turns the next card in the pack face up. This “up-card” is used as a basis for selecting the trump suit. The three remaining cards are left face-down and are not used. MAKING: The up-card proposes the trump suit for that deal, but it becomes trump only if a player accepts it. Beginning with the player at the left of the dealer, each player in turn may pass or may accept the suit of the up-card (if it has not been accepted before him/her.) If all four players pass, the up-card is turned face down. Then each in turn to the left of the dealer has a second chance to pass or to name a trump suit (if none has been named ahead of him/her). The named trump suit must be different from the up-card. Dealer must name the suit if no one else does the second time around. Whoever decides the trump suit, by accepting the up-card or naming a trump in the second round, becomes the maker. After the trump suit has been decided, but before the first lead, any player may announce that they are playing alone. The partner of the lone player puts their cards face-down and stays out of play. Either a member of the makers side or a defender may play alone. It is even possible that a maker and a defender choose to play alone, in which case there will be only two active players. A trump suit must be decided by the second round, a new deal is not allowed. We do not play no trump. THE PLAY: If the up-card is accepted, dealer has the right to use it as part of his/her hand, discarding any other card face down. If all four players are in the game, the play begins with the player to the dealer’s left. If one player is playing alone, the person to that player’s left leads first. If two players are playing alone, the defender leads. The hands are played out in five tricks. A player must follow suit to a lead, if able; if unable to follow suit, he may play any card. A trick is won by the highest trump in it, or, if it contains no trump, by the highest card played of the suit led. The winner of a trick leads to the next. SCORING: If all four players are playing then the scores are as follows: * If the makers win 3 or 4 tricks they score one point. * If the makers win all 5 tricks they score two points. * If the makers take fewer than 3 tricks they are said to be euchred, and the defenders score two points. If a maker playing alone wins all 5 tricks, the team scores four points instead of two - otherwise the scores are as above. If a defender playing alone succeeds in winning at least 3 tricks, thereby euchring the makers, the defenders score four points instead of two - otherwise the scores are as above. GAME: The side that has the most points when the time limit is up will win. If there is a tie when time is called, one more hand will be played to determine the winner. NEW DEAL: There must be a new deal by the same dealer if a card is exposed or found faced in the pack during the deal, or if the pack is found to be incorrect. WRONG NUMBER OF CARDS: If, before the first trick is ended, any hand is found to have the wrong number of cards, there must be a new deal by the same dealer; if the error is discovered at a later time, play continues and the offending side may not score for that deal. EXPOSED CARD: If a player (not playing alone) exposes a card from his/her hand except in proper play, he/she must leave it face up on the table and must play it at the first legal chance. REVOKE: Failure to follow suit when able to do so is a revoke. A player may correct his revoke before the trick is gathered; otherwise it stands as established. For established revoke, the opponents of the offender may score 2 points or may deduct 2 from the revoking side (both playing) or 4 from a lone player. .