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EuchreThe Pack | Object | Trumps | Dealer's Privilege | Deal | Tricks Euchre is an essentially American game, and remains popular in the north-eastern states of the US, in Canada, and an historically unexplained following in the west country of Britain. I learnt it from my Nanna in Hawera, New Zealand.Euchre can be played by virtually any number, though it is arguably at its best as a partnership for four. First grasp the basic principles, and then take a look at its various formats. The Pack Thirty-two cards, with normal ranking as AKQ(J)T987. Object The object of each player or partnership is to win a majority of the five tricks, ie. three or more ('the point'), and preferably all five, which is known as 'the march'. A player or partnership that fails to win after accepting the proposed suit as trump is 'euchred', and penalised accordingly. Trumps In the suit selected as trump the highest card is the Jack, known as the Right Bower, and the second highest is the Jack of the other suit of the same colour as trumps, known as the Left Bower. It follows that there will be nine cards in the trump suit, but only seven in the other suit of that colour, and eight in each of the others. It must always be remembered in play that the Left Bower belongs to the trump suit and not to the suit marked on its face. The Ace is then the third highest trump, followed by KQT987.  Dealer's Privilege In most versions of the game a card is turned up for the purpose of proposing a trump suit. This suit may be accepted or rejected as trump, but if it is accepted then the dealer has the privilege of discarding one of the cards she was dealt and counting the turn-up as part of her hand. This is called 'taking it up'. Deal Five cards each are dealt in batches of two and three, and the next is turned up to propose a trump suit. Tricks Usual rules of trick-taking apply. Suit must be followed if possible; if not, a player may trump or renounce. The trick is captured by the highest card of the suit led, or the highest trump if any are played, and the winner of one trick leads to the next.
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