Standard 4 player rules

Euchre is a standard trick-taking game played with 4 players in fixed partners sitting opposite. Each hand one team chooses a trump suit, they become the 'makers' and have to win at least 3 out of 5 total tricks. The other team are the 'defenders'

A 24 card deck is used, in standard order of priority (Ace high, K,Q,J,10,9). With the exception of the trump suit, where the Jack of trump is the highest card (Right bauer), and the jack of the other suit in the same color becomes the second highest card (Left bauer). Thus, if hearts is called trump, the order of priority for trump would be:

Right bower (Jack of hearts)

Left bower (Jack of Diamonds)

Ace

King

Queen

10

9

Making Trump

The trump suit is decided during a bidding or "making trump" phase.

After each player is dealt five cards, the dealer places the top card of the remaining deck face up on the table. The remaining 3 cards are discarded face down.

Going clockwise, starting left of the dealer, each player is given the choice to either pass, or "order up" that card. If all other players pass, the dealer is given the choice to "take it up" themselves. If ordered up, the suit of the turned up card becomes trump The dealer then adds that card to their hand and chooses one card to discard.

If all players (including the dealer) pass, the card in the middle is turned over, and continuing clockwise, each player is again given the choice to make trump in any of the other 3 suits. If everyone else passes a second time, the dealer must call trump (called sticking the dealer).

Whichever team ordered up or chose the trump suit are now the makers. And have the goal of winning at least 3 of the 5 tricks. The other team are the defenders.

When making trump, players can also choose to go alone. Playing without their partner, for extra points if they win all 5 tricks.

Gameplay

The player to the left of the dealer leads the first trick. Play then continues clockwise. Players must follow suit, but if they have no cards of the suit, they may play any card. The left bower counts as part of the trump suit, not it's original suit. The highest card in the suit led wins the trick, but if a trump card is played, the highest trump wins the trick instead.

After each hand, the player left of the dealer deals the next hand.

Scoring

If the team that calls trump wins three tricks, they earn one point. If they win all five tricks, they earn two points. If they do not win three tricks, they have been euchred, and the other team earns two points.

In the trump-calling phase there is an option for a player to call trump and go alone. When this happens, his partner does not play the round, but if he wins all five tricks, he gets four points. Otherwise, scoring is normal. (one point for three tricks, two points to the other team for getting euchred).

Variants

Several variant rules can be enabled during table setup.

Stick the dealer

Turned on by default, forces the dealer to make trump at the end of the second bidding to round. If disabled, the dealer can pass, and a new hand is dealt by the next player.

No-trump call

During the second round of bidding, players can "make" with no trump suit. Play continues normally, with each suit in standard card order.

Loner starts last

When playing alone, the defender to your left leads the first trick. Regardless of who the dealer was for that hand.

Canadian loner

In the first round of bidding, the dealer's partner can only go alone or pass, and cannot order up the face up card normally.

Lone defender

After Trump is made, the defenders can also choose to play alone. Winning 4 points instead of 2 if they successfully euchre the makers.

Benny

Adds a joker to the deck, called the Benny. The Benny is the new highest trump, above right bower. And is treated as part of the trump suit for following suit.

If a no-trump call is made, the Benny is not part of any of the 4 suits, so can only be played if you can't follow suit. But still functions as a singular trump, winning any trick it's played on.