The Basics

Euchre is a 4-Player card game, played with a reduced deck of just 24 cards: including the 4 suits, each with 6 cards (9, 10, J, Q, K, A) The four Players are paired off, with Partners sitting opposite each other.

Players try to earn points by winning tricks in each game or hand - A hand of play includes 5 tricks, thus a Pair must win a minimum of 3 tricks to score points. A match normally consists of as many hands as necessary for either Pair to earn a total of 10 points. For Snowman Series purposes, there will be five preliminary rounds, played with a time constraint of 20-minutes. Pairs will earn as many points as possible in the given time. (see POINTS below)

CHOOSING A DEALER

To begin a match, the cards are shuffled and flipped up one at a time to each of the 4 players until a JACK is revealed. The player who receives the first JACK becomes the Dealer for the first hand.

Dealing responsibility moves clockwise to the next player for each subsequent hand, until the match ends, by way of time limit or when either Pair reaches 10 points.

THE DEAL

The Dealer of each hand will shuffle the 24 cards, then distribute 5 facedown in front of each Player. The remaining 4 cards (known as "the Kitty") are placed aside, and the Dealer reveals the top card only by turning it face up. This card indicates the suggested Trump Suit for the current hand.

TRUMP

In each hand of euchre, one of the four suits is designated the "Trump" suit, which is essentially a "wild" suit, thus taking the most powerful position in the deck. Once a suit is named Trump, it takes on two properties unlike the other three suits: First of all, the order of cards changes, with JACK becoming most powerful even over the ACE. The JACK of the Trump suit is called the Right Bower. Secondly, the alternate JACK from the other suit of the same colour also joins the Trump suit as the second highest card. This off-suit JACK is known as the Left Bower.

The remaining Trump cards maintain their order of value, thus Trump is ordered as follows, where DIAMOND is called: J, J, A, K, Q, 10, 9.

CALLING TRUMP

Each Player, beginning to the left of the Dealer and continuing clockwise, has the opportunity to designate the Trump suit, or to PASS. If a Player would like the turned up suit to become Trump, they must "order up" the Dealer on the first round of bidding. When ordered up, the Dealer must take the turned up card into his existing hand, and discard one other card of his choice. If the Dealer's partner orders up the turned up card, the Dealer then sits out of the hand, leaving the partner to play Alone. (see THE LONE HAND below)

If all four Players PASS the first card, the Dealer turns it facedown, and each Player has a second opportunity to name the Trump suit - the turned down suit cannot be named.

Following this second round of calling Trump, if there is still no decision made, the Dealer must name a suit as Trump, and regular play resumes. This rule is called "sticking the Dealer".

NOTE:   In order for a Player to legally declare any suit Trump, they must have at least 1 natural card of that suit in their hand.(The LEFT BOWER / off-suit JACK does not qualify as a natural.)

MISDEAL

At this point and before regular play begins, any player can call a MISDEAL if their 5-card hand does not include any ACES, FACE CARDS or TRUMP CARDS. This would mean that the hand would consist of only 9s & 10s of any suits other than Trump. (Called NO ACE, NO FACE, NO TRUMP.)

If a MISDEAL is called and proven by revealing the cards to all other Players, the hand is folded, and a new hand is dealt by the next Dealer is succession.

A MISDEAL can also be declared if any Player has been given the incorrect number of cards.

THE LONE HAND

Any Player who feels they have sufficient cards to take a minumum 3 cards without assistance from their Partner may decide to "Go Alone". GOING ALONE adds a certain level of intrigue to a hand as there are a total of 9 cards out of play: the Kitty of 4, plus the hand of the Player sitting out. Extra points are available due to the risk involved in a LONE HAND. (see POINTS below)

THE PLAY

Once Trump has been declared, and no Misdeal has been called, the Player to the immediate left of the Dealer begins the first trick by placing one card face-up in the middle of the table.

Each subsequent Player must continue the trick by adding one of their cards, keeping in mind that the suit led must be followed. That is to say if a HEART is played first, all other Players must play a HEART, unless none is available in their hand. In this case, any off-suit card may be played, including a Trump card (which takes precedence over the lead).

NOTE:   Once Trump is called, the LEFT BOWER becomes that suit.ie. When CLUBS is Trump, JACK of SPADES is played as a CLUB.

The individual who places the highest card on the trick wins it, and must lead for the next trick.

A SUCCESSFUL BID

In order to have a successful bid, the Pair responsible for designating Trump must earn a minimum of three tricks. An extra point is available if the Pair earns all five tricks in a single hand.

A EUCHRE

If the opposing (or defending) Pair manages to earn 3 or more tricks, they achieve a EUCHRE and steal the points from the controlling Players.

RENEGE

If a Player fails to follow suit on any trick, while still holding the appropriate suit in-hand, a RENEGE is called, and the individual Player is PENALIZED -2 POINTS while the opposing Team earns 2 Points for the current hand. A new hand is dealt by the next Dealer in succession.

POINTS

Team Points in each match are earned by Pairs based on which team designated Trump, and how many tricks are taken:

• 1 Point - Declaring Team wins minimum 3 tricks
• 2 Points - Declaring Team wins all 5 tricks
• 4 Points - Declaring Team wins 5 with Lone Hand
   
• 2 Points - Euchre! Defending Team wins 3 or more
• 2 Points - Renege! Opposing Team given current hand*

Team Bonus are awarded to Pairs for achievement in the following scenarios:

• Bonus +1 - Team successfully reaches 10-Points within 20-minute limit
• Bonus +2 - Team wins by SKUNK (ie. Final score of 10-0)

Player Awards are earned by individuals for achievement in the following scenarios:

• Award +1 - Player wins 5 tricks on Lone Hand
• Penalty -2 - *Renege! Individual Player loses points from total

Following each of the five 20-Minute Preliminary Rounds, each Player will receive their Team Points as well as any Team Bonus and Player Award applicable.

ROTATION

The Winning Pair from each Preliminary match will be determined by Team score from the current match only, not including Bonus or Player Awards.

The victorious Pair will remain at the same table, but will become opponents in the next match.

The defeated Pair will be divided, with Player 'A' moving to the next table counterclockwise, and Player 'B' moving on in a clockwise direction.

Incoming players will be paired with the appropriate vicorious Player already at the table: Incoming Player 'A' will be partnered with victorious 'B', while victorious 'A' is teamed with incoming 'B'. (The result will always be an 'A/B' Pair vs. another 'A/B' Pair.)

THE FINAL MATCH

Once the five Preliminary matches have been played, each Player's total will be calculated including the sum of all five previous matches plus any applicable Bonus & individual Awards.

The Top 2 Players from each division will move into the Final Match as Partners against the opposing division (ie. 'A1/A2' vs. 'B1/B2').

The Final Match is not a timed session, but instead will be fully played out in a Best-2-of-3 where each game consists of a full 10-Points.

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