The Basics
Euchre is a trick-taking card game for four players in two teams of two. Partners sit across from each other. A 24-card deck is used (9 through Ace), and each player is dealt five cards. The remaining four cards form the kitty; the top card is turned face up to propose a trump suit.
Trump & Bowers
The trump suit has a special hierarchy: the Jack of trump (right bower) is the highest card in the game, followed by the Jack of the same-color suit (left bower). The left bower counts as trump, not its printed suit. Then Ace, King, Queen, 10, 9 of trump in descending order.
Bidding
Starting left of the dealer, each player may "order up" the face-up card as trump or pass. If ordered up, the dealer picks up that card and discards one. If all four pass, a second round lets any player name a different suit. If everyone passes again, the hand is redealt.
Any player who calls trump may go alone. Their partner sits out for a chance at bonus points.
Playing Tricks
The player left of the dealer leads the first trick. You must follow the suit led if you can; otherwise play any card. Highest trump wins the trick. If no trump was played, the highest card of the led suit wins. The winner leads next.
Scoring
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Makers win three or four tricks | one point |
| Makers win all five (march) | two points |
| Makers win fewer than three (euchred) | two points to defenders |
| Lone player wins all five | four points |
First team to 10 points wins the game.
Turn Timer
Every turn has a 90-second countdown to keep the game moving. Here's what happens if a player doesn't act:
- 30 seconds: the idle player gets a nudge reminder.
- 45 seconds: other players can vote to boot the idle player.
- 90 seconds: the idle player is automatically replaced by a bot.
If you get booted, you can rejoin the game and reclaim your seat from the bot.
Strategy Tips
- Count your likely tricks before ordering. Only call trump if you can reasonably expect three tricks between you and your partner.
- Both bowers + Ace of trump = go alone. Three guaranteed trump tricks make this the classic loner hand.
- Lead trump early. Drawing out opponents' trump limits their ability to trump your off-suit winners later.
- Watch the bidding. A player who passed both rounds likely has a weak hand. Play accordingly.
- Defend loners aggressively. Stopping even one trick saves your team three points (the difference between four and one).
For deeper coverage of each of these decisions, see the euchre strategy guides: when to call trump, when to go alone, how to play defense, reading your partner's bid, first-trick strategy, and counting cards in a 24-card deck.
Glossary
A short list of the most common terms below. For the full glossary with every term you will hear at a euchre table, see the complete euchre glossary.
- Right Bower
- The Jack of the trump suit. The highest card in the game for that hand.
- Left Bower
- The Jack of the same-color suit as trump. The second-highest card. Counts as trump.
- Makers
- The team that called trump. Must win at least three tricks or get euchred.
- March
- Winning all five tricks. Worth two points (or four if going alone).
- Euchre
- When the makers fail to win three tricks. Defenders score two points.
- Going Alone
- Playing a hand without your partner for a chance at four points.
- Kitty
- The four cards left after dealing. The top card proposes trump in round 1.
- Stick the Dealer
- A house rule requiring the dealer to name trump if everyone else passes. More details.
- Farmer's Hand
- A hand with no face cards and no aces, only 9s and 10s. A house rule can force a redeal when this occurs. More details.
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