Full Rules & How to Play
Guernsey Euchre
- What is Euchre?
- The Pack
- Object of the Game
- Rank of Cards
- Card Values/Scoring
- Playing the Game
- In this online game
What is Euchre?
Euchre is a trick taking type of card game and played with 4 people, playing 2 against 2 as partners.
So here’s the low down on the game that’s gripped and continues to grip Guernsey’s card playing community.
The Pack
The standard 52-card pack needs to be stripped down to make a deck of :
Object Of The Game
The goal is to win at least three tricks. If the side that fixed the trump fails to get three tricks, it is said to be “euchred.” Winning all five tricks is called a “march.”
Rank Of Cards
The highest trump is always the Joker, then the jack of the trump suit, called the “right bower.” The third-highest trump is the jack of the other suit of the same colour called the “left bower.”
Card ranking summary
If hearts were chosen as trumps then ranking would be as follows:
| Trumps | Others | |
|---|---|---|
| Joker | ||
| “Right Bower” Jack of trump suit | ||
| “Left Bower” Jack-same colour as trump | ||
| Ace | ||
| King | ||
| Queen | ||
| Jack (the trump jacks are the bowers above) | ||
| Ten | ||
| Nine | ||
| Eight | ||
| Seven | ||
Example: If Hearts are trumps (as above), the right bower is J♥ and left bower is J♦
The remaining trumps, and also other suit of the same colour, (Diamonds in this example) rank as follows:
A (high), K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7.
The remaining suits (Clubs and Spades in this example) rank as follows:
A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7. (note the Jack is in it’s usual ranking position)
Card Values/Scoring
The following shows all scoring situations :
| ✓ | Partnership making trump wins 3 or 4 tricks | 1 point |
| ✓ | Partnership making trump wins 5 tricks | 2 points |
| ✓ | Lone hand wins 3 or 4 tricks | 1 point |
| ✓ | Lone hand wins 5 tricks | 4 points |
| ✓ | Partnership or lone hand is euchred | opponents score 2 points |
The first partnership to score 15 points, wins the game.
Playing The Game
1. The Draw
Agree on the 2 partnerships. Players each draw a card. The player with the highest card deals first. Partners sit opposite each other.
2. The Deal
The cards are shuffled and then cut by the player to dealer's Right, then dealt clockwise beginning with the player to the left of the dealer. Each player receives 5 cards.
The dealer may deal any combination of 3 or 2 at a time. After the first deal, the deal passes to the player on the dealer’s left.
On completing the deal, the dealer places the rest of the pack on the table ensuring all players can see it and turns the top card face up.
3. Deciding the Trump Suite
Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, each player passes or accepts the turn-up as trump. Deciding whether to play or not is obviously dependant on the value and amount of possible trump cards you hold (see earlier section on Card Values).
If the partner of the dealer decides they want the suit that was turned up then they are forced to “go alone” – that is without help from their partner, the dealer (see “going alone” below).
If all 4 players pass in the first round then the upturned card is turned over, then each player in turn, starting with the player to the dealer’s left, has the option of passing again or of naming their preferred trump suit. The rejected suit may not be named.
If all 4 players again pass in the 2nd round, the cards are gathered and shuffled, and the next dealer deals.
Once a trump has been fixed play begins.
4. “Going Alone”
If the player who fixes the trump suit believes it will be to their side’s advantage to play without the help of their partner’s cards (see the scoring advantages), the player exercises this option by declaring “alone” at the time of making the trump. The player’s partner then turns their cards face down and does not participate in the play. Otherwise the player calling the trump calls it “with help”. As mentioned before if it’s the dealers partner who calls the trump on the 1st round then he is forced to “go alone”.
5. The Play
The opening lead is made by the player to the dealer’s left, or if this player’s partner is playing alone, it is made by the player across from the dealer. If possible, each player MUST follow the suit that is led. If unable to follow suit, the player may trump or discard any card. A trick is won by the highest card of the suit led, or, if it contains trumps, by the highest trump. The winner of a trick leads next.
In this online game
The computer plays the other three seats. These rules apply in Euchre Practise, in addition to those above:
- Seats: you sit at the bottom with Norma opposite as your partner. Wesley and Esther are your opponents.
- The deal: cards are dealt clockwise from the dealer’s left, in a round of 3 and a round of 2. Your cards are dealt face down and then turned over. The rest of the pack sits in view beside the dealer with the turn-up card on top.
- Picking up: when trump is ordered up in the first round, the dealer picks up the turn-up card and discards one card, unless the dealer is sitting out.
- You must hold the suit: a player (or computer player) can only order up, pick up or name a suit if they hold at least one card of that suit in their hand. The Joker and the bowers count as cards of the trump suit.
- If the Joker is turned up: the dealer must name the trump suit blind, before looking at their cards (the cards stay face down until the suit is named). The dealer then looks at their hand and decides to play with help or alone. The dealer must accept the suit they named, even with no other cards of that suit, and then picks up the Joker and discards another card.
- All pass twice: if all four players pass in both rounds, the hand is thrown in and the deal passes to the next player on the dealer’s left.
- Scoring: scores are tracked for you, and a team that is euchred is announced on screen.