Euchre

Euchre, a game at cards, very popular in America, but not played until the first quarter of the 19th century. Euchre is played with a pack of thirty-two cards (all cards below a seven being rejected). The cards rank as at whist, with the exception of the bowers. Knave of the trump suit (right bower) is the best trump; knave of the same colour (left bower) is the next best, that card belonging to the trump suit. Each player receives five cards from the dealer, by two or three at a time, the top card being then turned up for trumps. When two play, the non-dealer either orders up the trump, and plays his hand, or passes. If he orders up, the dealer discards a card, and substitutes the trump card for it. If he passes, the dealer either takes up the trump (discarding as before), and the hand is played, or passes. This he signifies by turning down the trump. If both pass, the non-dealer may name any other suit for trumps (called making it), or may pass again. If he passes, the dealer may make it. If either makes it, the hand is then played; if both pass again, the hand is thrown up, and the opponent deals. If the hand is played, the non-dealer leads; the dealer plays, and must follow suit, if able. The highest card wins the trick; trumps win other suits, and the play continues as at whist. A player ordering up, or taking up, or making the trump, and winning five tricks (called a march), scores two; if he wins three tricks (called the point), he scores one. If he fails to make three tricks, he is euchred, and his adversary scores two. The game is five up. When four play, they cut for partners, as at whist. If the first hand passes, the second may assist, when his partner (the dealer) takes up the trump, and the hand is played. If a player has a very strong hand, he may play alone—i.e. single-handed against both adversaries. But he can only play alone when he or his partner orders up, or when his partner assists, or when he takes up the trump, or when he makes the trump. The hands are played as at whist, and the scores are as before; but if a lone player wins five tricks, he scores four. Euchre is sometimes played by three persons (eut-throat euchre); but it is not considered a good game, as not only do two players combine against the third, but at some points of the score a player may conspire against his partner. The game most in vogue among good players is the four-handed. The laws of four-handed euchre, revised by a committee of the Somerset Club, Boston, Mass., were adopted by that club on March 1, 1888.