Euchre Online
The fast Midwestern partnership game with a 24-card deck. Order up trump, lean on the bowers, go alone when your hand is loaded and be the first team to 10.
You and your partner (across) vs. 2 computer opponents. Pick trump, use the bowers and be the first team to 10 points.
How to play Euchre
Four players in two teams, with your partner sitting across from you. Euchre uses only the 9, 10, J, Q, K and A of each suit. Everyone gets 5 cards and the top card of the 4 left over is turned face up.
Starting left of the dealer, each player can “order up” that card, making its suit trump; the dealer then picks it up and discards a card. If all four pass, the card is turned down and there’s a second round where anyone can name a different suit as trump. If everyone passes again, the hand is thrown in and the next player deals. Whoever chooses trump can also “go alone,” leaving their partner out of the hand.
The Jack of trump (right bower) is the highest card, followed by the other Jack of the same color (left bower), which counts as a trump, then A, K, Q, 10, 9 of trump. You must follow the suit led if you can. The team that chose trump scores 1 point for 3 or 4 tricks and 2 for all 5 (4 when going alone). If they take fewer than 3, they’re “euchred” and the other team scores 2. First to 10 wins.
Frequently asked questions
When should I order up?
A good rule of thumb is three trumps including a bower, or two strong trumps plus an off-suit Ace. Be careful when the dealer is an opponent: the card you order up goes straight into their hand. When the dealer is your partner, that card helps your team.
When is going alone worth it?
Go alone when you can take all 5 tricks without help, for example both bowers plus the trump Ace and another winner. A lone march scores 4 points instead of 2, but you still score only 1 if you take 3 or 4 tricks and give up 2 if you’re euchred.
What is “stick the dealer” and other house rules?
With stick the dealer, the dealer can’t pass in the second round and must call trump, so hands are never thrown in. Other common variations include defending alone for 4 points, playing to 11 points, and the Canadian rule that a dealer’s partner who orders up must go alone. This game uses the standard rules: everyone may pass, and a full pass means a redeal.