The Deck & Deal
24 cards: 9, 10, J, Q, K, A in all four suits. Four players in two partnerships
(North–South vs East–West). Each player gets 5 cards; the top card of the four
left over (the kitty) is turned face-up to start the bidding.
Trump & Bowers
- Right Bower — Jack of the trump suit (highest trump).
- Left Bower — Jack of the same-color suit as trump (second highest trump, counts as trump).
- Color pairs: ♥ Hearts ↔ ♦ Diamonds · ♠ Spades ↔ ♣ Clubs
- Trump order (high→low): Right Bower, Left Bower, A, K, Q, 10, 9
Bidding — Round 1
Starting left of the dealer, each player may order it up
(accepting the up card's suit as trump) or pass. On their own
turn the dealer may pick it up instead of passing. Either way,
the dealer adds the up card to their hand and discards one card face-down.
Bidding — Round 2
If all four pass in round 1, the up card is turned down and each player may
name any suit as trump (except the turned-down suit) or pass.
The dealer is stuck — they must name a suit if all others pass
(stick the dealer).
Going Alone
Whoever names trump — in either round — may go alone: their
partner sits out and they play one against two. Winning all 5 tricks alone
scores 4 points.
Playing Tricks
- You must follow suit if you can. The Left Bower follows trump,
not its printed suit.
- Highest trump wins. If no trump is played, highest card of the led suit wins.
- Trick winner leads the next trick.
Scoring
- Makers take 3–4 tricks → 1 point (alone or not)
- Makers take all 5 (march) → 2 points
- Lone player takes all 5 → 4 points
- Makers fail to take 3 (euchred) → opponents get 2 points
First team to reach the target score (5, 7, or 10) wins.
Optional House Rules
- TRAM — when the rest of the tricks are guaranteed, the hand
auto-plays out ("The Rest Are Mine").
- Canadian Loner — if you order up your partner (the dealer),
you must go alone.
- Natural Trump — the dealer may only pick up the up card if
they already hold a natural card of that suit.
