Euchre Cheat Sheet
The whole game on one page: which card beats which, what each result scores, how the bidding goes, and the habits that win. Print it for the table or keep it open while you play.
Trump order, highest first
| Trump | 1. Right bower | 2. Left bower | 3 to 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♥ Hearts | J♥ | J♦ | A♥ K♥ Q♥ 10♥ 9♥ |
| ♦ Diamonds | J♦ | J♥ | A♦ K♦ Q♦ 10♦ 9♦ |
| ♠ Spades | J♠ | J♣ | A♠ K♠ Q♠ 10♠ 9♠ |
| ♣ Clubs | J♣ | J♠ | A♣ K♣ Q♣ 10♣ 9♣ |
Suits that are not trump rank A, K, Q, J, 10, 9. The left bower is a trump for the whole hand, so its printed suit has only five cards. Any trump beats any other suit.
Scoring
| Makers take 3 or 4 tricks | 1 point |
|---|---|
| Makers take all 5 tricks (a march) | 2 points |
| A lone maker takes all 5 tricks | 4 points |
| A lone maker takes 3 or 4 tricks | 1 point |
| Makers take fewer than 3 (euchred) | 2 points to the defenders |
| Game | First team to 10 points |
How a hand goes
- The deal
- 24 cards (9, 10, J, Q, K, A of each suit). Four players in two partnerships, five cards each. The next card is turned face up; three stay face down in the kitty.
- Bidding, round 1
- Starting left of the dealer, each player may order up the turned card's suit as trump or pass. If it is ordered up, the dealer takes that card and discards one.
- Bidding, round 2
- If all four pass, the card is turned down and each player in turn may name any other suit. With stick the dealer (always on at CardCouch), the dealer must name a suit if it comes back round.
- Going alone
- Whoever makes trump may play without their partner, who lays their cards down for that hand. The reward is 4 points for all five tricks. The player left of the dealer still leads.
- The play
- Left of the dealer leads. Follow the suit led if you can; the left bower is a trump, not its printed suit. Highest trump wins the trick, otherwise the highest card of the suit led. The winner leads next.
Rules of thumb
- First seat: order up with three trump, or two trump including a bower plus an off-suit ace. Two small trump and an ace is a pass.
- Third seat is strictest, then first; the dealer's partner can be lighter (the card goes to your side) and the dealer lightest.
- Never order a turned-up bower to the dealer unless you hold the other bower, or you are donating to block a loner (only with the opponents at 6 or 7).
- Round 2: first seat calls next (same color as the turned-down card) with a bower and another trump; the dealer's partner calls the opposite color (reverse next).
- Maker and maker's partner lead trump: the right if held, otherwise a low trump or the ace to draw the right out and keep the left.
- Defenders do not lead trump unless holding the right bower. Lead an off-suit ace (opposite color to trump is safest), else low from your shortest suit. Never trump partner's winner.
- Go alone with at most one likely loser: both bowers, the ace and an off-ace; four trump headed by the right; or five trump with no bower. Right, left, ace and two junk cards is a call, not yet a loner.
- At 9 never go alone (any point wins); at 8 go alone only with a near-lock. At 9-9 a euchre also ends the game, so do not call on hope.
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Go deeper
Each line of this sheet has a full guide behind it: card ranking, scoring, the complete rules, when to order up, when to go alone, what to lead, the glossary and the variations (three-handed, two-handed, bid euchre). New to the game? Start with how to play Euchre.
Frequently asked questions
What is the order of cards in Euchre?
In the trump suit, from the top: the right bower (Jack of trump), the left bower (the other Jack of the same color), then Ace, King, Queen, 10 and 9 of trump. In the other suits the order is Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, except that the left bower's own suit has no Jack for that hand.
How many points do you get for a loner in Euchre?
Four points if the lone player takes all five tricks. Taking three or four tricks alone scores just 1 point, the same as with a partner, and being euchred while alone still gives the defenders 2.
What does stick the dealer mean?
If every player passes in both bidding rounds, the dealer is not allowed to pass as well and must name a trump suit. It removes re-deals. CardCouch always plays with stick the dealer on.
Is there a Euchre cheat sheet I can print?
Yes, this page. Press Print and the trump order, scoring table, the order of play and the rules of thumb come out on a single sheet, without the site's menus or colors.