Euchre is a 4-player partnership game. You (South) and Ada (North) are a team; Rex (West) and Mae (East) are the other. Partners sit across from each other. The first team to 10 points wins the match.
Euchre uses just 24 cards: 9, 10, J, Q, K, A in each suit. Once a trump suit is chosen, two Jacks become the two most powerful cards:
Trump order, high to low: Right Bower → Left Bower → A → K → Q → 10 → 9. In every non-trump suit it's just A → K → Q → J → 10 → 9.
Each hand you get 5 cards and one card is turned face-up. Going around the table starting left of the dealer:
The team that picks trump are the makers and must win at least 3 of the 5 tricks. Going alone: when you make trump you may play without your partner (their cards sit out) for a shot at a bigger bonus.
The player left of the dealer leads first. You must follow the suit that was led if you can; otherwise you may play anything, including a trump. Highest trump wins the trick — or if none is played, the highest card of the led suit. Remember the Left Bower counts as trump, so it can't follow its printed suit.
| Makers win 3 or 4 tricks | 1 point |
| Makers win all 5 (a "march") | 2 points |
| Makers go alone and win all 5 | 4 points |
| Makers go alone and win 3–4 | 1 point |
| Makers fail to get 3 (euchred!) | 2 points to the defenders |
Tip: with a right bower, another trump, and an off-suit ace you almost always have enough to order it up. Two strong trumps plus a void (a suit you don't hold) is great for going alone.