Euchre Variations & House Rules
Every Euchre table plays the same game with a few rules of its own. Here are the common variations, what each one changes, and which ones to settle before the first deal.
Updated
Rules that change going alone
Canadian loner
In Canada, Australia and England, if the dealer’s partner orders up, they must play alone and the dealer’s cards go face down for the hand. In the US the dealer’s partner can simply say “I assist” and play it with the dealer. Under the Canadian rule, the dealer’s partner orders up only with a hand strong enough to face both opponents alone; anything less is a pass.
Defending alone
Some tables let a defender go alone against the makers, announced before play begins. Their partner sits out, just as a lone maker’s does, and a lone defender who euchres the makers — holds them under three tricks — scores 4 instead of 2.
Railroading
When a player goes alone, their partner passes them one card face down and the loner discards one. It makes going alone that much more tempting.
Who leads against a loner
Under Bicycle’s rules the player to the dealer’s left leads as usual, and if that player is sitting out because their partner went alone, the next player — the dealer’s partner — leads instead. Some tables, and British Euchre, have the player to the lone player’s left lead. Settle it before anyone goes alone. For when a loner is worth it, see when to go alone.
The joker, or Benny
The joker was added to card packs for Euchre in the 1850s, as the best bower. Where it’s used, it ranks above the right bower — the highest trump whatever suit is named — and the trump suit grows to eight cards. With hearts trump:
British Euchre plays with a 25-card pack: the usual 24 plus the joker, which it calls the Benny. The full order without it is on the card rankings page.
When everyone passes twice
If all four players pass in both rounds of bidding, there are two ways to go. Under a throw-in, the hand is thrown in and the deal passes to the left. Under stick the dealer (also “screw the dealer”), the dealer must name a suit. Stick the dealer is the common modern rule and speeds the game up. The details are on the stick the dealer page, and what to call when you’re the one stuck is in playing the dealer seat.
Farmer’s hands and super-euchres
A farmer’s hand is a hand of nothing but 9s and 10s — about as weak as a Euchre hand gets. Where the house rule is played, its holder can declare it and, depending on the table, either force a redeal or swap three cards for the three face-down kitty cards, which is called “going under.”
A super-euchre rewards a shutout: if the defenders hold the makers to zero tricks, they score 4 instead of 2. Standard scoring is on the Euchre scoring page.
How many points win
Ten is standard. Bicycle lists 5, 7 or 10 points “as agreed”; British Euchre plays to 11; long games go to 15. The shorter the game, the bigger each hand: at 5, a single lone march is four-fifths of it. Three-handed Euchre is usually played to 10, and classic two-handed Euchre to 5.
More cards, more players
- 32-card Euchre adds the 7s and 8s as the lowest cards — 33 cards with a joker. Trump then runs right bower, left bower, A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7.
- Six-player Euchre is played in two teams of three, partners in alternate seats, with a 33-card pack (7s, 8s and a joker) or a double 25-card pack.
- Almonte Euchre, from Ontario, is a six-player game with three jokers, played to 15.
- Three players? Play cutthroat Euchre, where the maker takes on the other two every hand. Two? See two-handed Euchre.
Euchre’s cousins
Bid Euchre — also called Auction Euchre, Pepper or Hasenpfeffer — is a family of North American games in which players bid the number of tricks they’ll take for the right to name trump.
Buck Euchre is for three or four players with no partnerships. Everyone starts at 15 and counts down one for each trick they take; the first to zero wins. Taking no tricks, or failing a bid, adds 5.
Every variation at a glance
| Rule | What it changes | Where you’ll see it |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian loner | The dealer’s partner must go alone to order up | Canada, Australia, England |
| Defending alone | A defender may go alone; a lone euchre scores 4 | — |
| Railroading | The loner’s partner passes them a card | — |
| Lead against a loner | The player to the loner’s left leads | Some tables; British Euchre |
| Joker (Benny) | An extra trump, above the right bower | British Euchre (25 cards) |
| Stick the dealer | The dealer must name trump if all pass twice | The common modern rule |
| Throw-in | If all pass twice, the hand is thrown in | — |
| Farmer’s hand | All 9s and 10s: a redeal, or a swap with the kitty | — |
| Super-euchre | Makers take no tricks: defenders score 4 | — |
| Game length | 5, 7, 11 or 15 points instead of 10 | To 11: British Euchre |
| 32-card pack | Adds the 7s and 8s as the lowest cards | — |
| Six-player | Two teams of three, a bigger pack | Almonte Euchre: Ontario |
A dash means the sources we checked don’t tie the rule to any one region.
Agree before the first deal
- Stick the dealer, or throw the hand in when everyone passes twice?
- Game to 10 — or to 5, 7, 11 or 15?
- Does the dealer’s partner have to go alone to order up?
- Can a defender go alone, for 4 points on a lone euchre?
- Who leads when someone goes alone?
- Joker in or out — and what happens if it’s turned up?
- Farmer’s hands: allowed? A redeal or a swap?
- Reneging: 2 points, or 4 against a loner? See reneging and misdeals.
What our tables play
Four players in two partnerships with the standard 24-card deck, and these rules:
- Stick the dealer is on by default. Turn it off in the table settings and a hand where everyone passes twice is thrown in, with the deal moving left.
- Games go to 10 by default; the table can pick 5 or 7 for a quick game, or 11 or 15 for a long one.
- The maker can go alone when ordering up or naming trump, and their partner sits out. A lone 3 or 4 tricks scores 1, a lone march 4, and a euchred loner gives the defenders 2.
- Canadian loner is a table setting, off by default. With it on, the dealer’s partner can only order up by going alone.
- When the up-card is ordered up, the dealer picks it up and discards — unless the dealer is the one sitting out, when it stays with the kitty.
- The player to the dealer’s left leads first, skipping anyone sitting out.
- You can’t renege: cards you can’t legally play are dimmed and won’t play. The computer deals, so there are no misdeals.
- Not offered: defending alone, the joker, farmer’s hands, and three- or two-handed Euchre.
Common questions
What is a Canadian loner in Euchre?
A rule played in Canada, Australia and England: if the dealer’s partner orders up, they must play the hand alone, and the dealer’s cards go face down. In the US the dealer’s partner can simply “assist” and play the hand with the dealer.
Where does the joker rank in Euchre?
Only some tables use it. Where they do, it is the “best bower”: the highest trump whatever suit is named, above even the right bower.
What happens if the joker is the up-card?
Tables differ. Under British rules the dealer’s team are automatically the makers, and the dealer chooses trump without looking at their hand. Agree on your rule before the first deal.
Can you go alone on defense in Euchre?
Only under the defending-alone house rule. A defender announces it before play begins, their partner sits out, and if they euchre the makers by themselves they score 4 instead of 2.
What is a farmer’s hand in Euchre?
A hand of nothing but 9s and 10s. Where the house rule is played, the holder can declare it and, depending on the table, either force a redeal or swap three cards for the three face-down kitty cards (“going under”).
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