Our Favorite Games: Euchre

Euchre is a real quick trick-based trump card game that I learned from the Dahlke clan, and it rules. First, I'll blow your mind with the games eccentricies:

1. Only cards 9 through ace are used
2. Score is tallied on black-suited 4 and 6 and red-suited 4 and 6
3. Cards are dealt in sets of 2 and sets of 3
4. The hierarchy of cards in the trump suit are as follows (best to crappiest)

• Right Bauer (Jack of trump suit)
• Left Bauer (Jack of same color)
• Ace
• King
• Queen
• 10
• 9

So, I'm not going to go into the complete gameplay for euchre, there are plenty of places on the web for you to go learn and play. But, I will tell you that this game is best played in person as it is a partner game. It is also a lot easier to learn than one would guess by looking at the craziness listed above. The First Lady and I will teach anyone who comes to the ASP this year, just ask.

Until then, you can study Harvey Lapp's 10 commandments of euchre over at euchrelinks.

1. Thou shalt not pass a biddable hand.
2. Thou shalt counteth upon thy partner for one trick.
3. Thou shalt not trumpeth thy partner's ace.
4. Thou shalt trumpeth thy partner's king.
5. Thou shalt leadeth trump to thy partner's order.
6. Thou shalt not leadeth trump to thine opponent's order.
7. When thou hath ordered trump, leadeth thy right bower to smite thy foes.
8. Ordereth not the right bower unto thy partner's hand unless thou canst go alone.
9. Goeth alone whenever thou canst, unless thy team hath eight or nine points.
10. Thou shalt not complaineth about the cards that the Lord thy euchre God hath bestowed upon you.