Foster's Complete Hoyle: An Encyclopedia of Games / Including all indoor games played to-day. With suggestions for good play, illustrative hands, and all official laws to date

by R. F. Foster

EUCHRE LAWS.

1. SCORING. A game consists of five points. If the players making the trump win all five tricks, they count two points towards game; if they win three or four tricks, they count one point; if they fail to win three tricks, their adversaries count two points.

2. If the player making the trump plays alone, and makes five tricks, he counts as many points as there are players in the game: Two, if two play; three if three play; four if four play, etc. If he wins three or four tricks only, he counts one; if he fails to win three tricks, his adversaries count two.

3. The Rubber is the best of three games. If the first two are won by the same players, the third game is not played. The winners gain a triple, or three points, if their adversaries have not scored; a double, or two points, if their adversaries are less than three scored; a single, or one point, if their adversaries have scored three or four. The winners of the rubber add two points to the value of their games, and deduct the points made by the losers, if any; the remainder being the value of the rubber.

4. FORMING THE TABLE. A Euchre table is complete with six players. If more than four assemble, they cut for the preference, the four lowest playing the first rubber. Partners and deal are then cut for, the two lowest pairing against the two highest. The lowest deals, and has the choice of seats and cards.

5. Ties. Players cutting cards of equal value cut again, but the new cut decides nothing but the tie.

6. Cutting Out. At the end of a rubber the players cut to decide which shall give way to those awaiting their turn to play. After the second rubber, those who have played the greatest number of consecutive games give way; ties being decided by cutting.

7. Cutting. In cutting, the ace is low, the other cards ranking, K Q J 10 9 8 7, the King being the highest. A player exposing more than one card, or cutting the Joker, must cut again.

8. SHUFFLING. Every player has a right to shuffle the cards, the dealer last.

9. DEALING. The dealer must present the pack to the pone to be cut. At least four cards must be left in each packet. If a card is exposed in cutting, the pack must be reshuffled, and cut again. If the dealer reshuffles the pack after it has been properly cut, he loses his deal.

10. Beginning on his left, the dealer must give to each player in rotation two cards on the first round, and three on the second; or three to each on the first round, and two on the second. Five cards having been given to each player in this manner, the next card is turned up for the trump. The deal passes to the left.

11. There must be a new deal by the same dealer if any card but the trump is found faced in the pack, or if the pack is proved incorrect or imperfect; but any previous scores made with the imperfect pack stand good.

12. The adversaries may demand a new deal if any card but the trump is exposed during the deal, provided they have not touched a card. If an adversary exposes a card, the dealer may elect to deal again. If a new deal is not demanded, cards exposed in dealing cannot be called.

13. The adversaries may stop a player dealing out of turn, or with the wrong pack, provided they do so before the trump card is turned, after which the deal stands good.

14. MISDEALING. A misdeal loses the deal. It is a misdeal: If the cards have not been properly cut; if the dealer gives two cards to one player and three to another in the same round; if he gives too many or too few cards to any player; if he counts the cards on the table, or those remaining in the pack; or if he deals a card incorrectly, and fails to correct the error before dealing another. If the dealer is interrupted in any manner by an adversary, he does not lose his deal.

15. THE TRUMP CARD. After the trump card is turned, each player in turn, beginning with the eldest hand, has the privilege of passing, assisting, or ordering up the trump. Should a player pass, and afterward correct himself by ordering up or assisting, both he and his partner may be prevented by the adversaries from exercising their privilege. If a player calls his partner’s attention to the fact that they are at the bridge, both lose their right to order up the trump.

16. The dealer may leave the trump card on the pack until it is got rid of in the course of play. If the trump card has been taken up or played, any player may ask, and must be informed by the dealer, what the trump suit is; but any player naming the trump card may be called upon by an adversary to play his highest or lowest trump.

17. If the dealer takes up, or is ordered up, he must discard a card from his own hand, placing it under the remainder of the pack. Having quitted such discard, it cannot be taken back. If the dealer has not discarded until he has played to the first trick, he and his partner cannot score any points for that hand.

18. If the eldest hand leads before the dealer has quitted his discard, the dealer may amend his discard, but the eldest hand cannot take back the card led.

19. If the dealer takes up the trump to play alone, he must pass his discard across the table to his partner. If he fails to do so, the adversaries may insist that his partner play with him, preventing the lone hand.

20. MAKING THE TRUMP. If the dealer does not take up the trump, he must place it under the remainder of the pack, face upward, so that it can be distinctly seen. Each player in turn, beginning on the dealer’s left, then has the privilege of naming a new trump suit.

21. If any player names the suit already turned down, he loses his right to name a suit; and if he corrects himself, and names another, neither he nor his partner is allowed to make that suit the trump. If a player names a new trump suit out of his proper turn, both he and his partner are forbidden to make that suit the trump.

22. If no one will name a new trump, the deal is void, and passes to the next player on the dealer’s left.

23. IRREGULARITIES IN THE HANDS. If any player is found not to have his correct number of cards, it is a misdeal; but if he has played to the first trick the deal stands good, and he cannot score anything that hand.

24. EXPOSED CARDS. The following are exposed cards, and must be left face up on the table, and are liable to be called by the adversaries:

I. Every card faced upon the table otherwise than in the regular course of play.

II. Two or more cards played to a trick. The adversaries may elect which shall be played.

III. Any card named by the player holding it.

25. If an adversary of a person playing alone exposes a card, the lone player may abandon the hand, and score the points. Should the partner of the lone player expose a card, the adversaries may prevent the lone hand by compelling the player in error to play with his partner, leaving the exposed card on the table.

26. CALLING EXPOSED CARDS. The adversary on the right of an exposed card must call it before he plays himself. If it will be the turn of the player holding the exposed card to lead for the next trick, the card, if wanted, must be called before the current trick is turned and quitted. Should a player having an exposed card and the lead, play from his hand before the previous trick is turned and quitted, the card so led may also be claimed as exposed.

27. LEADING AND PLAYING OUT OF TURN. If a player leads when it was his partner’s turn, a suit may be called from his partner. The demand must be made by the last player to the trick in which the suit is called. If it was the turn of neither to lead, the card played in error is exposed. If all have played to the false lead, the error cannot be rectified. If all have not followed, the cards erroneously played must be taken back, but are not liable to be called.

28. If an adversary of a lone player leads out of turn, the lone player may abandon the hand, and score the points.

29. If the third hand plays before the second, the fourth hand may play before his partner, either of his own volition, or at the direction of the second hand, who may say: “Play, partner.” If the fourth hand plays before the second, the third hand may call upon the second hand to play his highest or lowest of the suit led, or to trump or not to trump the trick.

30. REVOKING. A revoke is a renounce in error, not corrected in time; or non-compliance with a performable penalty. If a revoke is claimed and proved, the hand in which it occurs is immediately abandoned. The adversaries of the revoking player then have the option of adding two points to their own score, or deducting two points from his score. If both sides revoke, the deal is void. If one person is playing alone, the penalty for a revoke is as many points as would have been scored if the lone hand had succeeded.

31. A revoke may be corrected by the player making it before the trick in which it occurs has been turned and quitted, unless the revoking player or his partner, whether in his right turn or otherwise, has led or played to the following trick.

32. If a player corrects his mistake in time to save a revoke, the card played in error is exposed; but any cards subsequently played by others may be taken back without penalty.

33. PLAYING ALONE. No one but the individual maker of the trump can play alone.

34. The dealer must announce his intention to play alone by passing his discard over to his partner. Any other player intending to play alone must use the expression “alone” in connection with his ordering up or making the trump; as, “I order it, alone;” or “I make it hearts, alone.”

35. The partner of a player who has announced to play alone must lay his cards on the table, face down. Should he expose any of his cards, the adversaries may prevent the lone hand, and compel him to play with his partner, the exposed card being left on the table and liable to be called.

36. The lone player is not liable to any penalty for exposed cards, nor for a lead out of turn.

37. Should either adversary lead or play out of turn, the lone player may abandon the hand, and score the points.

38. MISCELLANEOUS. No player is allowed to see any trick that has once been turned and quitted, under penalty of having a suit called from him or his partner.

39. Any player may ask the others to indicate the cards played by them to the current trick.

40. A player calling attention in any manner to the trick or to the score, may be called upon to play his highest or lowest of the suit led; or to trump or not to trump the trick during the play of which the remark was made.