As the individual or side that settles which suit shall be the trump is said to make the trump, it will be necessary to describe the method of scoring in order to understand the principles that guide the players in deciding on the trump suit.
SCORING. Euchre is played for tricks. If the side that makes the trump takes three or four tricks out of the five possible, it scores one point. If the side wins all five tricks, it scores two points for a march. If the player that makes the trump fails to win three tricks, he is euchred, and his adversaries score two points for the euchre. When four play, if the player who makes the trump declares to play alone, that is, without any assistance from his partner, who must lay down his cards, the maker of the trump scores four points if he succeeds in winning all five tricks, and one point if he wins three or four tricks. But if he fails to win three tricks, he is euchred, and the adversaries score two points. When three play, a lone hand counts three if the player wins all five tricks. When two play, five tricks is simply a march, and counts two points. When five or seven play, there are special scores for lone hands. When all five tricks are taken by one side, but not by an individual playing a lone hand, it is simply a march, and counts two points, no matter how many are playing. When two or three are playing, a march must of course be a lone hand, as there are no partnerships. As we shall see later, there are some varieties of Euchre in which a lone hand may play against a lone hand, but this is not permitted in the ordinary game.
No one but the individual player who makes the trump can play alone.
Except in five and seven-handed Euchre, the player or side first reaching five points wins the game. If three are playing, and two of them reach five points simultaneously by euchreing the third, they both win a game. If they are playing for stakes, they divide the pool.
TAKING UP THE TRUMP. After the trump is turned up, each player in turn examines his cards, and if he does not care whether the trump suit remains unchanged or not, he says: “I pass.” If all pass, the dealer must decide. The dealer has the advantage of being allowed to take the trump card into his own hand, discarding one of his worthless cards in its place. If he thinks he can make three tricks with the turn-up suit for trumps, and his partner’s probable assistance, or can win five tricks by playing alone, he discards any card he pleases, placing it under the remainder of the pack, face down, and without showing or naming it. If the dealer decides to play alone, it is usual for him to pass his discard across the table to his partner, face down, so that there may be no misunderstanding his intention.
The dealer may take up the trump card at any time during the play of the hand; but it is usual to leave it on the pack until it is played to a trick. No one but the dealer can take the trump into his hand.
TURNING DOWN THE TRUMP. If the dealer fears that he and his partner cannot make three tricks with the turn-up suit for trumps, or would prefer to have the suit changed, he can pass. If he passes, he takes the trump card from the top of the pack, and places it face upward, and partly under the pack, in such a manner that it can be distinctly seen.
Taken Up. Turned Down.
CHANGING THE TRUMP. It then becomes the turn of the other players, each in succession to the left of the dealer, to name some other suit for the trump, or to pass a second time. If the suit of the same colour as the turn-up is named for the new trump, it is usual to say: “I make it next.” If a suit of a different colour is named, it is called crossing the suit, and some players, if a red suit is turned, will say: “I cross to clubs.”