Any player naming a new suit may announce to play alone at the same time. The side that makes the new trump must make at least three tricks, or it will be euchred, and the adversaries will count two points. If a player names the suit that has just been turned down, he loses his right to make the trump; and if he corrects himself, and names another suit, he debars not only himself but his partner from making the trump. One player having named a new trump suit in his proper turn, his decision is binding on all the others; but should a player name a suit out of his proper turn, both he and his partner are debarred from making that suit the trump. If no one will name a new trump, the deal is void, and passes to the next player on the dealer’s left.
ORDERING UP THE TRUMP. Instead of passing the turn-up trump on the first round, any player who thinks it would be to his advantage to have the turn-up remain the trump, may order the dealer to take it up. In doing so he says: “I order it,” if he is an adversary; or: “I assist,” if he is the dealer’s partner. In either case the player making the trump may announce a lone hand at the same time. His side must make at least three tricks, whether he plays alone or not, or it is a euchre, and the adversaries will count two points. In case an adversary of the dealer plays alone, he must distinctly announce it when he orders up the trump. The usual expression is: “I order it alone.” His partner then lays his cards face downward on the table and takes no further part in the play of that hand. If he exposes any card of the abandoned hand, the adversaries can call upon him to take up the hand and play it, leaving the exposed card on the table as liable to be called. This of course prevents the lone hand.
If the dealer’s partner wishes to play alone, instead of assisting, he says: “I play this alone,” and the dealer lays down his cards, leaving the trump on the pack.
PLAYING ALONE. No player but the one that takes up, orders up, or makes the trump can play a lone hand. If the dealer takes up the trump card of his own accord, he can play alone. If any player orders up or assists, that player can play alone. Any player making a new trump after the first has been turned down, can play alone. If one player orders up the trump, neither his partner nor his adversary can play alone; and if the dealer’s partner assists, that prevents the dealer from playing a lone hand. In many clubs the mistake is made of allowing the dealer to play alone on his partner’s assist; or letting the pone play alone after the dealer has been assisted; or letting the partner of the player who makes the new trump play alone. This is not good Euchre, because it gives an unfair advantage to one side, as we shall see when we come to the suggestions for good play, especially in connection with ordering up at what is called the “bridge;” that is, when the score is 4 to 1, or 4 to 0.
METHOD OF PLAYING. The trump settled, the eldest hand, or the player next him on the left, if the partner of the eldest hand is playing alone, begins by leading any card he pleases, and the others must follow suit if they can. Failure to follow suit when able is a revoke, if the error is not discovered and corrected before the trick in which it occurs is turned and quitted. If the player discovers his mistake in time, the card played in error must be left on the table, and is liable to be called. When a revoke is discovered and claimed by the adversaries, it is usual to abandon the hand, and the adversaries of the revoking player can either deduct two points from his score, or add two to their own score, for every revoke made during the hand. The penalty cannot be divided. If both sides revoke, the deal is void, and the same dealer must deal again.
Any player having none of the suit led may either trump, or throw away a card of another suit. The highest card played, if of the suit led, wins the trick, trumps winning against all other suits, and a higher trump winning a lower. The winner of the trick may lead any card he pleases for the next trick, and so on, until all five tricks have been played. If the dealer takes the trump into his hand, any player naming it is liable to have his highest or lowest trump called; but a player may ask and must be informed what the trump suit is.
Cards Played in Error. All cards led out of turn, played in error, or two or more played to a trick, or dropped face upward on the table, are called exposed cards, and must be left face up on the table. These must be played when called by the adversaries, unless compliance with the demand would make the player revoke; but the fact of their being exposed does not prevent their being got rid of in the course of play if the opportunity offers. Some persons imagine that the adversaries can prevent an exposed card from being played; but such is not the case in Euchre. A person playing a lone hand is not liable to any penalty for exposing his cards, nor for leading out of turn, for he has no partner to derive any benefit from the information conveyed.
Leading Out of Turn. Should any person, not playing alone, lead out of turn, the adversaries may call a suit from the player in error, or from his partner, when it is next the turn of either of them to lead. The demand must be made by the person who will be the last player on the trick in which the suit is called. If all have played to the lead before discovering the error, it cannot be rectified; but if all have not played, those who have followed the false lead must take back their cards, which are not liable to be called.
Any player may ask the others to draw cards in any trick, provided he does so before the cards are touched for the purpose of gathering them. In answer to this demand, each player should indicate which card of those on the table he played. No one is allowed to see any trick that has been turned and quitted.
Taking Tricks. As the tricks are taken they should be neatly laid one upon the other in such a manner that any player at the table can count them. All tricks belonging to one side should be kept together. At the end of each hand the score should be claimed and marked. Revokes must be detected and claimed before the cards are cut for the following deal.