Go Easy with Euchre
In the standard game one pack of 32 cards is used, the rank in non-trump suits being ace (high), king, queen, jack, ten, nine, eight, and seven.
In the trump suit, the jack is the highest card, called the right bower, and the second highest card is the left bower--- the jack of the other suit of the same color as the trump; below them come the ace, king, queen, ten, nine, eight and seven.
Thus the trump suit contains nine cards, the non-trump suit of the same color as the trump contains only seven cards, and the other two non-trump suits, eight cards.
Five cards are dealt to each player, three each on the first round and two each on the second, or vice-versa. The rest of the pack is then placed face down, except for the top card, which is faced.
If the first player on the dealer's left wants to play the hand with the presented faced card as a key resource, the dealer should say, 'I order it up'. The card then becomes the dealer's, and he must discard some card from his hand, placing it crosswise beneath the pack. But if the player to the dealer's left passes and the dealer's partner favors the card, he may say, 'I assist', at which point the card is picked by the dealer, and rejects.
If the dealer's partner passes, the third player can order up and the dealer may accept the card by simply saying so and discarding. Custom requires that the dealer not actually pick up the faced card at any time, but leave it on the remaining cards until played. If all players pass, the faced card is put crosswise and still facing up under the remaining cards.
Proceeding around the table again, each player has the opportunity to name another trump suit or pass. If all four players pass, the hands are thrown in, and the deal passes to the left. This continues until someone accepts the trump or dictates another. The caller of the trump then has the right to play the hand with his partner, or to play it alone. In the latter case, the partner puts his hand face down on the table and is out of action while the caller plays against the opponents.
When the caller plays alone, the first lead is made by the player at his left; at other times it is by the player to the dealer's left regardless of where the caller is seated. On each lead a player must follow suit if he is able to; if not he may play any card. A trick is won by the highest trump, if it is in it; otherwise, by the highest card of the suit led, and the winner of the trick is the leader to the next game.
The standard game is five points, but by consent it may be from seven to ten. A lot of Euchre players keep score on the basis of rubbers, as in bridge or whist; as soon as a partnership wins two games, it wins the rubber, which produces a premium of two rubbers points.
In addition, the winners of the rubber score the difference between their points and those of their opponents scored three or four. Some players add the joker to the pack, ranking it higher than any card, no matter what suit is trump, and treating it as a spade if it is the faced card.