Part 1 (1/2)

The Laws of Euchre.

by H. C. Leeds and James Dwight.

PREFACE.

Euchre is played in so many different ways and under so many different rules that there seems to be a necessity for more rigid and exact Laws than exist at present.

The Laws of Euchre, as here appended, have stood the test of time and received the attention of many scientific Euchre-players.

If any game of cards is worth playing at all, it should be played according to rule in the strictest interpretation, and no favors should be given or expected.

An attempt has been made in these Rules to make the penalties commensurate with the advantage which _might_ be gained by the error. A common instance of this is in the case of a lead out of turn. It often happens that the exposed card is an advantage to the side so offending, and the adversaries have no redress. Here the Whist Law has been applied, allowing the non-offending side the option of two penalties.

See Rule 52.

Another instance occurs in a lone hand. An exposed card can only benefit the adversaries, consequently no penalty is attached; but should the lone hand lead out of turn, he is supposed to be attempting to gain an advantage, therefore Rule 104 has been adopted.

THE LAWS OF EUCHRE.

THE RUBBER.

1. The rubber is the best of three games. If the first two games are won by the same players, the third game is played; should the score of the third game lap, a fourth game is played.

SCORING.

2. A game consists of five points. Should a player order up, a.s.sist, adopt, or make the trump, and he and his partner take five tricks, they score two; three or four tricks, they score one. If they fail to take three tricks they are euchred, and the adversaries score two.

3. When a player plays alone and takes five tricks, he scores four; three or four tricks, he scores one. If he fails to take three tricks he is euchred, and the adversaries score four.

4. The penalty of a revoke takes precedence of all other scores.

5. An error in the score can be rectified at any time before the trump card is turned in the next deal.

6. Points should be announced before scoring.

7. Each game won counts one unless the losing side has failed to score, in which case the game counts two. Two additional points are taken by the side winning the rubber. Thus it is possible to win ten points in a rubber; that is, four double games, and two points for the rubber.

CUTTING.

8. The knave is the highest card, then the ace, king, etc.

9. In all cases every one must cut from the same pack.

10. Should a player expose more than one card, he must cut again.