The Laws of Euchre Part 1

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.

FORMATION OF THE TABLE.

11. If there are more than four candidates, the players are selected by cutting; those first in the room having the preference. The four who cut the highest cards play first, and again cut to decide on partners. The two highest play against the two lowest. The highest is the dealer, who has choice of cards, seats, and counters; and having once made his selection, he must abide by it.

12. When there are more than six candidates, those who cut the fifth and sixth highest cards belong to the table.

CUTTING CARDS OF EQUAL VALUE.

13. Two players cutting cards of equal value, unless such cards are the two lowest, or the two highest, cut again.

14. Three players cutting cards of equal value, cut again; should the fourth (or remaining) card be the highest, the two lowest of the new cut are partners, and their opponents have the deal. Should the fourth card be the lowest, the two highest of the new cut are partners, and have the deal and choice of seats, etc.

CUTTING OUT.

15. At the end of a rubber, should admission be claimed by any one, or by two candidates, he who has, or they who have, played a greater number of consecutive rubbers than the others, is or are out. When all have played the same number, they must cut to decide on the out-goers, the lowest going out.

ENTRY AND RE-ENTRY.

16. A candidate wishing to enter a table must declare such intention before any of the players have cut a card, either for the purpose of commencing a new rubber, or of cutting out.

17. In the formation of fresh tables, those candidates who have neither belonged to nor played at any other table, have the prior right of entry; the others decide their right of admission by cutting.

18. Any one quitting a table prior to the conclusion of a rubber may, with the consent of the other three players, appoint a subst.i.tute in his absence during that rubber.

19. Should a player leave a full table after he has played but one of the two consecutive rubbers to which he is ent.i.tled, the candidate next in order for entrance to the table takes his place, but must go out at the end of one rubber, as his predecessor would have done.

20. A player cutting into one table while belonging to another, loses his right of re-entry into the latter, and takes his chance of cutting in as if he were a fresh candidate.

21. If any one break up a table, the remaining players have the prior right to him of entry into any other; and should there not be vacancies at such other table for all those candidates, they settle their precedence by cutting.

SHUFFLING.

22. The pack must neither be shuffled below the table, nor so that the face of any card can be seen.

23. The pack must not be shuffled during the play of a hand.

24. Each player has a right to shuffle once only, except as provided by Law 27, prior to a deal, after a false cut, or when a new deal has occurred.

25. The dealer's partner must collect the cards for the ensuing deal, and he has the first right to shuffle that pack.

26. Each player, after shuffling, must place the cards, properly collected and face downwards, to the left of the player about to deal.

27. The dealer has always the right to shuffle last; but should a card or cards be seen during his shuffling or while giving the pack to be cut, he may be compelled to re-shuffle.