Strategy of Euchre

As to the number of trumps in play, it is fairly safe to assume that there will be about six. Of these, the maker of trump will generally hold three, leaving an average of one for each other player. But if trump is ordered up, there is a very good chance that the dealer will have at least two trumps. The odds are approximately 7 to 3 against any hand’s being dealt a card of each suit, but roughly 2 to 1 against the opening side’s being able to trump the first lead of a side suit.
With two fairly “sure” tricks in the hand, a t player is usually justified in taking action. It is safe to assume that your partner will give t you at least one trick. Any three trumps are a “take,” and ace + or king + is worth a try. At 0-0 score, however, neither opponent of the dealer will have little interest in ordering it up, for if it is turned down their side will have first chance to name a new suit. Actually, the only reason for ordering it up is a hand of three fairly sure tricks, including at least two good trump cards. Of course, the dealer should order it up if he can, even at some risk, at the beginning of a game.
Advanced scores sometimes require different strategy. For instance, with the score 4 to 2, or 4 to 1, the side at the bridge (having 4 points) will frequently accept the turn-up regardless of its cards, for even if they suffer euchre, the 2 points will not give the opponents the game. But if an opponent becomes the maker, he might play alone, make march, and thus win the game.
Another common situation arises when one side has 3 points. Here a conservative strategy is called for by the opponents, since if it makes the trump the side with the 3 points needs to take only three tricks to win, whereas if the opponents make the trump they require all five tricks.
The determining factor of playing alone should be based on one of the two following situations: (1) a sure winning hand, such as two bowers and the ace of trumps, or every card either an ace or a trump; or (2) a hand having a reasonably good chance of three tricks when your opponents are at the bridge and your side has 1 or 2 points.
The best move for the opening leader, if he holds two or more trumps, is to lead one of them. Otherwise, he should generally open a plain suit in which he has no high card, rather than one in which he has. In following to a lead, always attempt to win the trick (or let your partner win). Holding up a high card for a possible later poker tricks in a suit once led is poor strategy.

Call-Ace Euchre

This is a variant in the matter of determining partnerships, with four, five, or six players. Trump is made as in Partnership Euchre, by acceptance of the turn-up or declaration after it is rejected. The maker of trump calls a suit, and the holder of the best card in that suit becomes his partner, but must not reveal the fact until the card is duly played. As certain cards are not in play, the best card may turn out to be a king, queen, or even a jack; or the caller may hold it himself, in which case he has no partner. The maker of the trump may also say “Alone,” or call on a suit of which he holds the ace.
If the maker of the trump and his partner take three tricks, they score 1 point each; for a march, 3. If they are euchred, each opponent scores 2. A lone hand scores 1 for three tricks; for a march, 1 for each player, including himself (4, 5, or 6, depending on the number playing).

Two-Handed Euchre

The rules of Partnership Euchre apply except as follows:

1. The deck is reduced to 24 cards by discarding the sevens and eights.
2. The declaration” Alone” does not exist and the score for march is 2 points.
3. Laws on irregularities omit penalties for errors that do not damage the opponent, for example, exposure of cards, lead out of turn.

Three-Handed or Cutthroat Euchre

The rules of partnership poker Euchre apply except as follows:

1. Each player plays for himself and there is no assisting.
2. In play, the player who makes trump plays against the other two, who keep their tricks together as partners. The scoring is as follows:

3. In applying rules on irregularities, the maker of trump is deemed a lone hand and the other two a partnership.

Railroad Euchre

This very popular variant (also called Joker Euchre) is a partnership game (two players as partners against two) which is played with a 24-card deck to which a joker is added. The joker is the highest trump, ranking ahead of the right bower. The suit of the joker, if it should happen to be the turned-up card, may be agreed on beforehand, but it is usually set as spades.
The rules of Partnership Euchre hold good except in the manner of playing alone as given here:

1. When a player declares that he will play alone he may “call for his partner’s best.” He does this by passing any game of cards from his hand face down across the table to his partner and receiving a card in exchange, also face down. Neither he nor his partner may look at the other’s passed card before passing his own. The lone player cannot recall the exchange or make another.
2. When the dealer is playing alone, he has a chance to make another discard after receiving partner’s card, exchanging a card for the turned-up trump. If he so wishes, the card he exchanges may be the one just passed to him by partner.
3. A lone player may be opposed by either one of his opponents, also playing alone against him. The lone opponent must make the announcement. After he does so, he calls for partner’s best, and the exchange is made in the manner described in 1 above.
4. The opponents of a lone hand that is euchred score 4 points.

Railroad Euchre Variations. Any or all of the following variations may be employed to increase the interest in Railroad Euchre or any other Euchre game:
Laps. Points in excess of those required to win a game are carried over and counted as part of the next game. The effect of this rule is to preserve the incentive of playing alone, regardless of the score.
Slams. If a side reaches game with the other side having no score, the winners score for two games. Thus, It single can often be a rubber.
Pat Hand. If a player decides to playa lone hand “pat,” that is, without exchanging with his partner or exchanging for the turned-up card if he is dealer, he scores 5 points if he wins all five tricks. Should he fail to win all five tricks, his opponents score 1 point. Should he be euchred, the opponents score 3 points. When a player announces that he is playing a pat hand, neither opponent is permitted to play alone against him.
Jambone. If a lone-hand player announces “Jambone,” he exposes his entire hand face up on the table. Whenever his turn to lead comes, the opponent at his left may call the card for him to play. Whenever it is lone hand’s turn to playa trick, opponent at his right may call the card for him to play, Opponents, however, may not consult with each other, nor may they force the lone-hand player to make an illegal play, Opposing jam- bone alone is not permitted. If the lone-hand player succeeds in taking all five tricks, he scores 8 points. If he wins three or four tricks, he scores 1 point. If he is euchred, opponents score 2 points.
Jamboree. Should the online poker player who made trump hold the five highest trumps (“jamboree”), he may show them immediately and score 16 points (which includes the score for march). The hand is not played out. This royalty rule applies only to the player who made trump. If the dealer was the maker of trump, he may use the turned-up card to complete a jamboree. The needed card may also be received in an exchange with partner, but in this case, most players score the jamboree as only 12 points.

Jackpot Euchre

This variation, which is sometimes called Buck Euchre, may be played by four, five, or six players, each playing for himself. If four play, the 24-card deck is used; the 28-card deck is used for five players, the 32-card deck for six players. The joker is added to the deck and ranks as the highest trump ahead of the: right bower as in Railroad Euchre. However, making the trump and the play are as in Partnership Euchre. The differences are as follows:

1. Each player must put a chip into the pot before the deal.
2. The player who makes trump is not required to take 3 tricks. He simply has the advantage of deciding a favorable trump suit. But any player must take in at least one trick or pay a chip to the pot. Each player scores 1 point for each trick he takes in play.
3. The player who first reaches a score of 12 wins all the chips that are in the pot. Should at any time a player take all five tricks, however, he collects the entire pot, regardless of what his score is at the time. A new tile games is then begun.