Section 6: Variants & House Rules
Euchre has many regional traditions. A house rule is valid when everyone understands it before play begins, but it should not be introduced to settle a hand already in progress. The following options are common and may be adopted separately.
Stick the Dealer
If all players pass in the first round and the first three players pass in the second round, the dealer must name one of the three eligible suits as trump. This prevents thrown-in hands and keeps the game moving. The dealer still may not choose the rejected upcard suit.
Screw the Dealer
This name is often used interchangeably with stick the dealer. In some groups it also means the dealer must choose trump whenever everyone else passes in the second round, without receiving an additional chance to pass. Clarify the intended meaning before starting.
Farmer's Hand
A player dealt an unusually weak hand may request a redeal. A common definition is a hand containing only nines and tens, while another permits a hand containing three nines or three tens. Because definitions vary widely and repeated redeals affect strategy, specify the exact qualifying hand and whether it must be revealed. Unless adopted in advance, a weak hand receives no special treatment.
Ace-No-Face
Under this option, a player whose five-card hand contains one ace and no kings, queens, or jacks may reveal it and call for a redeal. Some groups omit the ace requirement and allow any hand with no face cards. Decide which version applies and whether the dealer remains the same.
Defending Alone
Some groups allow either defender to play alone against a lone maker. The defender announces this before the opening lead, and the defender's partner sits out. A common bonus awards the defenders 4 points if the lone defender takes at least three tricks, though other groups award 4 only for all five tricks. This option changes risk substantially and must include a clearly agreed scoring schedule.
Partner's Best
In this variation, a lone maker may exchange one unwanted card for a card chosen and passed face down by the inactive partner. The inactive partner does not disclose the rest of the hand. This makes lone attempts stronger and is not part of the basic game.
Going Under
A player with a qualifying weak hand may place three cards face down and exchange them for the three face-down cards in the kitty, leaving the upcard untouched. A common qualification is holding three nines or tens. The exchange usually occurs before bidding, and the player must reveal enough of the original hand to prove eligibility. Define the qualification and timing before play.
No Trump or High/Low Options
Some versions permit a player in the second round to call “no trump,” making the led suit control each trick with aces high. Another option allows “low,” in which lower ranks beat higher ranks. These calls require a complete ranking agreement, especially for jacks, and should not be added casually during a standard game.
Three-Player Cutthroat Euchre
Three players may play without fixed partners. Deal five cards to each player and place the remaining nine cards in the kitty, turning one up. The player who makes trump plays against the other two for that hand. A simple scoring system gives the maker 1 point for three or four tricks and 3 points for all five; each defender receives 2 points if the maker is euchred. Set a winning target such as 10 points.
Two-Player Euchre
For two players, deal five cards to each and use the normal two-round trump selection. The non-dealer leads. Each player competes individually, and standard maker scoring can be used: 1 point for three or four tricks, 2 points for a sweep, and 2 points to the defender for a euchre. With no partner to sit out, lone-hand bonuses do not apply.
Expanded Decks
Some groups add sevens and eights for a 32-card deck, especially with more than four players. Added ranks fall below the nine unless the group agrees otherwise. Increasing the deck changes the deal, kitty size, and card-counting strategy, so establish those details before shuffling.
Recommended Pre-Game Agreement
- Target score and number of games in the match
- Whether stick the dealer is active
- Whether weak-hand redeals or going under are allowed
- Whether defenders may go alone and how that scores
- The penalty for a completed revoke
- Whether table talk receives a warning, a point penalty, or a redeal
For a straightforward first game, use the 24-card deck, four fixed partners, thrown-in hands after two rounds of passing, standard scoring to 10, and no optional weak-hand or lone-defender rules.