Euchre Variants
This page is a collection of invented variations of the traditional card game Euchre, submitted by readers of pagat.com.
- Deer Park Euchre - a Buck Euchre variant
- Euchre Solitaire
- Five-Handed Call Queen Euchre
- Flip/Switch Double Deck Euchre
- King Cut-Throat Euchre
- Towers and Bowers
Several people have also invented games to be played with the 28 low cards (2-8 of each suit) left over from a standard pack when the other 24 cards have been used for Euchre.
Five-handed Call Queen Euchre
In this game 5-player Euchre variant, invented by Evan Wachter , the declarer's partner is chosen by calling a trump, normally the Queen.
A 28-card pack is used. Five cards each are dealt and the top of the 3 remaining cards is flipped to show the proposed trump suit.
The trump making process is similar to that in normal Euchre. Each player in turn, beginning to dealer's left, has the opportunity to select the turned suit as trump in which case the dealer picks up the face up trump card and discards a card face down. If all pass there is a second round in which players may select a different suit as trumps.
Before the play begins the trump maker may choose a partner by naming a card of the trump suit. If the trump maker does not hold the Queen of trumps the Queen must be called. If the trump maker holds the trump Queen, the trump maker must call the next lower trump not held. For example holding the Q, 10 or trumps the trump maker must call the 9 if that is missing. If the trump maker holds the Q, 10, 9, 8 of trumps but not the Ace, the Ace must be called. Holding A, Q, 10, 9, 8 of trumps the trump maker must call the King.
The play is the same as in normal Euchre. The partner of the caller is not allowed to reveal his or her identity except through the play of the cards.
When someone calls trump, their partner and themselves must get at least 3 of the 5 tricks in order to score positive points for that particular hand. If they take at least 3 tricks between them, they receive 5 points each. The other players each score 1 point for each trick that they individually win. For example if you are not a partner but you win 2 tricks, you score 2 points for that hand.
If the caller and their partner fail to get 3 out of 5 tricks in the hand, they are both penalized with a -5 point deduction from their scores. The remaining players who are not partners score a point for each trick they win individually.
If it turns out that the called trump is not in anyone's hand but is among the 3 cards that are out of play, the trump maker has no partner, and is left to win their 3 tricks by themselves. The caller will score +5 points for 3 or more tricks or -5 for 2 or fewer and the other players each score 1 point per trick won as usual.
Instead of choosing a partner the trump maker may choose to play alone, but this is a commitment to win all 5 tricks. Playing alone, the caller scores +10 points for winning all 5 tricks, but if 4 or fewer tricks are won, the caller is penalised with a score of -10 and the other player(s) score 1 point per trick as usual.
Play continues until someone reaches 25 points which is the number of points it takes to win. If two or more players achieve over 25 points in the same hand, the higher of the scores is the winner. If two players are tied at 25 points, play continues until a winner is declared.