The Laws of Euchre Part 3

104. A player playing alone is liable to no penalty for simply exposing a card; but should he lead out of turn, the card is an exposed card, and can be called.

105. Should an adversary play out of turn to the lead of a lone hand, both opposing hands must be laid on the table, and can be called by the player playing alone.

ETIQUETTE OF EUCHRE.

106. The following rules belong to the established Etiquette of Euchre.

They are not called "Laws," as it is difficult, and in some cases impossible, to apply any penalty to their infraction, and the only remedy is to cease to play with the players who habitually disregard them.

107. Two packs of cards of different colors are invariably used at Clubs, and this should be adhered to if possible.

108. A player having the lead and another winning card to play, should not draw the second card out of his hand till his partner has played to the first trick, such act being a distinct intimation that the former has played a winning card.

109. No intimation whatever by word or gesture should be given by a player as to the state of the hand or the game after the trump card is turned.

110. A player who desires the cards to be placed, or demands to see the last trick, should do so for his own information only, and not to attract the attention of his partner.

111. No player should object to refer to a bystander who professes himself uninterested in the game and able to decide any disputed question of fact.

112. It is unfair to revoke purposely; and having made a revoke, a player is not justified in making a second to conceal the first.

113. Until the players have made such bets as they wish, bets should not be made with the bystanders.

114. Bystanders should make no remark, nor should they, by word or gesture, give any intimation of the state of the game until concluded and scored, nor should they walk around the table to look at the different hands.

115. No one should look over the hand of a player against whom he is betting.

116. Players should pa.s.s, a.s.sist, order up, etc., with as nearly as possible the same manner at all times, and should be careful not to give information by unusual quickness or delay.

TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN EUCHRE.

"Right Bower," or "Right,"--knave of the trump suit, which is the highest card.

"Left Bower," or "Left,"--knave of the same color as the trump suit, which is the second best card.

"Alone,"--playing without your partner.

"a.s.sist," or "Help,"--ordering up the trump when your partner deals.

"Announce,"--to declare the suit which shall be trumps.

"Bridge,"--when the score of the eldest hand is four to one or four to two in his favor.

"Crossing the suit,"--making the trump of a different color from the suit turned down.

"Next,"--to make a trump of the color turned down.

"Euchre,"--when the party making the trump fails to take three tricks.

"Hand,"--the five cards dealt to each player.

"Ordering up,"--requiring the dealer and his partner to play the trump turned up.

"Pa.s.s,"--declining to order up, a.s.sist, adopt, or make the trump.

"March,"--taking five tricks.

"Love Game," "Slam," or "Double,"--where the score is five to nothing.

"Lap,"--is where more points are made than are necessary to win a game, and are carried to the next game.

"Rubber,"--consists of three games.

When, however, a lap is made in the third game, a fourth must be played.

A "Lay Card," or an "Outsider,"--is a card of a different suit from the trump.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

GENERAL REMARKS.

The following points are written simply for the information of those not thoroughly conversant with the game of Euchre.

It is not the intention of the authors to write a treatise on the game, but merely to ill.u.s.trate a few conventional plays, most of which are in use among the best exponents of the game.

There can be no absolute rules about the play in Euchre, as in Whist, as the number of cards is so few that the importance of each play is intensified, and the score has so great an influence on the hand.

The exceptions also are perhaps almost as numerous as the rules; but if the beginner will accept as a guide the appended hints, it is thought they will not lead him far astray.

The play of the cards is governed by the card sense of the individual.

The refinement of the game consists in playing to the score, which is quite peculiar to Euchre, since it is so constantly changing. The same hand should suggest different ideas at different scores.

A player should school himself to notice the score before he picks up his hand. No attempt has been made to go beyond the adoption of the trump, pa.s.sing, a.s.sisting, and the original lead or play, at the risk of being confusing.

A beginner should follow these hints pretty closely. A good Euchre player can make his own exceptions; but they should be made with careful consideration, and not abused.

ELDEST, OR FIRST HAND.

When the right is not turned, order with three medium trumps or better, and some strength in suit, _provided you have nothing to go to_; for example, ace, queen, ten of the turn-up, and two cards of another suit.

Do not order (unless with great strength) if you can make it next; for example, queen of clubs turned up, you hold right, ten, and nine of clubs, and king and ten of spades; or left, ace and seven of clubs, seven of spades, and seven of diamonds. In both of these cases pa.s.s, and make it next.