Game Overview

Below are rules for a version of three person euchre that is faster and more enaging because it's easier to bid successfully than previous versions. Successfullly making a bid is as easy as in four person games - the odds of being euchred is about the same.

These two unique rules help players create a stronger playing hand:

1. Each player can switch their entire hand for another, if they think the 'extra hand' may be better than what they were dealt.
2. Each player can 'pick-up' the flipped card, not only the dealer. This is a big advantage for improving your hand. Usually some player will pick up the card.

Game play is like a normal four person game, but with a special rule that players must 'go alone' when bidding. The bidder is against the other two players, who play like partners for the hand. Both opponents score 2 points if they can euchre the bidder.

A game of three person euchre takes about the same time as a four person game, on average. Therefore it works well when rotating players between games when are one person short on one table.

Dealing  (like 4 person)

• Four hands are dealt, the same as in four person Euchre.
• This creates a "spare hand" that no player picks up.
• After dealing the hands, the top card of the undealt deck is NOT turned up. **
  (See "Exchange Hand Round" for the penaly if dealer accidently turns the card.)

In each 'round' below, the dealer gets first choice - this is the dealer advantage...

Exhange Hand Round  (unique)

1. Starting with the dealer, players choose to "keep their hand" or "exchange it" with the spare hand - all 5 cards.
2. If a player exchanges their hand with the spare hand, the next player can still exchange with what is now the spare hand.
3. After all 3 players have chosen to either "keep" or "exchange", the top card of the undealt deck is flipped up. **

** If dealer flips the top card before the exchange round, he must "keep his hand". However other players can still exchange, with the advantage of knowing what the flipped card is.

Bidding Roungs

Bidding Round #1   (unique)

1. Starting with the dealer, each player can "pick up" the flipped card to become the bidder, discarding a card as normal. (There is no "ordering up the dealer".)
2. If no player bids on the first round, the flipped card is turned down, as normal.

Bidding Round #2  (like 4 person)

1. Starting with the dealer, each player can bid an alternate suite, as normal.
2. If no player bids in the second round, the hand is void and the deal passes, as normal.
   (There is no "stick the dealer".)

** A player may call "Alone" when bidding - same as in four person Euchre.
   See "Scoring" for what this means in three person euchre.

Game Play  (like 4 person)

1. The player after the bidder plays first - not the player after the dealer.
2. Play proceeds the same as in four person euchre, when a player is going alone.
3. The two non-bidders play as a team, trying to euchre the bidder.

Scoring

Player bids normally  (like 4 person)

• Taking 3 or 4 tricks scores 1 point
• Taking 5 tricks scores 2 points
• Taking less than 3 tricks is a euchre - opponents score 2 points EACH

Player bids "Alone"  (unique) **

• Taking 4 tricks scores 1 point
• Taking 5 tricks scores 4 points
• Taking less than 4 tricks is a euchre - opponents score 2 points EACH

** Calling "Alone" is a trade-off between:

• the opportunity to score 4 points for taking all 5 tricks, and...
• a higher risk of being euchred as must take 4 tricks to not be eurchred