Table of Contents

Whether you’re brand new to euchre or a seasoned veteran, understanding the language of the game is essential. Euchre has a rich vocabulary all its own — from “bowers” to “marches,” from “euchring” to “going alone.” This comprehensive glossary covers every term you’re likely to encounter at the euchre table, in online play, or during tournament competition.

Use this reference whenever you come across an unfamiliar word or phrase while learning the game or reading about strategy. Terms are listed in alphabetical order for easy lookup.

Ace

In euchre, the ace of the trump suit is the third-highest card, ranking below the right bower and left bower. Aces of non-trump suits (called off-aces) are the highest cards in their respective suits. Holding an off-ace can be a decisive advantage, especially when playing a loner hand, since it’s almost guaranteed to win a trick outside of trump.

Alone / Loner / Going Alone

When a player chooses to play a hand without their partner’s help, they are said to be “going alone” or playing a “loner.” The partner of the player going alone sits out the hand entirely and does not play any cards. If the lone player wins all five tricks, the team earns four points instead of the usual two for a march. Going alone is a high-risk, high-reward play typically reserved for hands with exceptional trump strength or a combination of strong trump cards and off-aces. Some regional variants award additional points for a lone march.

Assist

To assist means to order up the turn-up card when you are the dealer’s partner. By assisting, you’re telling your partner (the dealer) that you believe the team can win at least three tricks with the turned-up suit as trump. Assisting is a strategic decision that requires confidence in the combined strength of both hands, since you can see your own cards but not the dealer’s.

Bower (Right and Left)

The two highest-ranking cards in euchre are called bowers. The term comes from the German word “Bauer,” meaning farmer or peasant, which was used to refer to the jack. In euchre, the jack of the trump suit is the right bower (the highest card in the game), and the jack of the same color as trump is the left bower (the second-highest card). For example, if hearts are trump, the jack of hearts is the right bower and the jack of diamonds is the left bower. The left bower is considered part of the trump suit for all purposes, even though it physically belongs to a different suit. See also: Right Bower, Left Bower.

Bridge (Scoring Method)

In euchre scoring, a “bridge” refers to the situation where a team has nine points and needs just one more point to win the game (in a standard game to ten). Some house rules state that a team cannot win the game on a defensive euchre — they must “cross the bridge” by earning a point as the makers. This is a regional variation and is not universally applied, but it adds a layer of drama to close games.

Call / Calling Trump

Calling trump refers to the act of naming the trump suit for the hand. During the first round of bidding, a player can call trump by ordering up the turn-up card. During the second round, a player calls trump by naming any suit other than the one that was turned down. The player (or team) that calls trump becomes the makers and must win at least three tricks to score points.

Cross-Suit

Cross-suit (also called “next suit” by some players) refers to the suit of the same color as the trump suit. For example, if spades are trump, then clubs (the other black suit) is the cross-suit. The term is most commonly used in discussions of second-round bidding strategy. Calling cross-suit is a popular strategy because if the opponents passed on the turn-up suit, they may also be weak in the same-color suit. Not to be confused with “next,” which can have the same meaning but is sometimes used differently depending on regional conventions.

Dealer

The player who deals the cards for the current hand. In euchre, the deal rotates clockwise after each hand. The dealer distributes five cards to each player (typically in groups of two and three) and turns up the top card of the remaining four-card kitty. The dealer has a strategic advantage: if trump is ordered up in the first round, the dealer picks up the turn-up card and discards one card from their hand. In “stick the dealer” variants, the dealer is obligated to call trump if all other players pass in the second round.

Defender

The defenders are the two players on the team that did not call trump. Their objective is to prevent the makers from winning three or more tricks. If the defenders win three or more tricks, they have euchred the makers and score two points. Defending successfully requires careful card play, communication through leads, and strategic use of trump cards.

Discard

After the dealer picks up the turn-up card during the first round of bidding, they must discard one card from their hand face-down. The discard is placed on top of the kitty and is out of play for the remainder of the hand. Choosing the right card to discard is a crucial strategic decision — players typically discard their weakest card or a card from a suit where they hold no other cards, in order to create a void.

Donating

Donating is a defensive strategy where a player deliberately orders up a weak trump suit to prevent the opposing team from calling a more favorable suit. For example, if your opponents are likely to call a suit where they hold both bowers, you might “donate” a point by ordering up a different suit, even if your hand is mediocre. The idea is that giving up one point now is better than potentially giving up two or four points later.

Doubleton

A doubleton is a holding of exactly two cards in a particular suit. In euchre, where each player holds only five cards, a doubleton is a common and often significant holding. If you have a doubleton in the trump suit, you have moderate trump strength. A doubleton in a side suit means you’ll run out of that suit quickly and may be able to trump in after playing your two cards.

Duck / Ducking

To duck means to intentionally play a low card on a trick you could have won, allowing your partner or another player to take the trick instead. Ducking is a strategic play — for example, you might duck to preserve a high trump card for a later trick, or to let your partner’s lead win so they can lead the next trick from a position of strength.

Euchre / Euchred

To be euchred means the makers (the team that called trump) failed to win at least three of the five tricks. When this happens, the defending team scores two points. Being euchred is one of the most significant swings in the game, as it not only denies the makers any points but awards the defenders a bonus. The term “euchre” is also, of course, the name of the game itself. The word likely derives from the German card game “Jucker” or the Alsatian game “Juckerspiel.”

First Round

The first round of bidding is the initial phase where players decide whether to accept the turned-up card as the trump suit. Starting with the player to the dealer’s left and proceeding clockwise, each player may either pass or order up the turn-up card. If a player orders it up, the dealer picks up the turn-up card and discards one card. If all four players pass in the first round, play proceeds to the second round of bidding.

Follow Suit

A fundamental rule of trick-taking card games: when a card is led, each subsequent player must play a card of the same suit if they have one. If a player cannot follow suit (because they have no cards of that suit), they may play any card, including a trump card. Failure to follow suit when able is called a renege and carries a penalty. Remember that the left bower belongs to the trump suit, not its printed suit, so it must be played as trump.

Green Suit

A colloquial term for a suit in which you hold no cards — you are “void” in that suit. The name comes from the idea that the suit is like a “green light” for trumping: if that suit is led, you can freely play a trump card since you have none of that suit to follow. Having a green suit is strategically valuable because it gives you opportunities to win tricks by trumping in.

Hand

A hand refers to a single round of play in euchre, from the deal through all five tricks. It also refers to the five cards a player is holding. Each hand in euchre consists of bidding, optional card exchange (by the dealer), and then the play of five tricks. Points are awarded at the end of each hand based on how many tricks the makers and defenders won.

Kitty / Blind

The kitty (also called the blind) is the set of four cards left over after the deal. In standard euchre, the top card of the kitty is turned face-up as the turn-up card. The remaining three cards in the kitty are face-down and out of play. If the turn-up card is ordered up, the dealer takes it into their hand and adds one card from their hand to the kitty as a discard. The kitty is not examined by any player during the hand.

Lead

To lead is to play the first card in a trick. The player who wins a trick leads the next one. The opening lead of a hand belongs to the player to the left of the dealer (or to the left of the lone player if someone is going alone). The choice of which card to lead is one of the most important strategic decisions in euchre. Common opening lead strategies include leading trump to draw out the opponents’ trump cards or leading an off-ace to secure a quick trick.

Left Bower

The jack of the suit that is the same color as the trump suit. The left bower is the second-highest card in the game, ranking just below the right bower and above the ace of trump. Critically, the left bower is considered a member of the trump suit for all game purposes, even though it is physically printed as a different suit. For example, if diamonds are trump, the jack of hearts is the left bower and is treated as a diamond, not a heart. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood rules in euchre by new players.

Maker

The maker (or makers) is the player who called trump, and by extension, their partner. The makers’ goal is to win at least three of the five tricks in the hand. Winning three or four tricks earns one point, winning all five tricks (a march) earns two points, and winning all five tricks while going alone earns four points. If the makers fail to win at least three tricks, they have been euchred.

March

A march occurs when the makers win all five tricks in a hand. A march is worth two points for the making team, or four points if the maker called a loner and won all five tricks alone. Achieving a march requires a very strong hand or excellent card play. Some players use the phrase “we marched” to celebrate winning all five tricks.

Misdeal

A misdeal occurs when the cards are dealt incorrectly — for example, dealing the wrong number of cards to a player, exposing a card during the deal, or dealing out of turn. When a misdeal is declared, the cards are collected and re-dealt, typically by the same dealer. Different house rules and tournament rules have varying standards for what constitutes a misdeal and how it is handled.

Next / Next Suit

The next suit is the suit of the same color as the turn-up card. If the turn-up was the king of hearts and it was turned down, the “next” suit would be diamonds (the other red suit). “Calling next” is a well-known second-round bidding strategy based on the reasoning that since both opponents passed on the turn-up suit, they are likely weak in both suits of that color. This gives the next-suit caller a potential advantage.

Off-Suit / Off-Ace

An off-suit card is any card that is not in the trump suit. An off-ace specifically refers to an ace of a non-trump suit. Off-aces are extremely valuable in euchre because they are the highest-ranking cards in their respective suits and are very likely to win a trick. Holding one or two off-aces alongside solid trump cards is often a strong enough hand to call trump or go alone.

Order Up

To order up means to instruct the dealer to pick up the turn-up card, thereby establishing that suit as trump. Any player can order up during the first round of bidding. When a non-dealer player orders up, they are telling the dealer to take the turn-up card into their hand. The player who orders up (or their team) becomes the makers and is responsible for winning at least three tricks.

Pass

To pass during bidding means to decline the opportunity to call trump. During the first round, passing means you don’t want the turn-up suit to be trump. During the second round, passing means you don’t want to name a new trump suit. If all four players pass in both rounds, the hand is typically re-dealt — unless “stick the dealer” rules are in effect, in which case the dealer must call trump.

Pick Up

When trump is ordered up in the first round, the dealer “picks up” the turn-up card and adds it to their hand, then discards one card. The phrase “pick it up” is commonly used by a player’s partner or by the player ordering up to signal the dealer to accept the turn-up card as the trump suit.

Point

A point is the basic scoring unit in euchre. A standard game is played to ten points. The makers earn one point for winning three or four tricks, two points for a march, and four points for a lone march. The defenders earn two points for a euchre. Some variations play to different point totals, such as five, seven, or fifteen.

Renege / Revoke

A renege (also called a revoke) occurs when a player fails to follow suit when they are able to do so. In euchre, you must follow the suit that was led if you have a card of that suit in your hand. If you play a card from a different suit when you could have followed suit, you have reneged. The penalty for a renege varies by house rules or tournament rules, but it commonly results in a two-point penalty for the offending team or an automatic loss of the hand. Remember that the left bower counts as trump, not its printed suit.

Right Bower

The jack of the trump suit. The right bower is the single highest-ranking card in euchre and outranks every other card in the deck, including the left bower and the ace of trump. Holding the right bower is a major advantage and virtually guarantees at least one trick. The right bower is sometimes referred to simply as “the right.”

Round

In euchre, “round” typically refers to either a round of bidding or a round of tricks. There are two rounds of bidding: the first round (where players decide on the turn-up card) and the second round (where players may name any other suit). A “round” can also refer to one cycle of all four players playing a card, which constitutes a trick. Additionally, in tournament play, a “round” may refer to one rotation of hands or matchups.

Second Round

The second round of bidding occurs after all four players have passed on the turn-up card in the first round. The turn-up card is flipped face-down, and starting with the player to the dealer’s left, each player may name any suit except the one that was just turned down. If a player names a suit, that suit becomes trump and the caller becomes the maker. If all players pass again, the hand is re-dealt (or the dealer must call in stick-the-dealer variants).

Singleton

A singleton is a holding of exactly one card in a particular suit. Having a singleton in a side suit can be advantageous because once you play that card, you become void in that suit and can trump in on subsequent tricks. A singleton trump card, on the other hand, represents a very weak trump holding and is usually not enough to call trump on.

Stick the Dealer

A popular rule variant in which the dealer is forced to name a trump suit if all other players pass during both rounds of bidding. This eliminates the possibility of a re-deal and ensures that every hand is played. Stick the dealer speeds up the game and adds an extra layer of strategy, as the dealer must choose the best (or least bad) suit from their hand when stuck. This rule is standard in most tournament play and many social games.

Sweep

A sweep is another term for a march — it means winning all five tricks in a hand. The term “sweep” emphasizes the dominance of the winning team’s card play. It is used interchangeably with “march” in most euchre circles, though “march” is the more traditional and widely recognized term.

Trick

A trick consists of one card played by each player in turn, with the highest card winning the trick. In euchre, each hand consists of exactly five tricks. The player who plays the highest card of the suit led wins the trick, unless a trump card is played, in which case the highest trump wins. The team that wins the majority of tricks (three, four, or five) earns points for the hand.

Trump / Trump Suit

The trump suit is the suit designated as the most powerful suit for the current hand. All cards in the trump suit outrank all cards in non-trump suits. The trump suit is determined during the bidding phase, either by ordering up the turn-up card or by naming a suit in the second round. The trump suit includes the right bower (jack of trump), left bower (jack of the same-color suit), ace of trump, king of trump, queen of trump, ten of trump (and nine, if playing with nines). Understanding trump hierarchy is fundamental to euchre strategy.

Turn-Up Card

The top card of the kitty, which is turned face-up after the deal. The turn-up card represents the potential trump suit for the first round of bidding. If any player orders it up, its suit becomes trump and the dealer adds the card to their hand. If all players pass, the turn-up card is flipped face-down and a second round of bidding begins where players may call any suit other than the turned-down suit. The turn-up card provides important information about which cards are in play and may influence bidding decisions.

Under-Trump

To under-trump means to play a trump card that is lower than a trump card already played on the same trick. Under-trumping results in losing the trick to the higher trump. This typically happens when a player is forced to follow suit in trump but holds only lower trump cards than what has already been played. Under-trumping can also occur by choice in rare tactical situations, such as when you want to avoid winning an unwanted trick.

Void

A void means having no cards of a particular suit. Being void in a suit is strategically significant because it allows you to play a trump card when that suit is led, potentially winning the trick even if you couldn’t follow suit. Creating voids through the dealer’s discard or through natural card distribution is a basic element of euchre strategy. A player who is dealt no cards of a particular suit is said to have a “natural void.”

Keep Learning

Now that you know the language of euchre, take your understanding further with these resources: