The Laws of Euchre As adopted by the Somerset Club of Boston, March 1, 1888   By: Herbert Corey Leeds (1855-1930)

AS ADOPTED BY THE SOMERSET CLUB OF BOSTON, MARCH 1, 1888

With Some Suggestions about the Play

BY H. C. LEEDS AND JAMES DWIGHT

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BOSTON TICKNOR AND COMPANY 211 Tremont Street 1888

Copyright, 1888, BY TICKNOR AND COMPANY.

All rights reserved.

University Press: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.

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PREFACE.

Euchre is played in so many different ways and under so many different rules that there seems to be a necessity for more rigid and exact Laws than exist at present.

The Laws of Euchre, as here appended, have stood the test of time and received the attention of many scientific Euchre players.

If any game of cards is worth playing at all, it should be played according to rule in the strictest interpretation, and no favors should be given or expected.

An attempt has been made in these Rules to make the penalties commensurate with the advantage which might be gained by the error. A common instance of this is in the case of a lead out of turn. It often happens that the exposed card is an advantage to the side so offending, and the adversaries have no redress. Here the Whist Law has been applied, allowing the non offending side the option of two penalties. See Rule 52.

Another instance occurs in a lone hand. An exposed card can only benefit the adversaries, consequently no penalty is attached; but should the lone hand lead out of turn, he is supposed to be attempting to gain an advantage, therefore Rule 104 has been adopted.

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CONTENTS.

PAGE

THE LAWS OF EUCHRE 7 The Rubber 7 Scoring 7 Cutting 9 Formation of the Table 9 Cutting Cards of Equal Value 10 Cutting out 11 Entry and Re entry 11 Shuffling 13 The Deal 14 A New Deal 15 A Misdeal 17 Cards liable to be called 18 Cards played in Error 22 The Revoke 24 Calling for New Cards 26 Making the Trump and Playing 27 The Discard 30 The Trump Card 32 Playing alone 32 Etiquette of Euchre 35 Technical Terms used in Euchre 38 GENERAL REMARKS 41 Eldest, or First Hand 43 Second Hand 46 Third Hand 50 The Dealer 52 The Bridge 56 Lone Hands 57 Coups 61 Case I. 63 Case II. 65 Case III. 66 Case IV. 67 Case V. 68 Case VI. 70 Case VII. 72 Case VIII. 73 Case IX. 75

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THE LAWS OF EUCHRE.

THE RUBBER.

1. The rubber is the best of three games. If the first two games are won by the same players, the third game is played; should the score of the third game lap, a fourth game is played.

SCORING.

2. A game consists of five points. Should a player order up, assist, adopt, or make the trump, and he and his partner take five tricks, they score two; three or four tricks, they score one. If they fail to take three tricks they are euchred, and the adversaries score two.

3. When a player plays alone and takes five tricks, he scores four; three or four tricks, he scores one. If he fails to take three tricks he is euchred, and the adversaries score four.

4. The penalty of a revoke takes precedence of all other scores.

5. An error in the score can be rectified at any time before the trump card is turned in the next deal.