British Euchre Rules — How Euchre Is Played in the UK

What Is British Euchre?

British euchre is the version of euchre played in parts of the United Kingdom, primarily in Southwest England. It shares the core mechanics of North American euchre — the bower system, trump calling, 5-card hands, and partnership play — but includes several key differences, most notably the Joker card (called the Benny) and a different scoring target.

If you know standard euchre, British euchre requires only minor adjustments. If you are learning euchre for the first time, start with the standard rules and then read this guide for the British variations.

The British Euchre Deck

British euchre uses 25 cards:

• 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace in each of four suits (24 cards)
• 1 Joker (the Benny)

The Joker is the crucial addition. In North American euchre, the Joker is typically not used (it was originally invented for euchre but later dropped from the standard rules).

Card Rankings with the Benny

When trump is called, the ranking order is:

Off-suit rankings are the same as standard euchre: A, K, Q, J (if not a bower), 10, 9.

What the Benny Changes

The Benny adds one more trump card to every hand, bringing the total trump count to 8 (Benny + Right Bower + Left Bower + A, K, Q, 10, 9 of trump).

Strategically:

• The maker has an extra trump available, making calls slightly safer
• The Right Bower is no longer the top card — the Benny beats everything
• Holding the Benny is like holding a guaranteed trick — even stronger than the Right Bower in standard play
• The kitty has 5 cards (25 total minus 20 dealt), one more than North American euchre’s 4

Dealing

1. Deal 5 cards to each player (same as standard euchre)
2. Place the remaining 5 cards face down as the kitty
3. Turn the top card face up for the trump call

If the Joker is turned up: House rules vary. The most common approach:

• The dealer picks up the Joker and names any suit as trump
• Then the dealer discards one card face down, keeping 5 in hand

Some groups instead turn the Joker down and flip the next kitty card. Agree before playing.

Calling Trump

The calling process is identical to North American euchre:

Round 1

Each player, starting left of the dealer, orders up the turned card or passes. If ordered up, the dealer takes the turned card and discards.

Round 2

If all four pass, the turned card is flipped down. Each player can name any suit except the turned-down suit, or pass.

Stick the dealer is common in British euchre games.

Trick Play

Trick play follows standard euchre rules exactly:

1. The eldest hand (left of dealer) leads the first trick
2. Players must follow suit (the Left Bower and Benny belong to the trump suit)
3. Highest trump wins if trump is played; otherwise highest of the led suit wins
4. The trick winner leads the next trick

The Benny During Trick Play

The Benny is treated as a trump card at all times:

• If asked to follow a non-trump suit, you may play the Benny even if you have cards in the led suit (some house rules). More commonly, the Benny must be played as trump — so you cannot use it to follow a non-trump lead.
• If trumps are led, the Benny outranks everything, including the Right Bower.
• If the Benny is led, it is a trump lead and all players must follow with trump if able.

Important house rule variation: Some British groups treat the Benny as belonging to no suit, allowing it to be played on any trick regardless of the suit led. Others treat it strictly as a trump card. Clarify before playing.

Scoring Differences

Standard British Scoring

This matches North American scoring exactly in most British variants.

Game Target

British euchre is often played to 11 points instead of the North American standard of 10. Some groups play to 10, others to 15. The differences are small but affect game length.

Loner Rules

Going alone is available in British euchre with the same rules as standard euchre. The partner sits out, and a march earns 4 points.

Benny + Going Alone: Holding the Benny makes loner attempts more attractive since you have the undisputed top card. A hand with the Benny, Right Bower, and Ace of trump is one of the strongest loner hands possible.

Strategy Adjustments for British Euchre

The Benny Makes Calling Safer

With an extra trump card in the deck, the maker’s chances of success increase slightly:

• If you hold the Benny, you have a guaranteed trick — the strongest possible opening
• Even if you do not hold the Benny, the chance it is in the kitty (5 out of 25 cards) is significant
• The extra trump card means more total trump circulating, which is generally good for makers

Calling Thresholds Are Slightly Lower

Because the Benny adds trump density, you can call on marginally weaker hands than in North American euchre. A hand with two trump cards plus a bower in British euchre is roughly equivalent to a hand with three trump cards in standard euchre (because the Benny might supplement).

Defense Is Slightly Harder

Defenders face one more trump card to contend with. Off-suit Aces are slightly less safe because there are 8 trump cards that can beat them (instead of 7). Defensive strategy principles still apply, but expect slightly more trump interference.

The Benny Holder Has Maximum Power

If you hold the Benny:

• You will win at least 1 trick no matter what
• You can afford to go alone with slightly weaker support
• Leading the Benny forces out the Right Bower (or confirms it is in the kitty)
• In late tricks, the Benny is an absolutely guaranteed winner

Do not waste the Benny. Leading it on trick 1 is fine to pull trump, but consider whether there is a more strategic time to play it.

Differences Summary

Where Is British Euchre Played?

British euchre is primarily played in:

• Devon and Cornwall — The strongest euchre tradition in England
• Southwest England generally — Spread through local social clubs
• Naval communities — Euchre was historically popular among British sailors
• Expat communities — British euchre players abroad maintain the tradition

It is a niche game in the UK compared to popular British card games like whist and bridge, but it has a loyal following in its regional strongholds — similar to how euchre in North America is concentrated in the Midwest.

What to Learn Next

If you are a British euchre player exploring the North American version, check the standard rules — the only major change is removing the Joker. For the history of euchre across both continents, our history article traces the game from Alsace to the Midwest to the Southwest of England. And for general card rankings and strategy, those guides apply to both versions with minor adjustments for the Benny.