How to Use This Glossary

This glossary covers every term you will encounter while learning and playing euchre. Terms are organized alphabetically. Each definition links to the relevant guide where you can learn more.

Alone (Going Alone)

When a player on the making team decides to play the hand without their partner. The partner sits out and places their cards face down. A successful loner (all 5 tricks) earns 4 points. See going alone strategy.

Barn

Slang for a score of 9 points — one point away from winning. A team “in the barn” needs only a single point to close out the game. Also called “on the hill.”

Bid (Bid Euchre)

A declaration of how many tricks a player expects to win. Used in bid euchre variants instead of the standard trump-calling system.

Bower

One of the two highest-ranking trump cards. “Bower” comes from the German Bauer (farmer/peasant), referring to the Jack. See Right Bower and Left Bower.

Call / Call Trump

To declare a suit as trump for the hand. In Round 1, this means ordering up the turned card. In Round 2, this means naming a suit. See trump calling strategy.

Cross-Ruff

A technique where partners alternate trumping each other’s off-suit leads, winning tricks back and forth. More common in bridge but occasionally relevant in euchre when both partners have voids.

Cutthroat

A version of euchre with no fixed partnerships. Each player scores independently. Most commonly used in three-handed euchre.

Deal

Distributing cards to players at the start of a hand. The dealer gives 5 cards to each player (in rounds of 2 and 3) and places the kitty in the center. The deal rotates clockwise after each hand.

Dealer

The player who deals the cards. The dealer speaks last in Round 1 and has the option to pick up the turned card. Under stick the dealer, the dealer is forced to call trump if everyone else passes.

Deck (Euchre Deck)

A 24-card deck consisting of 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace in each of four suits. Created by removing all 2s through 8s from a standard 52-card deck.

Defenders

The team that did not call trump. Defenders try to euchre the makers by winning 3 or more tricks. See defense strategy.

Discard

The card the dealer removes from their hand after picking up the turned card from the kitty. The discard is placed face down and is out of play.

Draw Trump / Pull Trump

Leading trump cards to remove them from the opponents’ hands. A standard offensive technique. See leading strategy.

Eldest Hand

The player to the left of the dealer. They speak first during the calling phase and lead the first trick.

Euchre (Euchred)

When the making team fails to win at least 3 of 5 tricks. The defending team scores 2 points. Being euchred is the worst standard outcome for the calling team. See scoring rules.

Farmer’s Hand

A hand with no face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces) — only 9s and 10s. Some house rules allow a re-deal when a player holds a farmer’s hand. See farmer’s hand.

Follow Suit

The requirement to play a card of the same suit that was led, if you have one. Failure to follow suit when able is a renege.

Going Under

Picking up the turned card as the dealer. The dealer adds the turned-up card to their hand and discards one card face down.

Green Suit

In trump-calling strategy, the suit of the opposite color from the turned-down suit. If a red suit was turned down, the green suits are the two black suits. Contrast with Next Suit.

Kitty

The undealt cards placed face down in the center of the table. In standard euchre, the kitty has 4 cards. The top card is turned face up as the candidate trump card.

Lead

To play the first card in a trick. The leader determines which suit must be followed. The player who won the previous trick leads the next one.

Left Bower (Left Bauer)

The Jack of the same color as the trump suit. If hearts are trump, the Left Bower is the J♦. It is the second-highest card in the game and belongs to the trump suit for the entire hand. See card rankings.

Loner

A hand played by a single player without their partner. See Alone and going alone strategy.

Makers (Making Team)

The team that called trump. The makers need 3 of 5 tricks to score. If they fail, they are euchred and the defenders score 2 points.

March

Winning all 5 tricks in a hand. A march earns 2 points for the makers (or 4 points if the maker went alone). See scoring rules.

Next Suit

The suit of the same color as the turned-down card. If hearts was turned down, the next suit is diamonds. Calling the next suit in Round 2 often activates a hidden Left Bower. See trump calling strategy.

Order Up

To tell the dealer to pick up the turned-up card, thereby making that suit trump. Any player can order up in Round 1, but remember the dealer (who picks up the card) is either your partner or your opponent.

Pass

Declining to call trump. A pass costs nothing and moves the decision to the next player. Under stick the dealer, the dealer cannot pass in Round 2 if everyone else has passed.

Point (Pip)

The numerical value of a card (9, 10) or the spots on score-tracking cards. Also refers to a single scoring unit in euchre.

Renege (Revoke)

Failing to follow the led suit when you have a card of that suit. The most common renege involves forgetting the Left Bower belongs to the trump suit. See renege rules.

Right Bower (Right Bauer)

The Jack of the trump suit. It is the highest-ranking card in euchre — nothing beats it. See card rankings.

Round 1

The first phase of calling trump, where players decide whether the turned-up card’s suit becomes trump.

Round 2

The second phase of calling trump (if Round 1 produces all passes). Players can name any suit except the one that was turned down.

Ruff

To play a trump card on an off-suit lead (because you are void in the led suit). This “trumps” the trick.

Score

The number of points a team has accumulated. Standard euchre is played to 10 points.

Set (Bid Euchre)

Being set means the bidding team failed to meet their trick bid. They lose points equal to their bid. Equivalent to being euchred in standard euchre.

Stick the Dealer

A popular house rule that forces the dealer to call trump in Round 2 if all other players pass. Eliminates re-deals. See stick the dealer.

Trick

One round of play where each player contributes one card. A standard euchre hand has 5 tricks. The highest card (considering trump) wins the trick.

Trump

The suit designated as the strongest for the hand. Any trump card beats any non-trump card. The trump suit is determined during the calling phase.

Turn Down

To decline the face-up card in Round 1. If the dealer turns it down, the card is placed face down and Round 2 begins.

Void

Having no cards in a particular suit. Being void allows you to play any card, including trump (ruffing), on a lead of that suit.

What to Learn Next

If a term here is unfamiliar in context, the best way to learn it is by reading the connected guide. Start with the rules for beginners for the full walkthrough, then move to card rankings and scoring for the mechanical details. If you know the terms and want to get better, our strategy guides cover every aspect of winning play. To see how euchre differs overseas, read about British euchre rules. Or try euchre with fewer players — see two-handed euchre and three-handed euchre.