What Is Three-Handed Euchre?

Three-handed euchre — commonly called cutthroat euchre — is the most popular euchre variant for exactly 3 players. It removes the partnership element entirely: every player scores individually, and the maker goes it alone against 2 defenders every hand.

The core mechanics (trump, bowers, trick play) are identical to standard 4-player euchre. The differences are in dealing, scoring, and strategy.

What You Need

  • 3 players
  • A 24-card euchre deck (9, 10, J, Q, K, A in each suit — or remove 2–8 from a 52-card deck)
  • Score tracking (pen and paper recommended since the two-card method assumes 2 teams)

How to Deal

  1. Choose a dealer (cut cards, lowest deals, or any method)
  2. Deal 5 cards to each player (3+2 or 2+3 in rounds, as in standard euchre)
  3. Place the remaining 9 cards face down as the kitty
  4. Turn the top card of the kitty face up — this is the potential trump card

The deal passes clockwise after each hand.

Note: With 9 cards in the kitty (instead of 4 in standard euchre), more cards are hidden and out of play. This makes card counting harder and increases the variance of each hand.

Calling Trump

The calling process follows the standard two-round system:

Round 1

Starting left of the dealer, each player either orders up the turned card (making its suit trump) or passes. If ordered up, the dealer picks up the turned card, adds it to their hand, and discards one card face down.

Round 2

If all three players pass in Round 1, the turned card is flipped down and a second round begins. Each player (starting left of the dealer) can name any suit except the turned-down suit, or pass.

Under stick the dealer rules: If the first two players pass in Round 2, the dealer must call a suit. This rule is recommended for 3-player euchre to prevent frequent re-deals.

The key difference: Whoever calls trump is the maker and plays alone against 2 defenders. There is no partner to help take tricks.

Scoring

Three-handed euchre scoring is individual:

Outcome Points
Maker takes 3 or 4 tricks 1 point to maker
Maker takes all 5 tricks (march) 3 points to maker*
Maker takes fewer than 3 tricks (euchred) 2 points to each defender

*Some groups award 2 points for a march (matching standard euchre). Others award 3 points since the maker has no partner. Agree on this before playing.

Why Defenders Both Score

When the maker is euchred, both defenders earn 2 points because both contributed to stopping the maker. This is the critical strategic tension: every time someone calls and fails, the other two players both benefit equally.

Winning the Game

Play to 10 points (standard) or a higher target for a longer game. Each player tracks their own score.

How Trick Play Works

Trick play follows standard euchre rules exactly:

  1. The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick (or the player who won the previous trick)
  2. Play proceeds clockwise
  3. Each player must follow suit if possible — remembering that the Left Bower belongs to the trump suit
  4. The highest trump wins a trump trick; the highest card in the led suit wins a non-trump trick
  5. The winner of each trick leads the next

Since there are only 3 players per trick (not 4), tricks are decided faster and there is less chance of a trump-in on any given lead.

Strategy Differences from Standard Euchre

Calling Requires a Stronger Hand

In standard euchre, your partner contributes roughly half your tricks. In cutthroat, you need all 3 tricks yourself. This means:

  • Minimum calling hand should have 2–3 strong trump cards (bowers and/or Ace)
  • Off-suit Aces are more valuable because with only 2 opponents, the chance of someone being void and trumping your Ace is lower
  • A lone bower is never enough — you need a bower plus supporting strength

Defense Is Automatic Teamwork

Both non-makers naturally coordinate against the maker, even without formal partnership. However, defenders should:

  • Lead Aces early — they are more likely to hold up in a 3-player game
  • Not waste trump on each other’s tricks — if the other defender is winning, play low
  • Focus on the maker’s likely weaknesses — if the maker called trump, attack their off-suits

Card Counting Is Harder

With 9 cards in the kitty instead of 4, you know less about what is out there. Only 15 of 24 cards are in play. This means:

  • Bowers might be in the kitty — do not assume both are in play
  • Suit distributions are more extreme — a player might have 3–4 cards in one suit with only 5 cards total
  • Trump density is lower — on average, each player holds fewer trump, making off-suit Aces safer

March Bonus Is More Valuable

Since taking all 5 tricks with no partner is genuinely difficult, the march bonus (whether you play it as 2 or 3 points) represents a significant swing. Consider the march potential when evaluating your hand — if you think you can take all 5, be aggressive.

Common Variations

Rotating Dummy Hand

Some groups deal 4 hands (as if 4 players) and give the dummy hand to the maker. The maker looks at both hands and chooses the better 5 cards, discarding the rest. This reduces the difficulty of making and creates hands more similar to standard euchre.

Fixed Partnerships per Hand

Another variant creates a temporary partnership each hand: the maker calls trump, and the dealer (or the player who passed last) becomes their temporary partner. This blends cutthroat scoring with partnership play.

No-Trump Option

Some three-handed games allow a “no-trump” call that plays tricks without any trump suit — Aces win everything. The maker who calls no-trump earns bonus points for a march. This is unusual but adds variety.

Tips for Winning Three-Handed Euchre

  1. Be conservative calling — Without a partner, you need a hand that can win 3 of 5 tricks alone. Error on the side of passing.
  2. Value off-suit Aces highly — They are more reliable with only 2 opponents to worry about.
  3. Track the bowers — With 9 kitty cards, one or both bowers might not be in play. If you hold the Right Bower, you are in strong shape.
  4. Attack the maker’s off-suits — As a defender, lead the suit where the maker seems weakest.
  5. Watch the score — If one player is ahead, the other two naturally prioritize euchring them. If you are in the lead, call less and let others call and fail.

What to Learn Next

Three-handed euchre shares its foundation with standard euchre. Once you are comfortable with the 3-player variant, try two-handed euchre for an even more stripped-down version, or bid euchre for greater complexity. If you are ready to move up to the full 4-player game, the strategy for beginners guide will get you up to speed.