Trump Calling Strategy — When to Call, Pass, and Order Up

The Most Important Decision in Euchre

Every hand of euchre hinges on one question: should I call trump? Get this right consistently and you will win more games than any other single skill can provide. Get it wrong and you will hand your opponents easy 2-point euchres.

This guide breaks down the calling decision by round, seat position, and hand strength. It assumes you know the basic rules and card rankings.

Round 1: The Turned-Up Card

In the first round of calling, a card from the kitty is turned face up. Players decide, in order, whether to make that card’s suit the trump suit.

If anyone orders it up, the dealer picks up that card and discards one, effectively getting a free card upgrade. This fact shapes every first-round decision.

Seat 1 — Left of the Dealer (Eldest Hand)

You speak first, before anyone else shows interest. You need a strong hand to call here because:

• You have no information from other players’ calls or passes
• If you order up, the dealer (your opponent) gains a trump card
• You will lead the first trick

Call in Round 1 when you hold:

• Both bowers (virtually guaranteed march)
• Right Bower + Ace of trump + at least 1 more trump
• Left Bower + Ace of trump + 2 other trump cards
• 3 trump including the Ace + a side Ace

Pass with:

• A lone bower and no other trump support
• Only off-suit strength
• 2 mid-trump (Queen, 10, 9) without a bower or Ace

Seat 2 — Dealer’s Partner

You are in a powerful position. If you order up, your partner (the dealer) gets the extra trump card. This means you can call on slightly weaker hands than Seat 1.

Call in Round 1 when you hold:

• Any bower + 1 more trump (your partner gets a third trump from the kitty)
• Ace of trump + 2 other trump (strong even without ordering up)
• 2 trump + 2 off-suit Aces (you have tricks from multiple angles)

Signal consideration: Some experienced players pass with moderate strength in Seat 2 to let the dealer pick it up with their own judgment. This is fine, but do not let a strong hand pass just because you expect your partner to act.

Seat 3 — Right of the Dealer

You have heard two passes already, which gives you information: the other non-dealing team showed no interest. However, ordering up still gives the dealer (your opponent) a card.

Call in Round 1 when you hold:

• A bower + 2 supporting trump (the two passes suggest opponents are weak in this suit)
• Strong trump behind a side Ace or two (both opponents passed, so your off-suit Aces may be safer)

Pass with:

• Marginal trump — if two players already passed, the dealer probably does not want it either, and you might get a better suit in Round 2

Seat 4 — The Dealer

The dealer has the biggest advantage in Round 1:

• Three players have already passed, giving you maximum information
• You get to pick up the turned card and discard your worst card
• You effectively choose from 6 cards instead of 5

Pick up when:

• The turned card gives you 3+ trump
• The turned card is a bower and you have any other trump
• You have 2 trump already and the turned card makes it 3 with a solid hand

Turn it down when:

• The turned card does not improve your hand meaningfully
• You already have no trump in that suit
• You would rather call a different suit in Round 2

Under stick the dealer rules, keep in mind that turning down in Round 1 means you may be forced to name a suit in Round 2.

Round 2: Naming Any Suit

If all four players pass in Round 1, the turned-up card is flipped face down and a second round begins. Now any player can name any suit except the one that was turned down.

Strategy Shifts in Round 2

Round 2 is different from Round 1 in several important ways:

1. You know the rejected suit. Four players passed on it, so strength is elsewhere.
2. No one gets a free card. The dealer does not pick up anything in Round 2.
3. The calling bar is lower. After four passes, someone usually has moderate strength in another suit.

Calling in Round 2 from Any Seat

Call when you have:

• 2+ trump in the new suit including a bower or Ace
• Strong off-suit cards that support a thinner trump holding
• The Left Bower of the turned-down suit (it is now a plain Jack, but you might hold the Right Bower of its partner suit)

Example: Hearts was turned down. You hold J♠, A♠, K♠, A♦, 9♥. Calling spades gives you the Right Bower, Ace, and King of trump plus a side Ace — an excellent hand.

The “Next” and “Reverse Next” Patterns

Experienced players use a concept called next:

• Next suit = the same-color suit as the one turned down. If hearts was turned down, diamonds is “next.”
• The logic: the player who turned down hearts might hold the Jack of Hearts, which would be the Left Bower if diamonds are trump. So calling the next suit often activates a hidden bower in your partner’s hand (if your partner was the dealer who turned it down).

Reverse next (or “green”) = calling the opposite-color suit. This is sometimes correct when you have strength in black and the rejected suit was red (or vice versa).

These patterns give a slight statistical edge and are worth paying attention to as you improve.

Hand Strength Framework

Here is a practical framework for evaluating your hand before calling:

The Sure-Trick Count

Count only cards that will almost certainly win a trick:

Calling guideline: Count your sure tricks. Add 0.5–1 for your partner’s expected contribution. If the total reaches 3, calling is justified.

Minimum Hands by Position

These are approximations. Adjust based on the score — behind teams should call thinner, leading teams can afford to pass.

Position-Based Tips Summary

When You Are on the Calling Team

• Count sure tricks before deciding
• Factor in the kitty card (Round 1) — who benefits?
• Consider going alone if the hand is overwhelming (see going alone strategy)
• Lead trump after calling to draw out opponents’ trump

When Opponents Call

• Shift to defense mode immediately
• Lead your strongest off-suit cards to win tricks before trump strips you
• If they go alone, you only need 1 trick to deny the 4-point bonus

Advanced: Reading the Table

As you gain experience, pay attention to these signals:

1. A quick pass from Seat 1 usually means genuine weakness in the turned-up suit.
2. A slow pass (or a reluctant pass) may signal moderate strength — they might call the next suit in Round 2.
3. The dealer turning it down tells you they likely have no more than 1 trump in that suit (otherwise they would pick it up for the free upgrade).
4. Two quick passes before you means the turned-up suit is probably favorable for you to call if you have even moderate strength.

Common Trump-Calling Mistakes

1. Calling on a lone bower — One bower and four off-suit cards is usually a pass. You need 3 tricks, and one card is not enough.
2. Ordering up to a hostile dealer — Remember, the dealer (your opponent) gets the card. Only order up against them with a genuinely strong hand.
3. Ignoring the score — If you are at 9 points, you only need 1 point. Call on thinner hands. If your opponent is at 9, you need to prevent their call or euchre them.
4. Never calling in Round 2 — Some beginners always pass and wait for a “perfect” hand. In euchre, perfect hands are rare. Call with reasonable strength.
5. Calling the wrong suit in Round 2 — Always consider the “next” suit before calling a random one.

Learn more about these and other errors in our common mistakes guide.

What to Learn Next

Calling trump is the decision; executing is the follow-through. Once you name trump, you need to know what to lead and when to go alone. If the opponents call, flip to defense strategy to maximize your euchre opportunities.