EUCHRE, a game at cards, much played in America. Euchre is said to be a corruption of the word dcarte ; the game is believed to have been first played by the French settlers in Louisiana, but at what date is uncertain. Euchre is played with thirty-two cards, the twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes being rejected from a complete pack. The players cut for deal, and the lowest deals. The non-dealer then cuts to his opponent, who deals five cards to each, by two at a time and three at a time, or vice versa. The dealer turns up the top of the undealt cards for trumps. In suits not trumps the cards rank as at whist ; in the trump suit the knave (called the right bower) is the highest trump, and the other knave of the seine colour, black or red, as the case may be (called the left bower), is the next highest, this card being, of course, omitted from the suit to which it would otherwise belong. The other trumps rank as already stated, the queen being next above the ten.

Two-handed Euchre. - The non-dealer looks at his hand and decides whether he will play it. If content, i.e., if he thinks he can win three tricks, he says " order it up." The dealer then puts out from his hand any card he pleases, face downwards, and is entitled to take the trump card into his hand ; but the card is generally left on the pack until wanted in the course of play. If the non-dealer is not content, he says " pass." The dealer then has the option of taking up the trump as before, or of passing also. If the trump is ordered up or taken up the play of the hand commences ; if both pass, the dealer places the trump card face upwards under the pack, called turning it down. The non-dealer has then the option of making it, i.e., of naming any suit, except the one turned up, saying, "make it spades," or any suit he prefers, and that suit becomes trumps, or of passing again, saying, "pass again." If he makes it, the play begins; if he passes again, the dealer has similarly the option of making it. If both pass a second time the hand is thrown up, and the other player deals When the turn up is red and the trump is made red it is called making it next; the same if black is made black. If the trump is made of a different colour from the turn up, it is called crossing the suit. If the hand is played, the non-dealer leads; the dealer plays to the card led. He must follow suit if able, otherwise he may play any card he pleases. If the left bower is led a trump must be played to it. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick ; trumps win other suits. The winner of the trick leads to the next. If the player who orders up, takes up, or makes the trump, wins five tricks, he scores two, called a march; if he makes three or four tricks he scores one, called the point. If he fails to make three tricks he is euchred, and his opponent scores two. The game is five up. By agreement, a player who makes more than five may carry the surplus (called a lap) to the next game. Also it is sometimes agreed that a love game (or lurch) shall count double. The game may be reckoned without reference to the adverse score ; or it may be played with points, that is, the winner receives from the loser as many points as he wants of game.

Three-handed or Cut-throat Euchre. - The option of playing or passing goes to each in rotation, beginning with the player to the dealer's left. Three cards, one from each hand, constitute a trick. The player who ordersThp, takes up, or makes the trump plays against the other two, except at independent euchre, when each plays for himself. If the attacking player is euchred, he is set back two points. Thus if he is love, and is euchred, he has seven points to make instead of five.

Four-handed Euchre is generally played with partners, who are cut for and sit opposite each other as at whist. If the first hand passes, the second may say " I assist," which means that the dealer (his partner) is to take up the trump.

three tricks the opponents score two.