The basic premise of the game is that there are 4 players and you have a partner (so it's 2v2). The idea is to take as many "tricks" as possible to win the hand. The deck contains only 9s, 10s, Js, Qs, Ks and As. Each player is dealt 5 cards and the dealer flips the top card of the 4 cards that are left, this is the process in which "trump" is determined (these will be the most powerful cards in the deck). People have the option of passing the card that is flipped up or "ordering up" the dealer. If everyone passes including the dealer it goes around the table again and each person has the option of making trump whatever they want (except the suit of the card that is turned down). Once trump is made the person to the dealers left begins.
Time for an example, if trump is made hearts than the progression (highest to lowest) of cards is J of hearts, J of Diamonds, A, K, Q, 10, 9 of hearts. If spades were trump the most powerful card would be the J of Spades followed by the J oh Clubs.
Sounds really confusing???
The goal is for you and your partner to take 3 tricks out of 5. Scoring works like this...
If your team makes trump and takes 3 or 4 tricks you get 1 point.
If your team makes trump and takes all 5 tricks you get 2 points.
If your team makes trump and the other team gets 3 or more tricks, they get 2 points (Called Euchre or Setting).
If you have a really strong hand and decide to make trump and "go alone" (where you play without your partner), and you take all 5 tricks then you get 4 points.
A typical game goes to 10 or 11 points.
It sounds really hard, but once you get it you can have lots of fun. If anyone wants to learn and has a Yahoo ID, I would be happy to show you, playing against CPU controlled opponents.
