Tommy's euchre (c) copyright 1988 by tommy's toys
P. O. Box 11261, denver, co 80211 usa. All rights reserved.
Catalog #88-119-1a
Instructions:
Euchre, a descendant of triomphe, was at one time called the national card
Game of the united states until its ouster by contract bridge after 1925-6.
Some say the joker card was invented for this game (its use makes the game
Go a lot faster), or that the word euchre is a corruption of the word joker.
It is an easy game to learn, less demanding than bridge, but a good time for
All.
Tommy's euchre implements the classic 4-handed partnership version with and
Without a joker.
Rules of the game
The cards:
Euchre is played with only the 9 through ace, 24 cards in all. Note: many
Play with the 7 through the ace, but by discarding the 7s and 8s the players
Have more interesting hands and the game is more fun. Optionally, a joker
May be added to the deck making 25 cards.
The players:
Euchre is played by 4 players, with opposite players being partners.
Note: in this game, the keyboard may play any or all of the positions on the
Table, the computer plays the rest. To give the player position to the
Computer, enter a null name (or the name "computer"). During play, by using
Function key f2 you can make the computer play all hands at that point in the
Game. (fancy trick: start a name with ctrl-d and it will be accepted as a
Computer player.) Of course, the hands for keyboard players are all displayed
On the screen, so you can see each others' hands, so use it only for teaching.
After bidding for trump, each player takes turns playing cards with the object
Being to take as many tricks as possible.
The deal:
The dealer gives 5 cards to each player (4 cards remain). The next remaining
Card is then turned over (the turn-up or flipped card). If the turn-up is the
Joker, there is a redeal.
The bidding:
Players take turns bidding starting with the player to the left of the dealer
(eldest hand) and continuing to the left. A player may either bid a suit
(s,h,d,c), or pass (p); or let the computer decide for you (a).
In the first round of bidding, the only suit that can be bid is the suit of the
Flipped card. If everyone passes then the flipped card is turned upside down
And players go through another round of bidding.
In the second round, any suit may be bid except the suit of the flipped card.
If no suit is bid after the second round, the hand is thrown in and the player
To the left of the present dealer deals the next hand.
Playing alone:
If a player makes a bid, he has the option of playing alone. This means that
The bidder's partner puts his cards down and sits out the hand. A team can
Get more points by going alone (see scoring).
Accepting the turn-up:
If a bid is made in the first round, using the flipped card suit, then the
Dealer picks up the flipped card and discards (sloughs) any card he chooses
(presumably a loser). This does not happen if the bid is made in the second
Round.
Note: with real cards, it is traditional for the dealer to leave the turn-up
On the table until he needs to play it. In the bidding, the non-dealing team
"orders up" the turn-up, while the partner of the dealer says "i assist" to
Bid on the first round. On the second round, the bidders either "make it",
That is, name a trump, or pass; and when the trump is named, if it has the
Same color as the flipped card this is called "making it next", while if it
Has the opposite color as the flipped card this is called "crossing it".
The play:
Eldest hand leads the first trick and is followed by the player to his left
Until everybody has played 1 card.
To enter your play, type the rank (9,10,j,k,q,a,*) and suit (s,h,d,c); or
Just type a for autoplay. Then hit the <enter> key.
(note: "*" means joker; a suit is not specified in this case, as trump suit
Is always assumed.)
Or, use the left and right arrow keys on the numeric key pad to hilite the
Desired card, then hit <enter>.
A lead calls upon each other hand to follow suit if able; or to play any
Other card if unable. A trick is won by the highest trump, or by the highest
Card of the suit led. The winner of a trick leads to the next.
Trumps and bowers:
Unlike in contract bridge, the highest card in the trump suit is the jack
(called the right bower), followed by the jack of the other suit of the same
Color (called the left bower), followed by the ace, king, queen, ten and nine.
If the joker is present, it ranks above the right bower.
For example, if hearts are trump then the highest trump cards are the jack of
Hearts, the jack of diamonds, the ace of hearts, king of hearts, queen of
Hearts, ten of hearts, and nine of hearts, in that order.
The left bower is considered a trump card when following suit. So if heart
Is trump then if a heart is led, a player can follow suit with the jack of
Diamonds, but if a diamond is led, then a player cannot follow with the jack
Of diamonds unless he has no diamonds in his hand.
In all other suits, the ace is the highest card and the normal order is
Followed, i.e., ace, king, queen, jack (except left bower), ten, and nine.
Scoring:
The object of play is to win at least 3 tricks. If the making (bidding)
Side fails to win three it is 'euchred'. The winning of all five tricks
By one side is called 'march'. If you play alone and are euchred or march,
The penalty or bonus is doubled:
# of tricks taken points
(out of 5 possible) awarded
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
playing with partner playing alone
less than 3 tricks won (euchre) 2 for opponents 4 for opponents
3 or 4 tricks won 1 for bidders 1 for bidders
5 tricks won (march) 2 for bidders 4 for bidders
Game:
The game is won by the first team to reach n points, where n is selectable
By the user (from 5 to 10 -- 5 is usual).
Game log:
The computer automatically keeps a log on file euchre.scr. If you want to
Clear the log, just erase that file.
-------------
Function keys
f1 toggle sound effects on/off
f2 demo mode toggle (in demo mode, the computer plays all hands)
f5 display these instructions
f7 quit
f9 table clear mode toggle. This toggle controls whether the table
clears at the end of the trick automatically (based on elapsed time
and the game speed delay, see below) or after you tap the space bar.
f10 (color monitors only) change the screen border color
*note: for toggle switches, the function key legend displayed is the mode that
Will be entered by pressing the key, which is the opposite of the mode in
Effect at the time.
Game speed:
The up arrow (on the numeric key pad) increases, and the down arrow decreases
The delay between computer moves. The value of this delay, in seconds, is
Shown at the bottom right of the screen.
To skip the startup music: hit <enter> twice instead of once when running
The program from dos.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A note on strategy.
-------------------
There will be 7 trumps in the deck of 24 (2 bowers plus 9,10,q,k,a). Since
20 or 21 cards are dealt, there are therefore about 7*(20/24)=6 trumps in
Play. To bid you must usually hold 3 trumps, therefore there are only 3 left
For the other 3 players, or an expectation of 1 each. But if the flipped
Card is a trump, and the dealer takes it up, you can expect to find at least
2 trumps in his hand.
All bidding must be to the score. For example, it might be advisable to
Suffer a euchre to avoid the other side making game. Similarly, the losing
Team must get more brave in controlling the trump when the other side is
Threatening to take the game.
Playing alone is indicated when you have an ironclad hand (3 sure tricks),
Or when the other side is close to game and your hand has some prospect of
Winning 3 tricks.
Unlike in contract bridge, usually you must try to win everything that comes
Along. Thus, an ace or king should usually be led at the first opportunity;
Otherwise your partner might waste his trumps. But a hand with three trumps
And a side ace should probably lead trumps first to lessen the danger of the
Ace being trumped.
Command line parameters:
s startup with sound off
m force mono mode
c force color mode
Example: >euchre ms
----------------------
Did you like this toy?
Don't forget to try our gobs of other neat low-priced toys and games for the
Ibm pc and compatibles. We are waiting to send you our 5.25 inch (360kb) or
3.5 inch (720kb) demo disk, containing an electronic catalog and other
Goodies, for only $2 to any u.s. Address, $3 outside u.s. (u.s. Dollars only).
If your pc bores you write us now.
Tommy's toys, p.o. Box 11261, denver, co 80211 usa.
Have fun!
