British euchre

How British euchre differs

These rules follow the description of the game played in Cornwall on Pagat.com:

• The joker is added and is the highest trump, above the right bower. It is called the Benny or best bower. It always belongs to the trump suit.
• Trump order with hearts as trump:
  ★JKJOKERJ♥J♦A♥K♥Q♥10♥9♥
• The dealer’s partner cannot assist. In round one the dealer’s partner can only pass or accept the up card by playing alone (“I turn it down”). The dealer then sits out and does not pick up the card.
• If the Benny is turned up, the dealer’s team are the makers. The dealer must name the trump suit before looking at their own cards, then picks up the Benny and discards.
• Defenders may go alone too. A lone defender who wins 3 or more tricks scores 4 points.
• Who leads: with one player alone, the player to their left leads. If a maker and a defender both go alone, the defender leads.
• The game is to 11, scored with a spare 5 and 6.

Scoring is otherwise the same: 1 point for 3 or 4 tricks, 2 for a march, 4 for a lone march, 2 for a euchre. Back to the American game.