Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-28
EUCHRE'S MANY VARIETIES
Nearly Forgotten Seven-Hand Game
an Early Mobilization.
CALL ACE IN DIFFERENT FORMS
FIve Hundred an Advanced style
whieh Has Won Many Friends
Discard uehre Calls for
Real skill.

80 -
Few games have undergone 30 many
changes in 50 short a time as our old
friend euchre. Fifty years ago euchre vas
almost the national game In this country
on all the steamboats, OF the western
rivers cuchre was the standby. and such
old books on gambling as Green's always
refer 20 II.
About twenty years ago people began to
be satisfied with the old two and four
hand game Of euchre. their tastes having
been broadened BY an acquaintance with
duplicate whist and its intricacies. The
first change came in the form Of what was
known as seven-hand euchre. played with
the full pack. like whist; q variety which
is sim very popular in many parts Of the
south and west.
Like most Of cur modern games. seven
hand euchre owes its vogue TO the intro
ductIon OF the bidding element Each of
the seven players receives seven cards
from the fun pack OF n~fty-three includ-
ing the Joker. four remaining for the
widow. No trump is turned. the privilege
OF naming the trump being sold TO the
highest bidder.
Laid on the Bidder.
Each player has one bid. and he must
name the suit he would like for trumps
and the number Of points he thinks he
can make. The highest bidder takes the
widow and disoards four cards in It's place.
He then passes markers TO those at the
table that he selects as his partners for
that deal. IL he wants any partners. II Is
usual to select those who have the lowest
scores. so as not TO advance those who are
already high.
II the bidder undertakes to win five
tricks out of the seven he is entitled TO two
partners only, and the three play against
the remaining four. II he has bid six or
seven tricks. he can have three partners.
and they play against the three who are
left out.
II he thinks he can make seven tricks
without any partners he can bid ten; but
he m "a bid it before seeing the widow.
II he feels strong enough TO win all seven
tricks without either widow or partners
he can bid twenty. which is the top.
The bidder always leads for the first
trick. All he can score is the amount OF
his bid. even IL he takes more. He and his
partners all score the same amount; five
for five tricks. six for six and seven for
seven, five being the lowest bid allowed.
When he has no partners he scores ter
or twenty. as the case may be. provided
he has bid it. IL he mas not bid 1t he
must take partners. II the bidders side
fails each adversary scores as many points
a. were bid This is better than setting
the bidders side back.
Cau for Best Card.
In seven hand euchre the selection OF
the partners was found to be too much Of
a lottery. as no one could tell which ones
held the good cards unless bids had been
made. This led TO numerous schemes for
getting hold of the partners who could be
Of some assistance to the bidder. When the
Australian game OF cali ace euchre came
along IT was jumped at and the seven hand
game was kept for large numbers OF play
ers.
In the Australian variety Of euchre it IL
not really the ace that Is called on. but
the best card in play OF a named suit. Four
five or six can play. but four makes thu
best game and is the usual number. TIL
thirty-three card pack. including the joker
is used for six players, Twenty-Five cards
for five. twenty-five cards for four.
A trump is turned up In call the ace ant
each player in turn can pass or order It UP
No one but the dealer can tax the trumI
into his hand, II all pass and the dealel
turns II down each in turn has a ehanes
to make IL. The player who ordeOs up
takes up or makes the trump is allowed
10 cali on the best card Of any suit but
trumps for his partner. This partner II
not revealed. however. until the card fall
In the course OF play
II the maker Of the trump does not wan
any partner ne can either announce TO play
alone or he can. cali for the best card OF
suit in which he holds the ace himself. Il
the ace of the called suit is not in PLAY
the holder OF the king. or even the queen
may be the partner.
II the maker OF the trump and his part
ner get three or fOuE OF the five tricks
they score one point each. II they maxi
a march. they score two in four hand. tire,
points In five or six hand. II the part
nership is euchred eaeh adversary score.
two regardless Of the number OF players
The euchre Of a lone hand also counts two
IL a lone hand Is successful in winning Al
five tricks il scores one point for ever,
player at the table, four In four hand.
Game Of Ftve Hasared.
This game had is day and wss all th'
rage a few years ago. II is stnI a grea
favorite In many places. on account o
its life and vsristy..but when sa eam,
along the wouldbe scientific players al
locked 20 H. This variety Is something
like bridge, but IL Is a game for tire
players. Sometimes four play Al it in part
nership. but IL spois some Of the fin
points, as The adversaries eannot get tia
player between them.
Ten cards are dealt to each player. three
four-three al a time. from a thlrty-thre,
card pack. including the Joker. After tn
first round Is dealt three are laid OF 70
the widow which - 10 be taken by "a,
highest bidder. Zach pinser in turn Ia.
one bid to make a certain number q
tricks. which must be six or more, with
named trump suit
The suits outrahk one another - ~,
same order as at bridge. spades beir& M
lowest ard SIX tricks being worth ~ pcsnhi
SIX IN clubs is wcrs o. in dlAmOhde q
in hearts Zoe. and in nc tramps ~ 70
each additlonsl trick the initial value 1
added % that seyea IN spades would b
worth -. eight IN spades ~ and - on
Clubs would ada o. each trick.
The highest bidder Is the one Who offer
the game which counts the most. not nee
azsarfr the M fhaf MI W7n the mAa