Tournament Rules

Don't forget to email tournament@atlantaeuchre.com to register!

Registration for the quarterly tournaments is $20 per person and you MUST RSVP by emailing tournament@atlantaeuchre.com to let us know you will be attending. Please provide the phone number that is best to reach you. Copy and paste the email address into your email.

Please review the tournament rules below prior to attending. Feel free to email tournament@atlantaeuchre.com with any questions.

CHOOSING THE DEALER

The first person to pick up the cards will shuffle the deck and offer a cut to the player on his right. He then deals out the cards one at a time starting on the left. The first player to receive a jack of any color deals.

DEALING

The dealer must offer a cut to the player on his right. The person cutting makes only one cut and will stack the cards together again for the dealer. Failure to offer the cut must be called out before the trump card is turned up by the dealer. If called, then the deal goes to the next player.

The purpose of the cut is to make it more probable that the bottom card wasn't seen by anyone, so it only follows that the dealer is required to keep the cards down so no one can see the bottom card while dealing. If a card is flipped up while dealing the dealer can deal over again. If a card is flipped up on the second deal, then the deal passes to the player on the left and it doesn't count as one of the 16 hands.

Dealing must be done starting left of the dealer and in 2 rounds. You must deal in sets of 2 or 3 cards. If not dealt properly, anyone can insist it be dealt again and counts as one of the dealers tries. If the dealer notices that he doesn't have the 4 cards for the kitty before he turns up the top card he may collect all the cards, without penalty, and deal again. It counts as one try.

Once the dealer turns up the top card, if any error is discovered, the hand is over. This is a misdeal and this hand is over even if he has not tried to deal twice. This does not count as one of the 16 hands. Each player gets only two tries to successfully deal a proper hand.

CALLING TRUMP

Each player in turn may order trump up, call trump, or pick up trump even if they have none of that suit in their hand. While calling trump, take care not to "table talk inappropriately". Saying "I will leave it to my partner" is inappropriate. Everyone should order trump or pass in a timely manner, especially the dealer's partner. The dealer's partner appearing to want to order up the turned up card and then backing out is considered a signal to the dealer that he/she could help the dealer but doesn't want to commit. This is considered table talk. Inappropriate table talk is any talk or action that is beneficial to the players of one team. If there is inappropriate table talk, the affected team may call a misdeal if they want and the deal will go to the next player. A misdeal does not count as one of the 16 hands. Answering questions like, "what is trump" and "who played what card" is not table talk, but a player should not be telling his partner that "the trick is his, and his partner shouldn't trump it", that is giving direction to his partner which is an advantage and is considered table talk.

A RENEGE MAY BE CORRECTED BEFORE THE NEXT TRICK IS LED WITHOUT PENALTY. If it is discovered later, then the reneger's opposing team gets 2 points, 4 if the player was going alone.

If a player decides to go alone he must announce it when he/she calls trump and before the player to the left leads. If they hesitate and a card is led it is too late. If a player decides to go alone, a player on the opposing team can decide to defend alone if he announces it before a card is led, then whoever takes 3 tricks, that PLAYER gets 4 points, THE PARTNER ONLY GETS 3 POINTS. If either player reneges the other PLAYER gets 4 points, THE PLAYER'S PARTNER GET ONLY 3 POINTS. The winner is credited with a loner. If the player that called trump loses, it is a euchre and he must pay the cup a quarter.

We will play STICK THE DEALER to keep the games moving. My experience is that the dealer makes it most of the time with quite a few of those times the dealer goes alone.

LEADING

It is up to the player to the dealer's left to not lead before the dealer discards, which is a disadvantage to them. It would be an advantage to the dealer's team if the dealer's partner plays a card before the dealer discards. If this happens that trick will go to the opposing team.

If a player’s partner leads out of turn, the player to the left of the offending player may demand that the suit shown be led by the offending player's partner or that the suit shown can't be led. Of course this can only happen if the offending player can fulfill the demand. It is possible that he may not have any of the suit shown or he may only have the suit shown in his hand. Common sense must be used.

PLAYING

A card laid is a card played, so be careful. One exception is if the player reneged and discovers it before the next trick is led it can be corrected. If the person who reneged changes his card played to follow suit, then all the players after him or her can change their card played also.

All tricks must be played out so that everyone can see all the cards that are played.

COMMENTS

The most important thing to remember is we are here to have fun. Good manners and friendly play are the rules at all times, anything less will not be acceptable. Everyone makes mistakes at times but they should not be pointed out during this tournament. We are playing for a prize but the money is not worth losing friends.

Playing at this location is convenient. Please spend money freely and tip the waiters well, it will make them happy and keep the door open for the next tournament. If there are any issues with players or with management, please inform me (Ed, the tournament host) so I can work at resolving the issues quickly.