By Joe Andrews, author of "The Complete Win At Spades"

Other columns by Joe Andrews:
   
Euchre Terms and Definitions

Steve Johnson, one of my original Grand Prix Euchre tournament players, wrote some content for my book "The Complete Win at Euchre". (2002) Here is some of his material.

THE DUTCHMAN is when you have both Bowers (Jack, Jack) and Ace of trump.
BOTH HOOKS is when you have both Jacks of one color. A jack does look like a hook eh?
BOTH BOYS is the same as above.
SKUNK is when you beat your opponent by a score of 10-0.
NO BRAINER is used to describe a hand that you can play and get your point without using your brain! It's usually a hand that includes Both Hooks and three other trump or Both Hooks and the Ace with two other Aces or the Ace-King of another suit. You get the picture!
THE KITTY is the four cards which remains laying face down after the deal. These cards are not played with.
GUARDED is a term usually used to describe having the LEFT and another card of suit so that if the RIGHT is led you can throw the other trump you have to make your LEFT good or usable.
LEFT BARE is used to describe the opposite of having it GUARDED. This means that all you have is one trump and as soon as trump is led, you loose your chance of using it to take a trick.
PASSING DIRTY is when your opponent turns up a card and you have a good hand of that suit, or at least several trump and you pass hoping that he will pick it up so that you can Euchre him.
BUSHWHACKING the same as passing Dirty
RENEGE is playing a card out of suit when holding any of the suit that was called for or led.
LOSE YOUR DEAL you lose your deal when everybody passes twice and you fail to call trump and the cards are passed on to the next player to deal.
MARCH is taking all five tricks. Hey, NICE MARCH!
KAMIKAZE this is the famous Bob King loaner. Most of the time this is what the person who is going alone yells while knowing that he doesn't have a chance in hell to make it! Sort of like a do or die type situation. Practice with extreme caution. Of course when it does work, it's BEAUTIFUL !
IN THE BARN is when you have a score of 9 points.
TWO SUITED is obviously when you only have two different suits in your hand.
STAY HOME is what you tell your partner when you are going to try to go alone.
FARMER is one of the origional terms used for the bowers or jacks.
FARMERS HAND is when you have a three 9's or three 10's in your hand. Some players play that who ever yells farmers hand first, can exchange his hand for the cards in the kitty.
REVOKE is the same as RENEGE
SEND A BOY means that you have a chance to use trump so you throw a 9 or a 10, only to be overtrumped by the leaders partner with a higher trump. For example, if the person to your right leads a card and you throw a 9 of trump on it, and his partner over trumps it with an Ace, he would gladly proclaim Don't send a boy!
JUMP THE RIVER (or Creek - is when you call trump of the opposite color of what was turned up on the deal
SET is when the opposing team Euchres you. You have been SET = You have been Euchred
TABLE TALK is when in your conversation you let your partner know ANYTHING about the cards in your hand. This is a definite NO NO. Another term used for table talk is Kibitzing however I believe that it's normal usage is used to describe an Onlooker, especially one who talks or gives advice about the game he/she is watching.
SHAKE THE BUSH means to lead trump. Sometimes, actually a lot of times your opponent will have the Ace of what you have called trump, or the Left Bare. If you lead the Right, or if your partner does, then you will pull or draw out the trump from your opponents hand.

Enjoy Euchre...... It is a fun game !
Secure Seal
Copyright 2008 - 2024 Safe Harbor Games (SHG)
Entire Text, Computer Program, Source Code, Artwork, Photographs and Illustrations.
Any use or reproduction of our graphics, trademarks, or content without written consent from SHG is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us at safeharborgames@gmail.com
Webhits  Articles
Donations