What the heck is Euchre?

I grew up in the "thumb" of Michigan. I also went to a one room country school. My family is German and Polish. Recesses at the country school (in the 70's) consisted of softball when it was nice out and Euchre when it was cold out. When my family would get together for holidays at my grandparents farm for birthdays or reunions, the card tables would come out and the 4 handed Euchre games would begin.

My uncles were fun to watch play. Uncle Donny would get really upset if his partner made a mistake which cost them a trick. My uncle Bruce had this great giggle that he used while playing. I call it his "poker" giggle because it could mean he had a really great hand or a really crappy hand; the trick was figuring out which. My Uncle Leonard lost one hand in a farming accident; he had a metal hook on that hand and played one handed by standing his cards up in a waxed paper box. His wife, my Auntie Anna was my Godmother and she always loved to play cards and I remember that she was really competitive and would "whoo hoo" loudly when she won.

Towards the end of the afternoon, the adults would need to take breaks, eat or take care of young kids, so they would allow us older kids to sit in for them. That was always a special treat and a great way to learn the game. I remember learning how to shuffle cards, pass by tapping the table and slam my fist down on the table when I knew my card would take a trick.

I seems that Euchre is a Michigan game. When I was in the Army, it was only the Michigan soldiers who knew how to play Euchre. Coincidental, it was also only the Michigan soldiers who ordered a "shell" of beer from the bartender.

My grandmother, Dorothy, loves playing Euchre and this past Thanksgiving my husband decided to get the rules for 5 and 6 handed Euchre. We don't play 5 or 6 handed very often so whenever we want to play it we always had to give her a call. I am posting the rules for Euchre on this blog as a reference to anyone who loves to play cards.