Cards in a Euchre Deck: What's In It and How the Cards Rank
Quick answer
A euchre deck has 24 cards: the 9, 10, jack, queen, king and ace of each of the four suits. To make one, take a regular 52-card deck and remove the 2s through 8s and the jokers.
Once trump is picked, the two jacks of the trump colour become the top two trumps, so the trump suit has 7 cards.
A euchre deck is 6 cards in each of four suits
Before trump is chosen, every suit ranks the plain way, high to low: ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9.
You can make a euchre deck from any regular deck
- Take out the jokers.
- Take out every 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in all four suits. That is 28 cards.
- You are left with 24 cards. Count them: 6 per suit.
- Keep a spare 4 and 6 of each colour. They make a scoreboard.
Ready-made euchre decks are sold too, but they contain the same 24 cards. Large-print or jumbo-index cards work well and are easier on the eyes.
Trump turns two jacks into the top cards
When a suit becomes trump, its jack (the right bower) is the highest card. The other jack of the same colour (the left bower) moves into the trump suit as the second-highest card. Hearts and diamonds are a pair; so are spades and clubs.
| Trump | High to low (7 cards) |
|---|---|
| Spades | J♠, J♣, A♠, K♠, Q♠, 10♠, 9♠ |
| Hearts | J♥, J♦, A♥, K♥, Q♥, 10♥, 9♥ |
| Clubs | J♣, J♠, A♣, K♣, Q♣, 10♣, 9♣ |
| Diamonds | J♦, J♥, A♦, K♦, Q♦, 10♦, 9♦ |
The suit of the same colour as trump loses its jack and keeps only 5 cards (A, K, Q, 10, 9). The other two suits keep all 6.
Watch the deck regroup when you pick trump
See the deck change when trump is picked
No trump yet: 24 cards, 6 in each suit, ranked A K Q J 10 9. Pick a trump suit to see the jacks move.
Hearts: 6 cards, A K Q J 10 9
Diamonds: 6 cards, A K Q J 10 9
Spades: 6 cards, A K Q J 10 9
Clubs: 6 cards, A K Q J 10 9
Only 20 of the 24 cards are dealt
In the four-player game, each player gets 5 cards: 20 in all. The next card is turned face up as the up-card. The last 3 cards stay face down in the kitty and are not used. So a quarter of the deck may never be seen, which keeps every hand a little uncertain.
See the full deal, step by step on the rules page.
Some games add a joker or the 7s and 8s
- 25 cards, with a joker: British euchre adds one joker, called the Benny or best bower. It is the highest trump, above the right bower. Without a joker, the 2 of spades can stand in.
- 32 cards: add the 8s and 7s as the lowest cards of each suit. This is common in New Zealand and appears in older American rule books, especially for two players.
- 28 cards: add only the 8s.
Standard North American euchre, and our online game, use 24 cards with no joker.
If you like Euchre, try
Pinochle
2–4 players · 45 min · Rewards practice
Bid, meld and take tricks with the 48-card deck. Partners or two players.
Canasta
2–6 players · 60 min · Learn in a game or two
Meld sevens of a kind with your partner. Red threes are a bonus.
Cribbage
2–4 players · 20 min · Learn in a game or two
Race your pegs to 121. Count fifteens, pairs and runs.
Questions people ask
How many cards are in a euchre deck?
24: the 9, 10, jack, queen, king and ace in each of the four suits. That is 6 cards per suit.
What cards do you take out of a deck for euchre?
Take out the 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s and 8s, and the jokers. That removes 28 cards from a 52-card deck and leaves 24.
Do you use the joker in euchre?
Not in the standard North American game. Some people play with a 25-card deck that adds one joker, called the Benny or best bower, as the highest trump. British euchre is usually played this way.
Is euchre ever played with 32 cards?
Yes. Adding the 8s and 7s makes a 32-card deck, which is common in New Zealand and in some older rule books. Some groups add only the 8s, for 28 cards. The standard game uses 24.
What is the highest card in euchre?
The jack of the trump suit, called the right bower. Second is the other jack of the same colour, the left bower. Then come the ace, king, queen, 10 and 9 of trump.
How many cards are left over after the deal?
With four players, 20 cards are dealt (5 each), 1 is turned up, and 3 stay face down in the kitty.