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Euchre Scoreboard: How to Keep Score with a 4 and a 6

Quick answer

The classic euchre scoreboard is two spare cards per team: a 4 and a 6. Lay one face down across the other so only some pips show. The pips you can see are your score, and 4 + 6 = 10, a full game.

One team uses red cards, the other black, so nobody mixes them up.

Practice with a guided gamePlay euchre nowFree, no sign-up. The guided game tells you what to do and why.

The pips you can see are your score

A euchre deck uses only the 9s through aces. That leaves the 2s through 8s spare, and two of them make a free scoreboard. Each team takes a 4 and a 6 of the same colour.

  • 0 points: both cards face down, or the 6 face down on top of the 4 with no pips showing.
  • 1 to 4 points: the 4 is face up. The 6 lies face down across it, covering all but 1, 2 or 3 pips. At 4, all four pips show.
  • 5 and 6 points: switch cards. The 6 is face up; at 5 the 4 lies face down over one of its pips.
  • 7 to 10 points: both cards face up. The 6 shows all its pips, and the 4 adds 1, 2, 3 or 4 more.

Each hand is worth 1, 2, 4 points, so you move the cards by that many pips after every hand.

See any score from 0 to 10 on the cards

Pick a score, or add points the way a real game does. The picture shows which pips are visible. Covered pips are drawn as a patch of card back.

Try it: show any score with a 4 and a 6

4♥
The 4
6♥♥♥♥♥♥
The 6

Score 7: the 6 face up with all 6 pips showing and the 4 face up with 1 pip showing. 6 + 1 = 7.

Every score from 0 to 10 at a glance

ScoreThe 4The 6
0Face downFace down
11 of 4Face down
22 of 4Face down
33 of 4Face down
4All 4Face down
5Face down5 of 6
6Face downAll 6
71 of 4All 6
82 of 4All 6
93 of 4All 6
10All 4All 6

“Face down” means that card is lying on its back, used only to cover pips.

Some families use a 2 and a 3, or two 5s

The 4 and 6 are the usual choice in Ohio and Indiana, but other pairs work too:

  • A 2 and a 3 of one suit: common in Western New York and Ontario. The two cards show 5 pips, and players cross the cards at 5.
  • Two 5s of the same colour: common in Canada, Michigan and Nebraska.
  • A 5 and a 6: the traditional British way, for their game to 11.
  • A 3 and a 4: Bicycle's rules use these for a short game to 5.

Any method is fine as long as both teams agree how to read it.

Say your score out loud after every hand

  • Move the cards right away, before anyone gathers the tricks. It is easy to forget once the next deal starts.
  • Say the new score out loud: “That's 7 for us.” The other team can check it.
  • Use red for one team and black for the other.
  • Prefer paper? Two columns, We and They, work just as well. Our online game keeps score for you.

If you like Euchre, try

Questions people ask

How do you keep score in euchre with cards?

Each team takes a 4 and a 6 from the leftover cards. One card lies face down across the other, and the number of pips (suit symbols) you can see is your score. A 4 and a 6 together show 10 pips, exactly enough for a game to 10.

Why do euchre players use a 4 and a 6?

A euchre deck uses only the 9s through aces, so the 2s through 8s are spare. A 4 and a 6 add up to 10, the winning score, and you can show any number in between by covering some pips.

How do you show 5 points with a 4 and a 6?

Turn the 6 face up and lay the 4 face down so it covers one pip of the 6. Five pips show.

Which card goes on top for euchre scoring?

It varies by family. A common habit in Ohio and Indiana is the 4 on top of the 6. What matters is that everyone counts the pips the same way.

Can you keep euchre score with a 2 and a 3?

Yes. In Western New York and Ontario many players use the 2 and 3 of one suit per side. Two 5s of the same colour per team is common in Canada, Michigan and Nebraska.