Euchre

As I was contemplating the beer I am planning to drink later on today thoughts turned to Winter's nights spent playing this simple trick based card game in front of log fires in a number of different Brakspear's tied house. Once late Autumn arrived their seasonal Old Ale would appear on draught, a very dark malty sweeter tasting beer than their other offerings; it's arrival heralded the coming of Winter.

It is played from Australia to the US using a variety of rules but the lineage of our variation migrated from Cornwall with the arrival of a long time friend from Exeter to the leafy West Berkshire area. This is very similar to the Mid West variation with two major differences.

Instead of 24 cards we use the 2 of Spades (Benny) as the top trump (plus 9 to Ace of all suits), if the dealer turns it over on top of the pack then the dealer has to call trumps blind and then discard one card. The other difference being that we play to 15 points using the 7 & 8 cards to count the score.

Became a great spectator sport if we were out in a group of six or seven (the ale might have been a factor here) and it was usually fun watching others trying to figure out the rules from adjoining tables.

With the 2nd and 3rd top trumps changing to the Jack of the suit of the trumps and the Jack of the same colour (referred to as the Right and the Left) on each call it could be tricky to work out what game we were playing. This was enhanced by the fast pace of play, I can remember always hitting a long streak of no calls deal at one or more points in an evening; and there would always be someone who would hit a solid seam of Benny, Right Left hands resulting in hands ending with the winning cards being thrown face up on the table.

Still play it a few times a year though these days it is more likely to be around a kitchen table after a meal than in a pub.