Spades vs Euchre
Spades uses a full deck, so a hand has thirteen tricks, and spades are always trump. Before play each player bids how many tricks they expect to win, and the team scores for making the combined bid, with a Nil bid as the high-risk option.
Euchre uses just 24 cards and hands of five, so it is much faster. A card is turned up and the players decide whether to make its suit trump, with the Jacks as the top cards. The team that calls trump has to win three tricks, and can go alone for more points.
Spades and Euchre at a glance
| Spades | Euchre | |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | Partnership trick-taking: bid your tricks, spades are trump. | Partnership trick-taking with a 24-card deck, bowers and a turned-up trump. |
| Players | 4 | 4 |
| Type | Table game | Table game |
| Family | Trick-taking | Trick-taking |
| Options | Play to: 250 or 500 | Play to: 10 or 5 or 7; Going alone: Allowed or Off |
| Turn timer (online) | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Cost | Free, no download | Free, no download |
Choose Spades if…
- You like to count your hand and name a number.
- You want longer hands with more tricks to play.
Choose Euchre if…
- You want fast hands and quick decisions.
- You like the drama of the bowers and going alone.