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Guide

How to start a euchre club

All you need is a table, a deck and a few people who'll come back. Here's how to turn a casual game into a club that lasts, whether it's a monthly night or a full league.

Find your first players

Start with eight people, enough for two tables. Ask friends, family, coworkers and neighbors to bring someone. Then widen the net:

• Local euchre Facebook groups
• Senior centers, churches, clubs and lodges
• Bars and restaurants looking for a slow-night crowd
• College campuses
• The euchre club directory, where listing is free

Pick a place and a schedule

Look for card tables, good light and a room quiet enough to talk. A community room, a restaurant's back room or someone's house can all work. Ask about the cost, and whether you'll need to buy food or drinks.

Pick a schedule people can remember, such as the second Tuesday of every month. A regular date does more to keep a club going than anything else.

Pick a format

Progressive is the easiest place to start, because nobody needs a partner and everyone meets everyone. If your players have regular partners, try doubles. Compare all the formats.

Write the rules down

One page is enough. Cover stick the dealer, what a loner pays, how a renege is handled, how ties are broken, and who makes the final call. Share it before the first game, so nobody learns the rules from an argument.

Handle the money

Keep it simple and in the open. Set an entry fee, say where it goes, and keep a record. Most clubs split it between prizes and a small club fund for cards and supplies. Have a second person check the count.

Keep it growing

• Post results after every game, because people like seeing their names.
• Track a season, so there's a reason to come back next month.
• Make newcomers welcome, and pair them with patient players.
• Hold a special event once or twice a year, such as a fundraiser.
• Post your tournaments on the tournament calendar, for free.
• Share the work, so the club doesn't depend on one person.

Starting a league instead

A league suits fixed teams who want a schedule, a standings table and a season. Read how to run a euchre league, which covers the schedule, points, forfeits and tiebreaks.