Going Alone in Euchre
When you make trump in euchre, you may announce that you're going alone. Your partner lays their hand face down and sits out, and you play all five tricks against both opponents. Win all five and your team scores 4 points instead of 2.
How a loner works
- You order up, pick up, or name trump, and say "alone". On kawu, press Go alone in round one, or tick Go alone before choosing a suit in round two.
- Your partner doesn't play this hand. Each trick has only three cards.
- The player to the dealer's left leads. If that's your partner, who is sitting out, the next player leads.
- If your partner is the dealer and you order up alone, the dealer sits out, so the upcard isn't picked up.
Scoring a loner
| Lone player takes | Points |
|---|---|
| 5 tricks | 4 to the loner's team |
| 3 or 4 tricks | 1 to the loner's team |
| 0–2 tricks (euchred) | 2 to the defenders |
The loner risks nothing extra: a failed loner costs the same 2 points as any euchre. But going alone gives up your partner's tricks, and a hand that would have marched for 2 with help might only make 1 alone.
Which hands should go alone?
A good loner can win all five tricks almost no matter how the opponents' cards are split. Typical candidates:
- Both bowers plus the trump Ace and two other strong cards (more trumps or off-suit Aces).
- Five trumps including at least one bower.
- Four trumps with the Right Bower plus an off-suit Ace.
Hands that look strong but often fail alone:
- A void with only one or two trumps: once your trumps are gone, the opponents take the rest.
- Two off-suit Kings: an opponent's Ace or a ruff will take them.
- Missing the Right Bower when you're not leading: an opponent can wait and take your best trump with it.
Position matters
- Leading helps. If you'll lead the first trick, drawing trump at once with the Right Bower is very strong.
- Being the dealer helps in round one: you also pick up the upcard.
- Score matters. At 6 or more points, a successful loner can end the game, so the reward is higher. When your opponents are close to 10, a safe single point might be better.
The kawu computer goes alone with roughly the hands described above. On hard, it decides by simulating many possible deals of the hidden cards, then compares the result of going alone with playing with its partner.
Frequently asked questions
Who leads when someone goes alone?
The player to the dealer's left, as usual. If that player is the loner's partner, who sits out, the next player leads. Some groups play the Canadian loner rule instead.
Does the dealer pick up the upcard if their partner goes alone?
On kawu, no: the dealer sits out, so the upcard stays in the kitty. House rules vary.
What if a lone player takes only three tricks?
They still score 1 point, the same as a normal made hand. Only a sweep of all five tricks is worth 4.
Last updated 2026-10-17