Euchre Rules from 1877, section 2

As established by the leading players in the U.S.

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6) The Privilege of each Player

The trump being turned, the first player on the left of the dealer must do one of the three following - pass, order up the trump, or play it alone - the latter including the second. Should he do either of the last two, the dealer has the right to discard one of his cards and take the trump card in its place. Should the partner of the first player so elect, he may, on the first player having ordered up the trump, declare that he will play it alone, whether the first player has said alone or not; in the former case he shall say, " I take it out of your hands," or words to that effect; but said partner must announce his intention to play it alone before the first player has led. Should the first player "pass," the second player (the dealers partner) has the same privileges that the first player had, the term for ordering up the trump in his case being usually called "assisting;" and the dealer, in the event of his partner assisting, or announcing that he will play it alone, has the right to play it alone, provided that he declares that he will do so before he has discarded and the first player has led. Should the second player pass, the third player has the same privileges that the first player had; but the first player cannot play it alone on his partner's ordering up the trump, or declaring that he will play it alone. Should the third player pass, the dealer may take it up (by discarding a card), declare to play it alone (which includes taking it up), or turn it down. Should the dealer take it up, he can say "alone" at any time before he has discarded and his left-hand adversary has played. Should the dealer turn down the trump, he shall take the trump card from the top of the pack and shall put it at the bottom; face exposed, where-upon the first player on his left has the privilege of naming any one of the other three suits as trumps, or of passing. Should he do the former, and wish to play it alone, he must say "alone at," or "alone," with no interval between the words - failing to do which, either of his adversaries may compel him to play it with his partner; - with this exception, that his partner has the right to play it alone at the suit named, if he so declare before the first player has led. Should the first player pass, the second player and his partner have the same privileges respectively that the first and third have just had. Should the second player pass, the third has the same privileges that the first and second had, and should he pass, the dealer has them. Should the dealer pass, the deal is over and passes to the next player on the left.

Note. - The right of a player to play alone is the same the second time around as the first and the same rules govern.

Should any player, after the trump has been turned down, say that he makes it the suit which has been turned down, either by mistake or otherwise, it shall be considered that he has passed, and the right of making it shall be lost to him.

If both the dealer's opponents pass and the dealer turns down the trump, or if on the second time round both pass and the dealer throws his cards in the pack, the fact that his partner has said nothing makes no difference.

7) General Note on Playing Alone.

No player can play alone unless he or his partner has ordered up or taken up the trump, or has made the trump

No player having passed a trump can play it alone at that trump, and no player who has passed a second time can play it alone during that deal

8) One Option only allowed

8) One Option only allowed. No player shall have two options at the same suit, and a player having announced what he will do, cannot change, nor add anything to, his declaration; and no player having "assisted" can afterward play it alone

9) The Play

The trump having been made, the first player who is playing on the left of the dealer, must lead one of his cards, it being optional with him to lead what he chooses (except as provided in Section 12). Each other player, who is playing, must then in his turn follow suit if he can. If he cannot follow suit, he may play any card that he sees fit (except as provided in Section 12), When the last player, who, in this instance, will be the dealer, provided his partner is not playing alone, has played, one of the side which played the best card on the trick shall gather it, and the player who played the best card shall lead, and this shall continue until all the cards are played, when the next player on the left of the dealer becomes dealer. Should a player, whose partner is not playing alone, throw the whole or a part of his cards in the pack, the opposite side shall be entitled to count all that they could have counted had they taken all five tricks, provided they claim the said count at once.

If a player leads out of turn, any one of the other players may call upon him to take back his card and leave it on the table as an exposed card, provided that neither of the adversaries of the player making the mistake can force him to do so after one of them has played on the mislead, nor can his partner do so after playing on it himself.

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