Euchre & Écarté is a dual-mode game which may be configured to play either Écarté or two-player Euchre, or even a hybrid of the two.

Écarté is a two-person card game which originated in France and was popular in Paris in the early 19th century.  The origins of Euchre are much less clear, but the majority opinion is that both Euchre and Écarté were derived from a common root (possibly the Spanish game named Triumph).  Other sources believe that Euchre evolved from Écarté.  In any case, Écarté's popularity was initially established in Europe, and Euchre's in the USA (possibly via the Pennsylvania Dutch).

Euchre was initially a four-handed game, from which the two-player version was derived.  Écarté has always been a two-player game.  The standard rules of Écarté and two-handed Euchre are similar in many respects, the differences being as follows.

	Écarté	Two-handed Euchre
Deck	32-card deck comprising the Seven through King of each suit, plus the Ace which ranks between the Ten and Jack	24-card deck comprising the Nine through Ace of each suit.  The two top trump cards are the Jack of the trump suit (Right Bower) and the other Jack of the same color (Left Bower).  Optionally a Joker may be added to the deck as the "Best Bower".
Deal	Five cards are dealt to you and five to your opponent. The eleventh card defines the trump suit and is turned face up and placed behind the remaining cards, which form the stock.	Five cards are dealt to you and five to your opponent. The eleventh card is turned face up on the stock, and defines the initial trump suit for acceptance or rejection by the players.
Opening Play	Non-dealer decides whether to propose or play.  A proposal is a request to change any or all of the cards in hand with fresh ones from the stock.  The dealer may accept or refuse the proposal.   If a proposal is accepted, each player discards their unwanted cards and replaces them from the stock.  The non-dealer may then propose again, or play by leading to the first trick.  Repeated proposals may be made until the stock is depleted or the dealer refuses a proposal, at which point the non-dealer must lead to the first trick.	Non-dealer decides whether to accept the initial trump suit.  If non-dealer passes, the dealer decides whether to accept it.  If the dealer also passes, non-dealer may choose any other suit as the trump suit, or pass.  If the non-dealer again passes, the dealer may choose the trump suit.  If the dealer also passes again, the round is void and the cards are redealt.  Whoever confirms or chooses the trump suit is the trump suit "maker".  Non-maker leads to the first trick, irrespective of who dealt.
Trick Play	When a player has led to the first trick; the other player follows.  If possible, players must follow the suit of the led card, otherwise they may discard or trump.  The winner of each trick leads to the next.
Scoring	Points are awarded for winning the majority of the tricks, winning all the tricks, holding the King of Trumps (or dealing it as the trump card) , and winning against a vulnerable opponent.  A player becomes vulnerable if (as non-dealer) they make no initial proposal, or (as dealer) they refuse the opening proposal.	The trump suit maker is awarded two points for winning all five tricks or one point for winning three or four tricks.  If the maker fails to make three tricks, two points are awarded to the other player.
Game	Successive rounds are played until a player reaches 5 points.  If both players have reached 5 points at the end of a round, the goal is extended by five points.	Successive rounds are played until a player reaches 10 points.  If both players have reached 10 points at the end of a round, the goal is extended by ten points.

Euchre & Écarté also provides many documented rules and scoring variations - plus the ability to mix and match the rules to create interesting custom hybrids.

         
Click on thumbnail for full-size screenshot of Écarté