What is Joker as the best bower?
In the standard game the highest trump is the right bower, the jack of the trump suit, followed by the left bower, the other jack of the same colour. This variant adds one joker to the 24-card deck. The joker is the best bower: it is always the highest trump, above the right bower, whichever suit is trump.
The joker belongs to the trump suit. When trumps are led, it counts as a trump for following suit, and when the joker is led, the other players must play trumps if they can.
The deck now has 25 cards. Each player still gets five, so one more card stays in the kitty. If the card turned up from the kitty is the joker, nobody orders up or passes: the dealer's side become the makers, and the dealer names any suit as trump before seeing their own hand, then takes the joker and discards one card. With four players the dealer may still choose to go alone.
Rule changes
| Rule | Standard Euchre | Joker as the best bower |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | Standard Euchre24 cards, nine to ace in each suit. Five cards each, four left in the kitty. | Joker as the best bower25 cards: the same 24 and one joker. Five cards each, five left in the kitty. |
| Trump order | Standard EuchreRight bower, left bower, then ace, king, queen, ten and nine of trumps. | Joker as the best bowerThe joker first, then the right bower, the left bower, ace, king, queen, ten and nine. |
| The joker's suit | Standard EuchreThere is no joker. | Joker as the best bowerAlways a trump: it follows a trump lead, and when it is led, everyone must play a trump if they can. |
| Joker turned up | Standard EuchrePlayers order up the turned card's suit or pass; if all pass, another suit can be named in a second round. | Joker as the best bowerNo bidding: the dealer's side become the makers. The dealer names any suit before seeing their hand, then takes the joker and discards. |
| Three players | Standard EuchreCutthroat: each player for themselves, the maker against the other two, nine cards in the kitty. | Joker as the best bowerThe joker plays the same way, with ten cards in the kitty. A turned-up joker makes the dealer the maker against the other two. |
| Other options | Standard EuchreThe Canadian loner, a 32-card deck, Bid Euchre and the target score can be chosen. | Joker as the best bowerThe joker works with the Canadian loner, the 32-card deck (33 cards, 13 in the kitty) and every target score. Bid Euchre is played without it. |
History
Euchre gave the modern pack its joker. The card game historian David Parlett credits Euchre with bringing the joker into the pack, which first appeared in Euchre packs in the 1850s; before then, the right bower itself was also called the best bower. The joker was introduced to serve as the highest trump.
The word bower comes from the German Bauer, a farmer or peasant, which is also a German name for the jack. In British Euchre, the top trump is still the Benny or best bower: the joker, or the two of spades in a pack without one.
The rule for a turned-up joker follows a common description: the dealer's side become the makers, and the dealer must choose trumps without looking at their cards, then picks up the joker and discards. Other customs are also recorded for this case; they are not played here.