The bowers in euchre
The bowers are what makes euchre different from other card games. Once trump is chosen, two jacks jump to the top of the trump suit.
Right bower
The jack of the trump suit is the highest card in the game (in British euchre only the joker is higher).
Left bower
The jack of the other suit of the same color is the second-highest trump. For this hand it stops being part of its own suit and becomes a trump.
Spades are trump: J♠ (right), J♣ (left), then A K Q 10 9 of spades.
Trump order for every suit
| Trump | Right bower | Left bower | Then | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ♠ Spades | J♠ | J♣ | A K Q 10 9 of spades | Clubs has only 5 cards |
| ♥ Hearts | J♥ | J♦ | A K Q 10 9 of hearts | Diamonds has only 5 cards |
| ♦ Diamonds | J♦ | J♥ | A K Q 10 9 of diamonds | Hearts has only 5 cards |
| ♣ Clubs | J♣ | J♠ | A K Q 10 9 of clubs | Spades has only 5 cards |
Following suit with the left bower
This is the most common beginner mistake. Say hearts are trump. The J♦ is now a heart.
- If someone leads a diamond and your only diamond is the J♦, you do not have a diamond. You may play anything.
- If someone leads a heart (trump) and your only trump is the J♦, you must play it.
- If you lead the J♦, you have led trump, and everyone must follow with hearts.
Our game checks this for you: cards you may not play are greyed out.
Quick memory trick
“Jack of trump first, then its twin of the same color.” Red twins: hearts and diamonds. Black twins: spades and clubs.
Questions
Which is the left bower?
The jack of the other suit with the same color as trump. Hearts and diamonds are red; spades and clubs are black. So with diamonds as trump, the jack of hearts is the left bower.
Is the left bower higher than the ace of trump?
Yes. The order is right bower, left bower, ace, king, queen, 10, 9.
Does the left bower follow its own suit?
No. For the whole hand it belongs to the trump suit. If diamonds are trump and hearts are led, the jack of hearts does not count as a heart.
What is the Benny?
In British euchre a joker is added as the highest trump, above the right bower. It is called the Benny or best bower.
Practice with the who-wins-the-trick quiz or play a game.