Charleston Euchre Club | Play Cards. Make Friends. Have Fun.

The Right Bower. If you’ve played Euchre even once, you know this card changes everything. It’s not just the top trump — it’s arguably the single most powerful card in the game. But have you ever stopped to wonder… why? Turns out, the Right Bower’s roots go deeper than most realize, connecting Euchre to its European origins. The term "bower" comes from the German word  Bauer , meaning “farmer,” but it was also a common term for the Jack card in German card games like Jass or Jucker (a predecessor to Euchre). When German immigrants brought the game to the U.S. in the 1800s, “Bauer” evolved into “bower,” and the tradition of the Jacks, especially the trump Jacks, holding supreme power in the trump suit became a defining characteristic of Euchre. But here’s where it gets even cooler: Euchre is one of the few card games where a card  changes suits  depending on the hand. When Spades is declared trump, for example, the Jack of Spades becomes the Right Bower, the highest trump....

Secret Strategies, Timeless Tactics, and One Rare Euchre Relic Euchre isn’t just a card game — it’s a thread woven through American history, from campfires to coffee shops. One extraordinary example is  The Law and Practice of the Game of Euchre  by Charles H. W. Meehan, published in 1862. This Civil War–era rulebook, appraised between $750 and $850, offers more than gameplay instructions — it offers a glimpse into 19th-century life and mindset. Printed at the height of the war by T.B. Peterson & Brothers, it likely passed through the hands of Union or Confederate soldiers. Euchre was one of the most popular games played in military camps — fast-paced, strategic, and a welcome escape from the front lines. Inside this forgotten gem, you'll discover: ✓ A poetic definition of “Jamboree” — five top trumps worth 16 points (nearly impossible but legendary) ✓ Strategic advice like using a “Force” play — baiting your opponent into burning their trump (still brilliant today) ✓ Witt...

Long before “Stick the Dealer!” became a crowd-pleaser at Charleston game nights, Euchre was already America’s card-playing obsession. In fact, some of the earliest known rulebooks—like  Euchre and Its Laws  (published in 1862)—treated the game with such formality and flair that today’s casual players might be surprised by its original tone. This early manual, followed by the 1877 guide  The Laws and Practice of the Game of Euchre  (attributed simply to “A Professor”), gives us a fascinating peek into how the game was once played—and how much it has changed. Here are some curious highlights from 19th-century Euchre culture: ♠️ The Deck Was Bigger Today’s standard North American Euchre deck contains 24 cards (9 through Ace), but older versions used 32 cards (7 through Ace), similar to European card games like Piquet. The smaller deck we know today didn't become dominant until later in the 19th century. ♥️ Going Alone Was High Drama In modern Euchre, going alone means ...