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

Whether you're brand new or brushing up on your strategy, learning the lingo makes the game more fun — and helps you fit right in at the table. Here’s a quick glossary of commonly used Euchre terms you’ll hear around the Charleston Euchre Club. Bower The two Jacks of the trump color. The Right Bower (Jack of trump suit) is the highest card in the game, followed by the Left Bower (Jack of the same-color suit). Trump The suit declared at the start of a hand that beats all others. Up-Card The card flipped face-up from the kitty after dealing. It’s used to help decide the trump suit. Next The suit of the same color as the up-card. Often considered the default trump if players pass. Kitty The four leftover cards after everyone is dealt five. The top card becomes the up-card; the rest stay face down. Trick A single round of play where each player puts down one card. Highest card in the led suit (or highest trump) wins. Lead Playing the first card in a trick. Euchred When the team that ...

One of the most important — and sometimes confusing — parts of Euchre is trump. Understanding how trump works is the key to enjoying the game, playing confidently, and knowing why certain cards suddenly become powerful. If you’re new to Euchre or just getting back into the game, this step-by-step explanation will make it clear. Step 1: What Is Trump in Euchre? In Euchre, trump is the suit that beats all other suits for that hand. Once a trump suit is chosen, any trump card will beat any non-trump card, regardless of rank. Each hand has a different trump suit, which keeps the game fast, strategic, and unpredictable. Step 2: How Trump Is Chosen After the cards are dealt, one card is turned face up. Players then have the opportunity to order up that suit as trump or pass. If everyone passes, players get a second chance to choose a different suit as trump. If no one selects trump in the second round, the dealer may be required to choose a trump suit depending on the rules being used. Choos...

If you’re new to Euchre, there’s one rule that causes more confusion than anything else: the Left Bower. Most beginners understand that the Jack of the trump suit is powerful. But what they often get wrong is how the other Jack behaves once trump is called. If you’ve ever hesitated mid-hand wondering, “Wait… is this card trump?” — you’re not alone. Let’s clear it up. What Is the Right Bower? The Right Bower is simple. It is: The Jack of the trump suit The highest card in the entire game If Hearts are trump, the Jack of Hearts is the Right Bower. If Spades are trump, the Jack of Spades is the Right Bower. It always stays in its printed suit and it always outranks everything else. No confusion here. What Is the Left Bower? This is where new players get tripped up. The Left Bower is: The Jack of the same color as trump The second-highest card in the game If Hearts are trump: Jack of Hearts = Right Bower Jack of Diamonds = Left Bower If Spades are trump: Jack of Spades = Right Bower Jack o...