Espositori

Euchre is a simple game, but it does have one unfamiliar - and therefore sometimes confusing to the novice - aspect: Bowers.  A bower is simply the Jack of the suit that is trump, AND the Jack of the suit that is the same color as trump.  If Hearts are trump, then the Jack of Hearts is known as the Right Bower, and the Jack of Diamonds (same color) is known as the Left Bower. The bowers will change every hand, as different suits are named trump.

The presence of bowers changes the ranking order of the cards.  Normally the cards are ranked from Ace to Nine in descending order as so:

Highest>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Lowest

In Euchre, the Right Bower is the highest ranking card in the deck, and the Left Bower is the second ranking card.  The Ace of trump follows, and the rest of the cards remain in the normal ranking order.  Only the bowers change rank.  Note that the opposite color Jacks are still just Jacks, and are still ranked below the Queen.  Only the Jacks of trump and the same color as trump become bowers for that hand.

For example, if Hearts are named trump, then the ranking order for the suit of hearts becomes

Note that whenever hearts is trump, the Jack of Diamonds is considered a heart.  Likewise for the other Jacks when they are the Left Bower.  They become the suit of trump for that hand. Also note that when hearts (or diamonds) are named trump, the ranking order for the black suits remains unchanged.

So simple, even a caveman can do it!