The Joker
Believed to have been invented by American Euchre players who, when modifying the rules sometime during the 1860s, decided that an extra trump card was required. Although some argue that the word Joker comes from Euchre, we’re positive it’s no more than a coincidence. After all, the word “joke” was already around, as was a joker, meaning one who jokes. But the concept of the Joker card itself—that definitely came from the game of Euchre.
In the 1860s, American Euchre players made up some new rules to their beloved game. These new rules required an extra trump card, which they referred to as the Best Bower, the highest trump card available. American card printers jumped onto the trend fairly quickly, soon including these extra trump cards in their decks. British manufacturers did the same by the 1880s, one British manufacturer (Chas Goodall) was manufacturing packs with Jokers for the American market in the 1870s. .
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