Win the bid, meld valuable combinations, and capture point cards in tricks. First team to reach 150 points wins.
Aperçu
Pinochle is a trick-taking game using a 48-card deck (two of each 9, 10, J, Q, K, A in each suit). Points are scored through melding (card combinations) and by winning tricks containing scoring cards (aces, tens, kings). Complex bidding and melding make it deeply strategic.
Mise en place
48-card Pinochle deck (A, 10, K, Q, J, 9, doubled in each suit). 4 players in partnerships. Deal 12 cards each. Bidding determines who names trump.
Comment jouer
- Bidding: Players bid how many points their team will score (melds + trick points). The minimum bid is 20. High bidder names trump.
- Melding: After trump is named, declare melds (card combinations) and score their point value.
- Common melds: Run (A-10-K-Q-J of trump = 15), Marriage (K-Q same suit = 2-4), Pinochle (Q of spades + J of diamonds = 4), Four of a kind (4-10 points).
- Play: The player to the dealer's left leads the first trick. You must follow suit and beat the highest card if you can; if you cannot follow suit, you must play a trump (a higher trump if a trump is already winning). Highest trump wins, otherwise the highest card of the led suit.
- Card points in tricks: Ace = 11, Ten = 10, King = 4, Queen = 3, Jack = 2, Nine = 0, plus 1 point for the last trick (241 per hand).
- Bid team must meet their bid with melds + trick points or go 'set' (lose bid value).
Gagner la partie
Score melds plus trick points. Making the bid scores those points; failing sets you back by the bid amount. The defending team always scores its melds and trick points. First team to 150 points wins; if both reach it in the same hand, the higher score wins.