This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards.
This article has been viewed 465,754 times.
Learn more...
The game "Pinochle" is a card game designed to be played by two to four players. It involves exchanging and putting together different combinations of cards, or “melds,” in order to score points. Learning the basic rules of pinochle only takes a few minutes, but the fast-paced excitement of the game can provide countless hours of fun. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the values of each card in the deck, you can begin building your hand to win points and seize the momentum you need to come out on top.
Steps
Dealing and Ranking the Cards
-
1Start with a special deck of Pinochle cards. Pinochle is most often played using a deck of 48 cards. These include two of the same cards of each suit in the ranking of "nine" to ace, which has the highest value in the game. The rules of the game will be the same whether you have 2, 3 or 4 players (though the number of decks required to accommodate each player will differ).[1]
- Some simplified Pinochle decks only contain 24 cards, or one card of each ranking and suit. In order to play the game correctly, you’ll need to use two complete decks.
- If you don't have access to a Pinochle deck, you can go through two standard decks and remove all the cards with unnecessary rankings.[2]
-
2Learn the value of each card. Pinochle is scored using an unusual ranking system. The ace is the most valuable card in the deck, worth 11 points for each “trick.” Following the ace, "tens" are worth 10 points, kings are worth 4, queens are worth 3, and jacks are worth 2. "Nine" cards have no point value.[3]
- A "trick" is a round of Pinochle in which each player plays a single card at a time.[4]
- The basic idea behind the game is to put together combinations of cards in different suits and rankings to win the high score of a hand.
Advertisement -
3Deal 12 cards to each player. Go around the table starting at the dealer’s left and distribute the cards one at a time. You can also deal two or three cards at once to save time. If there are only two players participating, the remaining cards should be placed in a stack face down on the table.[5]
- Have the players count their cards to make sure they have the correct number before you begin.
- If you’re playing in teams of two, be sure to sit directly across from your partner.
-
4Make a bid. At this time, the player to the dealer’s left will declare how many points they predict they (or their team) will score by the end of the game. If the player or team can match their predicted score by the end of the game, they’ll be awarded that score plus the points from each meld they successfully produce.[6]
- After each round, the other players will be able to raise the bid in 10 point increments.
- The winning bid stands after three trick plays.
- If you’re playing in teams, only two bids will be made—one for each group.
Laying Down Melds
-
1Designate the trump suit. If you have stock cards remaining after dealing (be sure to use multiple decks if you have more than 3 players), turn over the top card and lay it face up beside the stack. This card indicates the “trump suit,” and will determine which suit has the highest value during the hand. Otherwise, the player who won the bid will have the privilege of calling trump.[7]
- If the trump suit happens to be clubs, for instance, a group of club cards will be worth more than cards of any other suit.
- Any undealt cards will be available for players to draw from after taking tricks.
-
2Search your hand for melds. Melds are combinations of cards that add up to different point values. Melds are not actually played like tricks but held to increase the possible value of a player’s hand. At the end of the game, the points you receive for melding will be added to your final score.[8]
- For example, the highest scoring meld in pinochle is the “flush,” which consists of an ace, king, queen, jack and ten of the same suit. Other melds include “60 queens,” or one queen of each suit, which is worth 40 points, and “royal marriage,” a king and queen of the same suit, which will net you 40 points.[9]
- Only one meld is allowed per turn; this means you couldn't be awarded points for both a flush and a royal marriage because they both contain the same cards.
- For a comprehensive list of all possible melds, visit this link.
-
3Lay down your melds. If you’ve managed to put together any melds from your hand, place them face up on the table. Calculate the value of each player’s melds and write them down, but don’t score them yet.[10]
- In some versions of the game, the cards will remain on the table until the round is over. In others, they can go back into your hand. In either variation, the cards will still be in play and can be used to take tricks.[11]
- It can be helpful to think of melds as “point multipliers.” Rather than earning points right away, they’ll be factored into your total score once the last trick has been played
Taking Tricks and Scoring the Game
-
1Lead a card for the first trick. The player who declared the bid will “lead” by laying down a single card. Then, the other players will play one of their own cards in turn. The player with the most valuable card wins the trick. After the trick, each player should grab a new card from the stock to replenish their hand.[12]
- A lead in the trump suit automatically wins the trick unless another player lays down a higher card of the same suit. If the lead card is of a different suit, the other player must play a higher card or a trump in order to be victorious.
- Players must follow suit or play the highest card in their hand if they can. However, you don’t have any cards of the right suit or ranking, you’re free to play any card you like.[13]
-
2Pull the winning cards from the trick. The winner of the first trick should collect all four cards and put them into a separate stack face down on the table in front of them to be scored later on. This player will then lead the next trick. Update the score card after every trick you complete, awarding points only for “counters” (aces, tens and kings), which are worth 10 points apiece.[14]
- If the trump suit is diamonds and the lead is a ten of hearts, a player who lays down a jack of diamonds will come out on top.[15]
- The points you accumulate for laying melds will be added to your score when the game is over.
-
3Continue until you’ve played 12 tricks. Proceed in this fashion, with the winner of a trick leading and the other players attempting to match or beat their card. Winning the 12th trick will earn you an extra 10 points, so be sure to include those in your total.[16]
- The highest possible score you can be awarded for taking tricks is 250—240 points for the 24 counters and 10 bonus points for winning the final trick.[17]
- The more tricks you take, the better your chances of winning the game.
-
4Total each player’s score. Once all 12 tricks have been taken, tally up the counters each player has collected. Any melds they have down will be added to that number to give their final score. The player with the highest score wins the game![18]
- If a player fails to meet their declared bid, the bid will be subtracted from their score.[19]
- Each deal is one game. When a game ends, gather all the cards together and shuffle them before you begin a new one.
Community Q&A
-
QuestionIf a player can not follow suit, don't they have to trump?
Community AnswerYes, if they have trump. If they cannot follow suit or play trump, they can slough off any card they want to get ride of. -
QuestionWhat is a "round robin?"
Community AnswerA "Round Robin" is also known as "Marriages Around." It means you have a marriage of each suit in your meld. -
QuestionWhat is the score if I successfully shoot the moon in Pinochle?Community AnswerMaking good on your intention to Shoot the Moon leaves you with 275 points--240 from the counters in the deck, 10 bonus points for winning the final trick and an extra 25 on top for successfully taking all tricks.
-Step-7-Version-2.webp)
-Step-9-Version-2.webp)
References
- ↑ http://www.sac-irca.com/pinochle_rules.html
- ↑ https://www.pagat.com/marriage/pinmain.html
- ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/pinochle-2/
- ↑ https://www.pagat.com/marriage/pinmain.html
- ↑ http://www.sac-irca.com/pinochle_rules.html
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/22/rules-card-games-pinochle
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_zhgi3OX1U
- ↑ https://www.pagat.com/marriage/pinmain.html
- ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/pinochle-2/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpIXNd5uec
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/22/rules-card-games-pinochle
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_zhgi3OX1U
- ↑ http://www.sac-irca.com/pinochle_rules.html
- ↑ https://www.pagat.com/marriage/pinmain.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpIXNd5uec
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/22/rules-card-games-pinochle
- ↑ https://www.pagat.com/marriage/pinmain.html
- ↑ https://www.pagat.com/marriage/pinmain.html
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/22/rules-card-games-pinochle
About This Article
Pinochle is a fun card game played with two teams of two. The goal of the game is to be the first team to score 150 points. To play Pinochle, you’ll need a special Pinochle card deck. Alternatively, you can make your own by combining all of the 9s through aces cards from two standard decks of cards. Teammates sit across from one another, and one player deals first, with the deal moving clockwise each round. The dealer deals each player 12 cards in sets of 3. Then, the player to the left of the dealer can bid by saying how many points they think they can win based on their hand, or they can pass to the next player. If they decide to bid, they must bid at least 20 points. Then, the player to their left can either bid higher or pass. This continues around the table until every player except for one passes. Whoever made the highest bid gets to choose which suit is trump for that round. Then, that player’s teammate passes them three cards from their hand, and they pass three cards back to their teammate. Now players score the cards in their hands. Points are scored by forming melds with the cards, and different melds are worth different point values. An ace, 10, king, queen, and jack in the trump suit is a run and scores 15 points. A king and queen of the same suit is called a marriage and is worth 2 points, unless the king and queen are in the trump suit, in which case the marriage is worth 4 points. A 9 in the trump suit scores 1 point, an ace in each suit is worth 10 points, a king in each suit is worth 8 points, a queen in each suit is worth 6 points, and a jack in each suit is worth 4 points, and a queen of spades paired with a jack of diamonds is a Pinochle and worth 4 points. If players have 2 of any meld, the point values for those melds increase. Two runs are worth 150 points, 8 aces are worth 100 points, 8 Kings are worth 80 points, 8 queens are worth 60 points, 8 jacks are worth 40 points, and 2 Pinochles are worth 30 points. After players score their melds, the winner of the bid plays one card from their hand in the middle of the playing area. Then, the player to their left must play a card in that suit if they have one. If they don’t, they can play any card in their hand. Play continues around the table until each player has played a card. The player who played the highest card in the initial suit that was played wins the trick and collects the cards. However, if any players play a card in the trump suit, the highest card in that suit wins. Each ace, 10, and king a player wins in a trick is worth 1 point. Additionally, the player who wins the final tricks scores 1 extra point. Once all the cards have been played, each team adds up the total number of points they won from their melds and collected tricks. If the team who won the bid for that round didn’t score more points than they bid, they subtract their bid from their score for that round. After both teams have scored, a new round starts. The game continues until one team scores 150 points or more and wins! For tips on laying down melds and predicting scores, read on!
