Pinochle is a trick-taking card game for four players played with a special 48-card deck. The goal of the game is to win as many tricks as possible by playing the highest-ranking card in the suit led, or by playing a trump card if you can’t follow suit.
The game is played in two phases: a bidding phase, where players bid on the number of tricks they think they can take, and a play phase, where players try to win the number of tricks they have bid.
How to play Pinochle
- The deck consists of 48 cards, including two copies of each card in the 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A of each suit (diamonds, clubs, hearts, spades).
- To start the game, each player is dealt twelve cards. The remaining cards are placed face down in the center of the table to form the draw pile.
- In the bidding phase, players take turns bidding on the number of tricks they think they can take. The minimum bid is six, and each subsequent bid must be higher than the previous bid. The player who bids the highest number of tricks becomes the “declarer,” and their team (consisting of the declarer and the player to their right) becomes the “declaring” team.
- In the play phase, the player to the left of the declarer leads the first trick by playing a card from their hand. The other players must then follow suit if they can, or play a trump card if they can’t follow suit. The player who plays the highest-ranking card in the suit led, or the highest-ranking trump card if any were played, wins the trick and leads the next trick.
- The declaring team scores points for each trick they win, based on the cards in the trick. Aces are worth 11 points each, 10s and kings are worth 10 points each, and all other cards are worth their face value. The defending team scores points for each trick they win, based on the number of tricks they have bid. If the declaring team wins the number of tricks they have bid, they score the points they have won, plus a bonus of 500 points. If they fail to win the number of tricks they have bid, they lose the points they have bid, and the defending team scores a bonus of 500 points.
- The game continues until one team reaches a predetermined score, such as 1,000 points. The team with the highest score at the end of the game wins.
Pinochle is a challenging and exciting card game that requires skill, strategy, and a bit of luck. It is a popular game that has been enjoyed by players around the world for many years.