In some cases the double combination is worth exactly as much as two singles in other cases it is worth more. A double combination is one that contains two copies of each card - for example a double rope consists of A-A-10-10-K-K-Q-Q-J-J of trumps, and a double pinochle is two spade queens and two diamond jacks. Each combination exists in a single and a double version. The scoring combinations and their values are listed below. The cat cards are at this stage unknown they might increase a player's meld but this cannot be relied on. Therefore, after the deal, each player looks at his 15-card hand and assesses what scoring combinations of cards he holds in his hand, and what value of meld he might therefore score if he could choose trumps. The first way of scoring points is the meld, or display of scoring combinations held in the hand. In each hand, one player - the high bidder - will name trumps, take the cards in the cat, and play against the other two, aiming to score at least the number of points mentioned in the bid. After the first complete game is finished, the winner is the first dealer of the second game. The object of the game is to be the first player to score 1500 points. There are two ways of scoring points: by melding combinations and by winning scoring cards in tricks. Any fair means can be used to determine the dealer for the first hand after that the deal passes to the left after each hand.

If the cards are misdealt in any way, they must be shuffled, cut and dealt again. These 3 cards can be placed in the cat at any point during the dealing, with the exception that the last card in the deck can not be put in the cat. Each player receives 15 cards and 3 cards are placed in the kitty, or cat, as it is sometimes called. The cards are shuffled, cut, and dealt, usually three at a time, but this is not imperative. The last trick is worth an additional 10 points, so the total number of points available to be won in each hand is 250. One aim of the game is to win as many counters as possible in your tricks. Counters are valued at 10 points apiece, while losers are worth nothing. Queens, jacks and nines are called losers (though they can occasionally win a trick). The aces, tens and kings are called counters. For the purposes of trick taking, the cards in each suit rank from high to low: ace, ten, king, queen, jack, nine. This can be made, if necessary, from two standard 52 card decks by throwing out all the cards 2-8. The game is played with a single 48 card pinochle deck. Versions of Pinochle for other numbers of players are covered on other pages of this web site. In that version only the high bidder can meld and the bidder either wins or loses. Several variations of this game are also described.Įlsewhere on this website there is a separate Auction Pinochle page describing the classic 3-player game for money in which the players settle up after each hand. All three players can meld and the game features special scores for double melds. This is a version played for points, up to a target score. The main game described on this page is a version of three player single deck Auction Pinochle played in Bison, South Dakota. Money game with each hand paid separately.This page is mostly based on a contribution from Sion Hanson.

Different type of pinochle games