Game Objective

Pinochle players work in teams of two with the hopes of scoring a predetermined number of points first. Those points are scored through a combination of melding and trick-taking.

Pinochle’s meld cards are particular to its rules and include combination like a “Marriage” (a King and Queen of the same suit) and a Pinochle (Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds).

As in many trick-taking games, each hand has a trump suit that can win the trick unless a higher-valued trump card is played.

Equipment and Setup

Required Materials

A standard Pinochle deck uses 48 cards: two of each rank (9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace) from all four suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades).

Pinochle.com supports double deck variant (usually without the 9s), which means the total number of cards will be 80.

Jokers are not usually used.

On the table24 cards
Required Materials 1Required Materials 2Required Materials 3Required Materials 4Required Materials 5Required Materials 6Required Materials 7Required Materials 8Required Materials 9Required Materials 10Required Materials 11Required Materials 12Required Materials 13Required Materials 14Required Materials 15Required Materials 16Required Materials 17Required Materials 18Required Materials 19Required Materials 20Required Materials 21Required Materials 22Required Materials 23Required Materials 24

Initial Layout

In four-player games : partners face each other across the table. Players form two teams of two. Partners sit opposite each other at the table.
On the table
Initial Layout 1Initial Layout 2Initial Layout 3Initial Layout 4
In three-player games : there are no teams and each player fends for themselves.
On the table
Equipment and Setup 1Equipment and Setup 2Equipment and Setup 3

Card Distribution and Game Start

The pinochle start is unique, by associating two card game mechanics : melding and tricking. Below section will explain the beginning of the game.

Dealing and playing proceed counter-clockwise.

The distribution will be as follows:

Dealing Cards : four-player variant

For the double-deck variant, each player receives 20 cards and there is no kitty.
On the table20 cards
Dealing Cards : four-player variant 1Dealing Cards : four-player variant 2Dealing Cards : four-player variant 3Dealing Cards : four-player variant 4Dealing Cards : four-player variant 5Dealing Cards : four-player variant 6Dealing Cards : four-player variant 7Dealing Cards : four-player variant 8Dealing Cards : four-player variant 9Dealing Cards : four-player variant 10Dealing Cards : four-player variant 11Dealing Cards : four-player variant 12Dealing Cards : four-player variant 13Dealing Cards : four-player variant 14Dealing Cards : four-player variant 15Dealing Cards : four-player variant 16Dealing Cards : four-player variant 17Dealing Cards : four-player variant 18Dealing Cards : four-player variant 19Dealing Cards : four-player variant 20

Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat)

In the three-player variant double-deck, the dealer gives 25 cards to each player. The 5 remaining cards will be left over to constitute the "kitty". The highest bidder will take the kitty to improve their hand.
On the table25 cards
Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 1Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 2Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 3Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 4Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 5Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 6Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 7Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 8Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 9Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 10Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 11Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 12Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 13Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 14Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 15Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 16Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 17Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 18Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 19Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 20Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 21Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 22Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 23Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 24Dealing Cards : three-player variant (Cutthroat) 25
Only for three-player variant, 5 leftover cards are placed face down as the “kitty” (or “widow”).
On the table5 cards
Card Distribution and Game Start 1Card Distribution and Game Start 2Card Distribution and Game Start 3Card Distribution and Game Start 4Card Distribution and Game Start 5

Order of Play

Starting with the player to the left of the dealer, each player has the opportunity to bid on the number of points they predict their partnership can earn.

The player with the highest bid is the Declarer. They select the hand’s trump suit. They can also swap cards from the kitty (for 3-player variant) with cards from their own hand.

If the bidding team fails to make their predicted points total, they suffer a penalty.

On the table
Order of Play 1Order of Play 2

Turn Structure

As specified above, there are 2 steps in the turn structure : Melds and scoring, then Trick-taking. The below section will highlights these turns structures.

The melding

After bidding, and before trick-taking begins, players lay their meld and tally points.

If you have any valid melds, it time to reveal them and count your points. The meld points will get immediately to your score.

Find below an example of combination (called Double Run) brings 1500 points !!

On the table9 cards
The melding 1The melding 2The melding 3The melding 4The melding 5The melding 6The melding 7The melding 8The melding 9

Trick Taking

The declaring player then plays first, and tricks are won this way: the highest-ranking card of the trump suit wins the trick, if no trump is present, the highest-ranking card of the suit first played wins the trick.

Players must adhere to a set of rules that dictate which cards can be played. They are as follows, in descending order of application:

  • Follow Suit: You must follow the suit of the trick’s first card.

  • Win the Trick: If you can win the with a higher card of the same suit, you must win the trick.

  • Play Your Trump: If you cannot follow suit and have a trump card, you must play your trump card.

In the event that two identical cards are played, the card played first counts as higher.

On the table4 cards
Trick Taking 1Trick Taking 2Trick Taking 3Trick Taking 4

Scoring System and Winning Conditions

The 2 steps mecanics of Pinochle divide the scoring system in 2 parts : melding score and tricking score.

Point Calculation : Melds

Points awarded for different meld combinations are one of the most unique aspects of Pinochle. Inexperienced players often keep a small reminders with the combinations and their points values.

Pinochle meld points are as follows:

  • Aces Around (an Ace from each of the four suits): 10 points

  • Kings Around (a King from each of the four suits): 8 points

  • Queens Around (a Queen from each of the four suits): 6 points

  • Jacks Around (a Jack from each of the four suits): 4 points

  • Pinochle (Jack of Diamonds and Queen of Hearts): 150 points

  • Runs: 15 points for a run of 15 cards

  • Marriages (a King and Queen of the same suit): 20 points for a marriage of 2 cards

  • Other Melds: Depending on the specific ruleset or house rules you’re following, other card combinations may count as points

Point Calculation : Tricks

After all the tricks have been played, each team’s total from won cards is added to their meld total.

Cards taken in tricks are scored as follows:

  • Aces, Tens, and Kings are each worth one point

  • Queens, Jacks, and Nines have no point value

  • The team that wins the last trick earns an additional point

  • There are 250 total points available from tricks

Game End

Pinochle ends when a team reaches a predetermined points total. 150 is a commonly-used target total for a fast game.

Specific Rules and Exceptions

Common Pinochle variations include changing the number of players, usually from four to three, and changing the total point target.

A two-player variation exists where players each have double hands.

In some versions, the members of the declaring team exchange cards before tricks are played or meld revealed.

Other variations change what counts as meld and how many points they are worth.

Back to top