Cover art for Pinochle

Pinochle

1864 · BGG
Avg rating
6.87
Bayes rating
5.94
Weight
2.31 (Medium Light)
Players
2-4
Playtime
45 min
Ratings count
1,112

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Description

Classic trick taking card game in which players bid how many points they will score for the right to set trump, then have to make their bid to get their points. Pinochle is played with a modified standard deck. It consists of a 48 card deck with all 2-8's removed and two of each other card (a Pinochle deck can be made by combining two 52 card decks and removing all 2-8's).

Pinochle has several unique elements not found in other trick taking games:
- Before playing the hands, players form melds (runs, marriages, pinochle, sets) which are added to their score.
- Played with a double (and sometimes quadruple) deck of cards: A 10 K Q J 9 
- Players are required to trump when void and over trump if they can.

The original version of Pinochle is a two-handed version which is derived from the virtually identical Bezique.

The game was modified for more players with several popular variants including Partnership Pinochle, Partnership Auction Pinochle, and Double Pack Pinochle (Partnership).

(The origin date listed for this game is approximate.)



Mechanics

Auction / Bidding Melding and Splaying Team-Based Game Trick-taking

Themes

None recorded

Publishers

(Public Domain) (Unknown) ASS Altenburger Spielkarten Arrco Playing Card Co. F.X. Schmid Jax, Ltd. Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag Piatnik Russell Manufacturing Company The United States Playing Card Company Waddington Sanders Ltd. Watkins Strathmore

Designers

(Uncredited)