Read The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games Online
Authors: David Parlett
this happens. (One recent description al ows a trick-winner to draw
first then meld from 13 cards, which seems somewhat over-
generous.)
Three-hand Pinochle
(3p, 48c) This forerunner of Auction gives everyone a chance to
meld, enabling beginners to gain experience faster. Deal sixteen
each in fours and turn the last for trump. The first player left of
dealer holding a dix (†9) may exchange it for the turned card, the
dix then being taken by dealer. This scores 10, so long as that
player subsequently wins at least one trick. Players meld and note
their scores. Eldest leads, and tricks are played in the usual way,
with 10 for last. Each player counts towards game the value of cards
captured in tricks plus the value of his melds, unless he won no
trick, in which case his melds are also cancel ed. Game is 1000,
increasing by 250 each time two players reach the target score in
the same deal.
Widow Pinochle
(3p, 48c) Played like Auction Pinochle, the highest bidder making
his melds from eighteen cards including the widow. Each opponent,
however, also scores for melds he makes and separately for
counters taken in tricks. The partners keep their tricks separate in
case one of them takes no tricks, in which case his melds are
case one of them takes no tricks, in which case his melds are
annul ed. The bidder scores the amount he bid if successful,
otherwise zero. Game is 1000. The bidder’s score is counted first,
and the others’ only if he fails to reach the target. If bidder exceeds
the target he wins, even if one opponent reaches a higher score on
the same deal. If both opponents reach the target but bidder does
not, the target is increased by 250 each time this happens.
Non-partnership Pinochle
(4p, 48c) Play as three-hand Pinochle without a widow. Each
receives twelve cards and the game is played up to 1000. A player
taking no tricks, which happens more often with four, scores
nothing for melds.
Widow Partnership Pinochle
(4p, 48c) As Partnership Pinochle, but deal eleven each in batches
of 4-(4)-4-3, the (4) denoting a four-card widow dealt face down to
the table. Highest bidder takes the widow, melds from 15 cards,
then buries four, which count to his side at end of play.
In the ‘one-bid ’ version, each player may make only one bid in
the auction and must therefore either pass or bid his hand to the
limit.
Firehouse Pinochle
(4p, 48c) – so-cal ed because the players could answer a cal ,
extinguish the fire, and get back to the game without forget ing
where they were in the auction – is an extension of the ‘one-bid’
game, in which each bid from 200 to 300 conveys previously
agreed information to one’s partner. For example, 200 shows a
barely biddable hand, 210 of ers a good trump suit but less than 60
in melds, 220 shows good trumps and 60 to 120 in melds, but
lacking four Aces; and so on. If the first three pass, the dealer must
take the game at 200.
Check Pinochle
(4p, 48c) This extension of Firehouse, not restricted to ‘one bid’,
introduces a bonus feature comparable to above-line scoring at
Bridge. Each partnership has a number of checks (chips or counters)
which it pays to the other at agreed rates for certain scoring features
in addition to those recorded in the scoring.
A player must hold a marriage in order to bid, but this does not
apply to the dealer if the first three pass, as he is then obliged to
make a bid and may do so at any level. Numerous bidding
conventions obtain. For example, 250 implies four Aces held, 290 a
roundhouse, 300 a flush. If the bidding side justifies its bid, it scores
what it makes; if not, it loses the amount of its bid, the value of its
melds, and the total value of counters won in play.
Certain melds made by either partner are immediately rewarded
in checks by the opponents as fol ows:
roundhouse (four marriages) 5
flush (trump sequence)
4
four Aces
2
double pinochle
2
four Kings, Queens or Jacks 1
But these checks are returned if the partnership then fails to make
its bid. If the bidding side wins, it col ects a number of checks
appropriate to the bid made, as fol ows: 2 for 200+, 4 for 250+, 7
for 300+, 10 for 350+, and thereafter 5 extra for every 50 jump. If
the bidding side fails, it pays the opponents twice the appropriate
amount.
Additional checks are paid for yet other feats as fol ows:
10 for game (1000 up) plus 1 per 100 extra scored over 1000 5 more if the
losers finish with a minus score 5 for winning all 12 tricks, or 4 for taking 250
card-points but not all the tricks
Contract Pinochle
(4p, 48c) Deal twelve cards each in threes. The lowest bid is 100
and raises go in multiples of ten. Each bid must also mention a
prospective trump suit, as at Bridge (e.g. ‘100 spades – 120
diamonds – 160 hearts’, etc.), but al suits are equal and each new
bid must be numerical y higher. A bid may be doubled by an
opponent and redoubled by a defender. The bidding ends when
three players have passed.
The opponents do not meld, but the bidding partner lays his
melds on the table and scores for them, and his partner does
likewise. Scores may then be made for melds made between the
partners. Thus the bidder may lay out one or more cards which,
considered in conjunction with those of his partner, form valid
melds; after which his partner may then lay out more; and so
alternately until neither can make any further improvement. At that
point the bidder may nominate one card which he needs for
another meld. For example, holding Q he may cal for J or K
another meld. For example, holding Q he may cal for J or K
to make a pinochle or marriage respectively. If his partner can
oblige, the meld is made and scored and bidder may cal for
another desired card. This continues until his partner can’t
contribute. It is then the partner’s turn to cal for a card and, as
before, more melds can be made so long as the bidder can supply a
nominated card or either partner can add to the cards already
melded. As soon as he cannot, the melding is over.
The cards are then taken into hand and, if the bid has not yet
been fulfil ed by melds alone, the high bidder leads to the first
trick. Won cards are counted in the usual way. If the bidding
partnership succeeds, it scores the amount of its bid; if not, that
amount goes to the opposing side. The score may be doubled or
quadrupled as a result of doubling or redoubling earlier.
Two-pack Pinochle
(4p, 80c) Partnership Auction Pinochle using the ATKQJ of four
packs. Deal twenty each in fours or fives. Because of the inflated
scores, those of the traditional schedule are divided by 10 (see the
Table below). The minimum bid is 50. Raises go singly up to 60,
thereafter in fives (… 55, 60, 65, 70, etc.). If the first three pass,
dealer must bid at least 50. As now played, a player who can
fol ow suit to the card led must head the trick if possible.
single
double
triple
quadruple
flushes
15
150
225
300
pinochles
4
30
60
90
royal marriages
4
8
12
16
common marriages
2
4
6
8
Aces around
10
100
150
200
Kings around
8
80
120
160
Queens around
6
60
90
120
Jacks around
4
40
60
80
4, 8, 12, 16 of a kind must contain an equal number of each suit
Army and Navy Pinochle
(3-4-6p, 80-120c) Played with the Nines stripped out of either four
packs (80 cards) or six (120). Three play with twenty-five cards and
a five-card widow; four (partnership) with twenty; six (three teams
of two each) with twenty. Trumps may be established by turning,
by one-bid, or by free auction. Multiple melds with inflated scores
are recognized as fol ows: four Aces, Kings, Queens or Jacks at 100,
80, 60, 40 as usual; eight Aces, etc., score 10 times those values;
twelve score 15 times; sixteen score 20 times (for example, sixteen
Jacks count 800). Pinochles count 40 single, 300 double, 600 triple,
3000 quadruple. With 120 cards, 20 Aces count 2500, Kings 2000,
Queens 1500, Jacks 1200, quintuple pinochle 4000, sextuple
pinochle 5000.
Pinochle for Six or Eight
(6/8p, 96c) These realms of addiction are entered with a quadruple
24-card pack and the fol owing scores:
single double triple quadruple
flushes
150 1500 3000 a
royal marriages
40
300
600 1200
common marriages 20
300
600 1200