Double-Deck Pinochle
In this article, you will find:
Scoring and points
1, 2, 3, Score!
When all the cards have been played, each team adds up the tricks it has won. If the original bidding team meets its bid then both teams add up their points and add the new score to the cumulative score.
It's in the Cards
To be set means to fail to make your bid on the meld. Your entire bid is subtracted from your total score and you score none of your points in that hand.
If the bidding partnership does not meet their bid then they are considered set. The nonbidding partners get to keep their points.
If the bidding partner knows that the team will not meet its bid before play begins, he or she may throw in the hand. No points are scored and the bid is subtracted from their total score. The nonbidding partners get to keep whatever points they've accumulated so far and add the points to their total score. This allows the bidding team to avoid losing trick-taking points to the opposing team.
Points for Tricks
The cards rank in the following order: Ace, 10, King, Queen, Jack. At the end of play, the teams total the points they have won in trick-taking. Each Ace, 10, and King is worth one point. The team that wins the last trick scores two additional points. There are a total of 50 points available for tricks.
Points for Melds
Like in many card games, there are some terms you will need to know in order to build melds and score points. You should memorize these terms and what they mean before playing the game.
| Run: A-10-K-Q-J of trump suit = | 15 for single 150 for double 225 for triple 300 for quadruple |
| Royal Marriage: K-Q of trump suit = | 4 for single 8 for double 12 for triple 16 for quadruple |
| Marriage: Kings and Queen of same suit = | 2 for single (NOT trump suit) 4 for double 6 for triple 8 for quadruple |
| Pinochle: Jack of Diamonds and Queen of Spades = | 4 for single 30 for double 60 for triple 90 for quadruple |
| Aces Around: An Ace in each suit = | 10 for single 100 for double 150 for triple 200 for quadruple |
| Kings Around: A King in each suit = | 8 for single 80 for double 120 for triple 160 for quadruple |
| Queens Around: A Queen in each suit = | 6 for single 60 for double 90 for triple 120 for quadruple |
| Jacks Around: A Jack in each suit = | 4 for single 40 for double 60 for triple 80 for quadruple |
Note: A set of 10s is not worth anything in a meld.
No matter which game of Pinochle you choose to play, you're sure to have some great family fun!