Pinochle at a glance
Pinochle combines bidding, scoring combinations called meld, and partnership trick-taking. Double copies of each card change how you count the deck. Your bid must account for both meld and the points you expect to capture.
- Players
- 4 · Two teams
- Deck
- 48 cards · Two copies
- Hand
- 12 cards each
- Target
- 150 points
How to play Pinochle online
Play free in your browser, with no download or account required. Choose the kind of table you want to join.
Practice with computers
Choose Play with computers and a pace: Relaxed, Friendly, or Quick. Use Hint when you need help finding a move.
Invite your friends
Choose Invite friends and share Copy invite or the room code. Friends join through Have an invite? The host can fill empty seats with computers.
Find an online opponent
Choose Find online players to look for other people. If no matching players are available, you can practice with computers instead.
Computer games also need an internet connection. The table handles dealing, legal moves, and scoring. These rules describe the version played here; other tables may use different house rules.
Rules of Pinochle
Deck and deal
The forty-eight-card deck has two of every nine, jack, queen, king, ten and ace in each suit. Deal twelve each. Rank is ace, ten, king, queen, jack, nine.
Auction, trump, and passing
Bid at least twenty-five or pass. Three consecutive passes end the auction; an all-pass dealer bids twenty-five. The bidder chooses any trump suit, receives four cards from their partner, then passes four back.
Counting meld
Meld is counted automatically: runs 15 or 150; pinochles 4 or 30; marriages 2, or 4 in trump; trump nines 1 each; arounds also score. Cards can belong to different meld types, but a run’s marriage does not score twice.
Playing and counting tricks
Follow suit and win the trick if possible; otherwise follow lower, or trump if void. Aces, tens and kings captured score one each, plus one for the last trick.
Scoring and winning
Contract and victory
Meld plus trick points must meet the bid or the bidder loses that amount. Defenders keep their points. First to one hundred fifty wins; if both cross together, the bidding team wins.
How to get better at Pinochle
Estimate before bidding
Count meld you can already make and allow for uncertainty in the partner exchange. A hoped-for card is not guaranteed.
Pass for trump
Consider cards that improve your partner’s trump run, marriage, or control. Four cards are passed each way.
Remember the ranking
Tens rank immediately below aces. A king cannot beat a ten of the same suit.
Capture counters
Aces, tens, and kings earn trick points. When your partner is safely winning, a counter may be more useful there than in your hand.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pinochle meld?
The queen of spades with the jack of diamonds. A single scores four meld points here and a double scores 30.
How many cards are passed?
The bidder’s partner passes four cards to the bidder, who then returns four cards.
What if the bid is missed?
The bidding team loses its bid. Combined meld and trick points must meet the contract to score successfully.
Which identical card wins a tie?
When otherwise equal cards contest a trick, the one played earlier wins the tie.
Can I play Pinochle against computers?
Yes. Choose Play with computers at the table and select a computer pace. Private tables can also mix friends with computers. An internet connection is required.
How do I invite friends to Pinochle?
Choose Invite friends, then use Copy invite in the waiting room. Friends can open that link or enter the room code in Have an invite? The host can fill empty seats with computers.
Double Deck Pinochle
Spades
Euchre