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Pinochle

Pinochle

(Public Domain) · 1864
2–445 min10+ yrs2.3/5 complexity6.9 BGG#3.567 BGG1,5 K
⚡ short answer

How do you play Pinochle?

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.

To find the best price for Pinochle, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

Pinochle box art
official art · (Public Domain)

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.)

game anatomy
Complexity2.3 / 5
BGG rating6.9 / 10
Language dependence
No in-game text needed
🌐 plays without English
Play time
45 min
Players
2–4
Recommended age
10+ yrs
BGG rank
#3.567
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does Pinochle cost?
No store is currently tracking Pinochle. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q2Where can I buy Pinochle cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play Pinochle?
Pinochle is a card game game, for 2–4 players, taking ~45 minutes, featuring auction / bidding. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Pinochle — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does Pinochle support?
Pinochle is played by 2–4 players.
Q5How long does a game of Pinochle take?
A game of Pinochle takes about 45 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is Pinochle for?
Pinochle is recommended from age 10.
Q7How complex is Pinochle?
Pinochle has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 2.3 out of 5.
Mechanics & categories
Trick taking →Card Game →

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