Cached Cards

Rules ready for game night, even when the Wi-Fi isn't.

Pinochle

Trick-taking with melds using a double-deck of 9s through Aces.

4 playersMedium48-card double deck (9-A in each suit)
trick-takingpartnership

Pinochle

Goal

Score points from melds and trick-taking; first partnership to target wins.

Key Terms

  • Meld: Scoring combinations revealed from your hand.
  • Marriage: King and Queen of the same suit.
  • Pinochle: Jack of diamonds + Queen of spades.

Setup

  • Use a 48-card deck (two each of A, 10, K, Q, J, 9).
  • Deal 12 cards each; remaining cards form the stock or kitty (by variant).

Bidding & Trump

  • Players bid to choose trump; winning bidder declares trump.
  • The winning bidder (or their partner, by variant) leads the first trick.

Melds

  • Score for runs, marriages (K+Q), pinochle (J♦+Qâ™ ), and arounds.

Trick Play

  • Must follow suit if possible; trump wins if played.

Example Trick

Spades are trump. A trump 9 can win over any non‑trump lead if no higher trump is played.

End

  • Add meld points and trick points to score.