These larger variations can combine two pinochle decks called a double deck. The game ends when an individual player gets at least 5,000 points. Variants of pinochle can be played with five, six, eight or more players. However, the other three players count their melds individually and share only the trick count. Meld and trick counters for the bid winner and parter are shared, as is the penalty for going set (the bid amount). The next time you win the bid, you probably will have a different partner! He or she shuffles the deck and asks the person to their right to cut the deck.

Teams are seated opposite of one another. The player with that card is your partner for the hand, while the other three players work against you and your temporary partner. Double deck pinochle is played with 4 people, forming 2 teams of 2. After winning the bid, you ask for a specific card. Many people who learn Pinochle find it to be an exciting life-long hobby. It is not as complex as Bridge, but requires an hour or two to learn. Among common games, it is most similar to Contract Bridge. Unless you have a double run, use multiple marriages for the higher score.Įssentially, 5-handed pinochle favors trump marriages 4- and 6-handed are games of runs.įive-handed pinochle has no set teams. Double-Deck Pinochle is a card game for four people. If you meld trump marriages, you cannot use runs. For example, single, double, triple, and quadruple pinochle count as: 40, 300, 600, and 900. Unlike 4- and 6-handed pinochle, multiple marriages in trump count 300, 600, 900, and 1200. All other scoring remains the same. The current version of the game does not allow “bid or bunch”. Bidding is optional, and if no one bids, a new hand is dealt. Universal Pinochle’s 5-handed game uses two decks and allows passing between partners. Bidding begins at 500 and proceeds by 10 point increments.

Play double deck pinochle