Pinochle

Pinochle (pronounced pea-nukkle) is a card game. It is played with four players on two teams. It can be played with one or two special pinochle decks. A pinochle deck has 48 cards, two each of 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A in each suit. A pinochle game has four hands. The team with the highest score at the end of four hands wins. The first part of a hand is melding. Various combos of cards can be melded. (for example, having two Js of diamonds and two Qs of spades is worth 300 points). The team that bids the highest is allowed to call, the suit that will count higher in melds and take tricks. The second part of a hand is the tricks. Each player throws in a card. The player with the highest trump card, or highest card of the suit led, takes the trick. Each K, 10, or A taken in tricks is worth 10 points.