trick-taking · USA / Germany
Pinochle
Also known as Binocle
Pinochle is the beloved American/German partnership card game that blends melding and trick-taking with a special 48-card double deck. Score points for melds (runs, marriages, the pinochle), then again for the tricks you win. Play free in your browser vs bots or friends, no signup.
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How to play Pinochle
- Note the trump suit and your melds.
- Follow suit; beat or trump when you can.
- Capture Aces, Tens and Kings for trick points.
- Add melds + trick points; first team to the target wins.
Pinochle rules
Deck & teams
4 players in two partnerships, a 48-card Pinochle deck (two each of 9, J, Q, K, 10, A in every suit). A trump suit is set each hand.
Melds
Score combinations you hold — runs, marriages (K+Q of a suit), and the pinochle (Q♠ + J♦). Melds are tallied automatically from your hand.
Trick play
Card order is A, 10, K, Q, J, 9. Follow suit and beat the trick if you can; if void, you must trump. Aces, Tens and Kings carry the trick points.
Scoring
Your team's score is its melds plus its trick points (with a last-trick bonus). First team to the target total wins.
Strategy tips
- Lead trumps to pull the opponents' trumps when strong.
- Protect your meld cards early.
- Count the Aces and Tens — they carry the points.
Variants
Double-Deck Pinochle · Auction Pinochle
Pinochle — frequently asked questions
What is a pinochle?
The meld of the Queen of spades and the Jack of diamonds — the combination the game is named after.
How big is a Pinochle deck?
48 cards — two copies each of 9, Jack, Queen, King, 10 and Ace in all four suits.