Play Pinochle online for free against computer opponents or other players. Enjoy the classic 48-card partnership game directly in your browser, with no download required.
Choose trump, build your meld score, and work with your partner to reach 1,500 points.
About Pinochle
Pinochle combines the challenge of bidding with the teamwork of a partnership card game. A good hand can earn points before the first trick is played, but you still need to turn those cards into a successful result.
Every round brings a new decision: how high should you bid, which suit should become trump, and which cards will help your partner most?
On Solitaire 365, you can practice against the computer or select Play Online to find other players. Meld combinations are calculated automatically, helping you focus on bidding and playing your hand.
If you enjoy Spades or Euchre, Pinochle adds another layer of strategy through duplicate cards, card exchanges, and scoring combinations.
What is Pinochle?
Pinochle is a trick-taking and melding card game. In the version available here, four players form two fixed partnerships, with teammates sitting opposite each other.
The game uses a special 48-card deck containing two copies of every Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Jack, and Nine in each suit. Each player receives 12 cards.
Cards rank Ace, Ten, King, Queen, Jack, Nine, from highest to lowest. Unlike many familiar card games, a Ten beats a King.
Your team earns points in two ways: declaring combinations called melds and collecting valuable cards in tricks. The first team to reach 1,500 points wins.
Pinochle rules at a glance
| Rule |
Details |
| Players |
Four players in two fixed partnerships |
| Deck |
48 cards, with two copies of each A, 10, K, Q, J, and 9 in every suit |
| Deal |
12 cards per player |
| Card ranking |
A → 10 → K → Q → J → 9 |
| Minimum bid |
250 points |
| Bid increases |
Raise the current bid by 10 or 20 points |
| If everyone passes |
The dealer takes the contract at 250 |
| Trump |
Chosen by the winning bidder |
| Card exchange |
The bidder’s partner passes four cards; the bidder returns four |
| First lead |
The winning bidder leads the first trick |
| Trick points |
Each captured Ace, Ten, or King is worth 10 points |
| Last trick |
Worth an additional 10 points |
| Total trick points |
250 per round |
| Winning score |
1,500 points; if both teams reach it in the same round, the bidding team wins |
How to play Pinochle
1. Deal and evaluate your cards
Each player receives 12 cards. Look for meld combinations, high cards, and a suit you could choose as trump.
A valuable meld does not always mean a strong playing hand. Before bidding, consider both the points you can declare and the points your team might capture.
2. Bid for the contract
The player to the dealer’s left bids first. Bidding starts at 250 points. On your turn, raise the current bid by 10 or 20 points, or pass.
The last player remaining in the bidding wins the contract. If everyone passes, the dealer must take it at 250.
Your bid is a commitment to earn points from melds and tricks combined. It is not a prediction of how many tricks you will win.
3. Choose trump and exchange cards
The winning bidder names the trump suit.
Their partner then passes exactly four cards to them. After reviewing the expanded hand, the bidder returns any four cards, leaving both players with 12 again.
Only the bidding team exchanges cards. This is an opportunity to strengthen trump, complete melds, and improve the partnership’s chances of making the contract.
4. Score your melds
All players reveal their scoring combinations. The game automatically selects the best valid combination of melds.
The same card can contribute to melds in different classes, but it can only be used in one meld within each class.
After melding, the cards remain available for trick play.
5. Play the tricks
The winning bidder leads the first trick. Each player then plays one card, following these rules:
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Follow the led suit if you have it.
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If you cannot follow suit, play a trump card if you have one.
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Within those requirements, beat the currently winning card whenever possible, even if your partner is winning.
-
If you have neither the led suit nor trump, play any card.
The highest trump wins. If no trump is played, the highest card of the led suit wins. When identical cards compete, the one played first takes precedence.
The winner collects the trick and leads the next one.
6. Calculate the round score
Each captured Ace, Ten, and King earns 10 points. The last trick adds another 10, making 250 trick points available in every round.
A team must collect trick points to count its meld. If it collects no trick points, it earns no points for that round.
If the bidding team fails to reach its bid, it scores nothing for the round and subtracts the contract amount from its running total.
Pinochle meld scoring chart
These are the meld values used in this game.
| Meld |
Required cards |
Points |
| Run |
A, 10, K, Q, and J of trump |
150 |
| Run with an extra King |
A trump run plus another King of trump |
190 |
| Run with an extra Queen |
A trump run plus another Queen of trump |
190 |
| Run with an extra marriage |
A trump run plus another King and Queen of trump |
230 |
| Double run |
Both copies of A, 10, K, Q, and J of trump |
1,500 |
| Royal marriage |
King and Queen of trump |
40 |
| Common marriage |
King and Queen of the same non-trump suit |
20 |
| Dix |
Nine of trump |
10 |
| Pinochle |
Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds |
40 |
| Double pinochle |
Both Queens of Spades and both Jacks of Diamonds |
300 |
| Aces around |
One Ace in each suit |
100 |
| Kings around |
One King in each suit |
80 |
| Queens around |
One Queen in each suit |
60 |
| Jacks around |
One Jack in each suit |
40 |
| Double aces around |
All eight Aces |
1,000 |
| Double kings around |
All eight Kings |
800 |
| Double queens around |
All eight Queens |
600 |
| Double jacks around |
All eight Jacks |
400 |
The run totals already include the combinations described in their rows. For example, a run with an extra marriage scores 230 points in total; you do not add 150 and 230 together.
Can the same card score in more than one meld?
Yes, when the melds belong to different classes.
For example, a Queen of Spades can contribute to a marriage, a pinochle, and queens around. The game calculates valid combinations automatically, so you do not need to work out every overlap yourself.
Making your bid and going set
The bidding team must earn at least its contract amount from eligible meld points and captured trick points.
For example, suppose your team bids 300:
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With 180 meld points and 130 trick points, your team earns 310 and makes the bid.
-
With 180 meld points and 110 trick points, your team earns only 290 and goes set. Instead of adding those points, it loses 300 from its running score.
If the contract becomes impossible after melding, the bidder can throw in the hand.
The game continues until a team reaches 1,500 points. If both teams reach or exceed 1,500 in the same round, the team holding the bid wins.
Pinochle strategy and tips
Choose a possible trump suit before bidding
Think about which suit you would name if you won the auction. Consider its length, high cards, and potential melds together.
A hand that depends entirely on receiving perfect cards from your partner is a risky basis for a large bid.
Count meld and trick strength separately
First identify the combinations already in your hand. Then estimate how well the cards can compete during play.
Keeping those two assessments separate helps you avoid overvaluing a hand with attractive melds but little control.
Use the exchange to strengthen the partnership
When your partner wins the bid, look for cards that support the chosen trump suit or could complete useful combinations.
When returning cards, consider what your partner can do with them. Your aim is to improve the team’s result across both hands.
Remember that Tens are valuable
A Ten ranks immediately below an Ace and is worth 10 points when captured. Treat it as a valuable card, while remembering that an unplayed Ace of the same suit can still beat it.
Track both copies of important cards
There are two copies of every card. Seeing one Ace played does not mean that suit’s highest cards are gone.
Start by tracking trump Aces and Tens, then build up to remembering more of the cards as you gain experience.
Learn from the revealed melds
Melds reveal part of each player’s hand. Use that information to remember where important trump cards or Aces are likely to be.
Follow the mandatory winning rule
You must beat the current winning card whenever possible within the suit and trump requirements, even when your partner is ahead.
This affects how you plan a hand: you cannot always save a high card simply because your team already controls the trick.
Pinochle vs other card games
Pinochle vs Spades: Both feature partnerships and bidding. In Spades, bids concern tricks and spades are always trump. In Pinochle, bids concern points, and the winning bidder chooses trump.
Pinochle vs Euchre: Both reward good trump decisions and cooperation. Euchre uses shorter hands, while Pinochle adds meld scoring and a card exchange.
Pinochle vs Hearts: In Hearts, players usually avoid penalty points. In Pinochle, partners work together to earn points and fulfill their contract.
Prefer playing without opponents? Explore our collection of solitaire games.
Frequently asked questions about Pinochle
Can I play Pinochle online for free?
Yes. Pinochle is free to play on Solitaire 365 and runs directly in your browser without a download.
Can I play Pinochle against the computer?
Yes. You can play with computer-controlled players to practice bidding, card exchanges, and trick-taking.
Can I play Pinochle with real players?
Yes. Select Play Online to look for other players. You may need to wait for a game to become available.
Is this single-deck or double-deck Pinochle?
This is single-deck partnership Pinochle. It uses 48 cards, with four players receiving 12 cards each.
What is the minimum bid in Pinochle?
In this version, the minimum bid is 250 points. Players can raise the current bid by 10 or 20 points. If everyone passes, the dealer takes the contract at 250.
How many cards do partners pass?
The winning bidder’s partner passes four cards to the bidder. The bidder then returns any four cards. The opposing team does not exchange cards.
How much is a pinochle worth?
A pinochle, consisting of the Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds, is worth 40 points. A double pinochle, using both copies of those cards, is worth 300.
Do I have to beat my partner’s card?
Yes. If you can beat the currently winning card while obeying the suit and trump requirements, you must do so, even when your partner is winning.
Can my team score meld without collecting trick points?
No. Your team must collect trick points for its meld to count. If the bidding team also fails its contract, the bid is deducted from its total.
What score wins the game?
The target is 1,500 points. If both teams reach or exceed that total in the same round, the bidding team wins.
