How To Play Pinochle (2 Players)

[@wendycunningham2479]

I watched this with my grandmother who used to play it with friends. She has dimentia. It was really touching to watch her engaged. I hope we can "play" It soon! Thank you!

[@brotherjosh6243]

Back in the 80s, on Saturday nights my parents would go over to the next door neighbors house and play pinochle for hours. The only thing I knew about it then was that it was a card game for old squares. Now, I'm near my parent's age, am a card game enthusiast, and have decided to revisit pinochle. Thanks for the simple explanation and for helping me understand what my parents were doing on those Saturday nights back then.

[@nvsouli]

Thank you for everything that you do. Really I mean that. I'm a 23 year old that's loves to play cards, and without your hard work and dedication we wouldnt know about these age old games our forefathers played. Much like your name I hope we all gather together, and play some games

[@GatherTogetherGames]

Thank you! Happy to help!

[@abelin5568]

@@GatherTogetherGames the rump card is the 10 of hearts. (Or any suit.) Hold both 9 of hearts. I swap 1 nine of heart for the ten of heart. Now, am I allowed to swap the 9 of trump in my hand for the 9 of trump that’s now under the deck? Can I swap that 9 every turn for 10 points?

[@scottpowers4071]

I concur! 😊

[@ucfkid67]

I remember back in the 1990s my grandparents and their friends always played this game. I was about 10 at the time and thought to my self ...this is a hard game!!! Thanks for the memories Mr and Mrs B!

[@danielmoran3832]

Very good. I bought a deck of pinochle cards and had no idea how to play. I learned by watching this video twice. Great job!

[@susanc8687]

My grandparents and my mom and her brother used to play this all the time and as a child I could never figure it out they tried to teach me probably around the age of 10 because I wanted to play. I recently bought a how to play book and two decks of cards with the pinochle score pad and I am so looking forward to learning this game. Thank you for this!

[@andrewspiers8538]

top stuff this is a great game but incredibly hard to find the rules for.

[@Ivorymoana]

My grandmother played Pinochle every weekend with friends. We always left before the game started so I never got to learn. I thought of my Grandma when I saw your video. Thanks!

[@I4goddit]

Perfect! I hadn't known this could be played with 2 players. Great video; thanks!

[@HiNRGboy]

Yes, apparently this is the original version, and the 4 player one came after, I only just found that out lol

[@LeotheTiger1234]

Thank you for this tutorial. I play games like this with the computer program Hoyle Card Games, but this one always confused me.

[@toastboy92]

I like this better than the bidding system that’s in the regular 4 handed pinochle. Imo melding throughout the rounds makes things more exciting. I feel like you could play this exact same way with 4 people as long as you use 2 pinochle decks. That would make a 96 card deck and you could still do teams. All 4 players would still be dealt 12 cards and there are still a total of 24 tricks played throughout the whole hand.

[@misahal21]

Hi, thanks for your videos. Please, help me with the following questions: 1. If a player wins the trick but does not have any meld in hand, what should be done? 2. if player 1 leads QH and player 2 wins with KH, is it scored as a marriage? 3. can be scored the run of other suit? (A, 10 , K , Q, J)can be scored the run of other suit? (A, 10 , K , Q, J). 4. who starts The last 12 cards fase? (I speak Spanish, I used the translator)

[@GatherTogetherGames]

Hi! 1. If a player doesn’t have a meld, he/she will just lead the next trick. 2. No, a player must have both king and queen in hand to score a marriage. 3. A run only counts in the trump suit. 4. The player that won the last trick starts the first trick of the last 12 cards.

[@misahal21]

Thank you so much

[@brandonjohnson9876]

A simpler scoring system for cards won in tricks is to score “counters,” which are aces, tens and kings. Each is worth 10 points (or 1 if you cut off the unnecessary 0). The total points remains 250/25, including the last trick.

[@maryannleavitt6344]

Do you know how to score while playing Gin Rummy

[@jaradb3047]

This is my first stop when I'm learning any new card game.

[@tomlarson5775]

Nicely organized, it a little fast to follow

[@abelin5568]

If I have a KQ spades marriage which I melded, then draw the J Diamonds next turn or already had, can I make a Pinochle meld on the next turn using the Q Spades from the previous meld?

[@havephysics8614]

yes

[@claudiadanner6951]

do you have to play a card from your meld or is it a choice?

[@Effrescini]

Questions about the first stage: 1) To make a meld, do you HAVE to take a card from your hand plus cards you've won in tricks, or can your meld be formed solely from the pile of cards taken in tricks? And can you only meld the two cards taken in a trick immediately after you've won them, or can you put them in a pile and use them to meld at a later point when you've won more? 2) If you've melded a card you've won in a trick, can you then re-use that card in a later trick, or can you only use melded cards from your hand (not played in a trick) in subsequent tricks?

[@banjochris]

You NEVER meld cards you’ve taken in tricks. Only cards in your hand. You can use cards you have melded in tricks - those cards are still part of your hand even though they’re up on the table. Part of the strategy of the two-handed game is balancing the need to win tricks with the need to make melds. You can’t make a meld without winning a trick, but those cards once played to a trick can’t be used in a meld. Hope that makes sense.

[@glaurung-the-green]

Thanks for great explanation!

[@ChrissySheltonSongs]

Good description! Thank you!

[@SG-ql7nw]

The following suit thing is confusing me a little... In the first round you need not follow suit, but to win the trick you must follow suit, correct? Otherwise play trump? Are you able to play anything else if you want to conserve good cards? In the second round, you "must follow suit". So if you have no cards of the suit led, that's the only time you may play trumps? They say "must follow suit IF POSSIBLE" so what happens if you have neither suit nor trump? I'm stuck particularly at that question.

[@iwatchyoutubwhenimbored6131]

Yes, for the second stage you must play the suit played and not cut it with the trump unless you don’t have that suit. Like euchre

[@SG-ql7nw]

@@iwatchyoutubwhenimbored6131 Thank you!

[@nemochuggles]

So when you draw back to 12 cards, are the cards in your meld counting towards that 12? Or do you need to have 12 cards in hand, even if you have a meld off to the side?

[@jacobp.6973]

It took me about 3 years of confusion before realizing that you just add your melds (and only your melds) back to whatever cards are left in your hand after the 12 tricks and they will add back up to 12 cards. Just leave whatever cards you won via tricks in your discard pile.

[@schollmeierkathy]

Grandma and I played tonight. Not sure we figured it out and also not quite like Grandpa played! Thank you!

[@chrisofchris]

If you lead with a card from a meld (ex: KQ marriage) and play the K, does the Q remain face up on the table? Or does it return to the hand?

[@GatherTogetherGames]

Remains face up on the table

[@robrich8294]

Damn I never knew you can play 2 players!! Thanks for the awesome instructions!!

[@abelin5568]

During two player pinochle., none of diamonds was flipped from the deck and diamonds were the trump. I also was dealt a nine of diamonds! Am I allowed to exchange my trump 9 with the trump nine from the deck every turn for 10 points, or during my turn for 10 points? If my opponent also has a nine of diamonds, can the opponent also accumulate 10 points each turn?

[@havephysics8614]

im pretty sure you can score a 9 as a meld as soon as you get it if you lay it down

[@havephysics8614]

I want to know if I already melded 4 kings, when I later meld 4 queens do I score 4 marriages too?

[@RecMike]

You can only score one meld per trick won.

[@youreprettygood1414]

I've wanted this tutorial. Thank you!

[@jacquelinemodak9888]

What card is called 900 is there an other name?

[@tollelege5635]

You can play your meld cards?

[@theskyisfallingtom]

Yes

[@redsteam1]

Can you / do you lead from the meld pile if you want to?

[@GatherTogetherGames]

Yes, you can lead from the meld pile of wanted.

[@theoriemeister]

Wait, one doesn't have to follow suit in 2-handed pinochle? On the very first trick, player 1 plays the ace of clubs, but player 2 plays the 9 of diamonds, even though he has clubs.

[@abelin5568]

I meld 4 king for 80 pints. On the the same turn I draw another king. During my next turn, can I play one of the melded kings (k of diamond), then use my second king of diamond to create 4 kings again?

[@havephysics8614]

no

[@Daves_PianoAndPipes]

Oh, what a cute & interesting game! Looking forward to try it out myself

[@truthfighter2663]

Let’s say that clubs ♣️ is the trump suit. I win the trick. I play K/O of diamonds ♦️for a common marriage meld. Can I also play a common marriage in a different suit?

[@GatherTogetherGames]

You will have to wait until you win another trick to make another meld.

[@saritamalpani_6331]

During a trick, do we have to put the same suit?? Example: if I put an ace of clubs, does the opponent's card have to be one of clubs??

[@GatherTogetherGames]

Yes, if possible

[@saritamalpani_6331]

@@GatherTogetherGames thank you so much

[@banjochris]

Only in the second phase, after the deck is exhausted. Before then, you do not have to follow suit.

[@saritamalpani_6331]

@@banjochris thank you for the information helped me get hold of a minor yet significant rule

[@AyrtonTwigg]

What is the name of your intro and outro song??

[@JpSceadugenga]

If I don't have the lead suit or the trump suit, I can play any card I want and win with a higher rank? Or does it have to be of the leading suit to win?

[@GatherTogetherGames]

It has to be the lead suit to win

[@PROJECTBOYS805]

I use to play this in prison but we played differently we took out the 9s An some other adjustments as well

[@juanc.3372]

awesome thank you !

[@NikolajLepka]

sounds a lot like schnapsen, but with more cards and more meld types

[@saritamalpani_6331]

Can we play two or more melds at the same time???

[@ItsMrRoyster]

5:23 A player can only score one meld per turn.

[@wyntergordon4170]

My mother in law taught me this game but it's quite a bit different in some ways and I almost feel her version is easier to play lol I'm still confused by some of these rules

[@vanessaflynn4818]

So just to clarify: if the dealer (player 1) flips a 9 as trump, the dealer (player 1) gets the 10 points & not player 2? Thanks! My family loves Pinochle & with 1 kid at home this week we are trying to learn 2 handed 👏

[@BogWraith1]

You've got it Vanessa, Player 1 gets the 10 points!

[@b4u334]

You can deal in groups of 3 or 4

[@womanofvalor4yeshua]

Thanks!

[@karenskloset898]

My mom used to play Pinocle and I was Always Curious how this game worked but as I'm watching this video it reminds me of the friends episode where Chandler and Joey are playing cups with Ross... Still makes no sense to me It looks like there are so many odd Rules all through the game.....

[@amazinggraphics4186]

I have the pinochle deck and everything but I've been watching the videos for 2 days straight and I can't get the game. please, someone, reply briefly typing the rules and play of the game.

[@jesusromero9732]

U need to play to get the hang of it

[@KennethHenseler]

Download the free Bicycle Cards app. It has rules for all the classic card games.

[@theskyisfallingtom]

I see your comment was 9 months ago. Hope you learned the game. Ya, you just have to play to get the hang of it!

[@amazinggraphics4186]

ok

[@mikehornick4971]

Pinochle rewards the queen for a scandalous liaison with the knave (jack). 40 points surpasses the non-trump marriage and equals the trump marriage. Double pinochle, according to several sources, counts 300 not 80 as here. Pinochle is, then, the only meld type that scores more the second time than the first. Much of the game’s appeal lies in how it deflates marriage and class.

[@poopshoot7926]

I love four handed and three handed, but man two handed just seems like a bit much 😂 I still want to give it a shot though

[@theskyisfallingtom]

Two-handed is so much fun! Tonight we taught my pastor and his wife how to play.

[@RandyMUNSOn-fe2tb]

Different version of the game I've played for fifty years. We deal eight cards each and then alternate picking two of which one is kept in hand the other discarded to start Sixteen card to meld from and then bid. Play as usual ....

[@rhettlee]

I love trick games

[@RecoveringAddict101]

We never played with the 9's- I believe (imo) it is better that way

[@sabbistarr9874]

Im used to 4 players and this is a lot of extra stuff

[@thesparrow3902]

There's no explanation as to how and why a player chooses what cards to play.

[@unicornmadness6286]

Such a confusing game.

[@lexiemaep7930]

This guy just sucks at explaining. Like, what is the trump card??? Lol

[@JEKStricker]

​@@lexiemaep7930the first card flipped from the deck is the trump suit

[@dimebagdarrell6564]

Anyone know how 2 players no nines? I learned in prison but I turned my life around and haven't been back in 5 years. Nobody I know knows how to play 2 players no nines

[@jesusromero9732]

Go back to prison...jk...stay up

[@akvincent]

The scoring is a little different. it stays in prison rules. dealer deals 5 cards at a time. 5 cards go face down in front (called the deck) to each player. Then 5 cards go to the "hand" - each player. Cards are dealt back and forth this way until there are 3 stacks of 5 cards face down in front of each player. The rest of the cards are dealt to each players "hand" 5 at a time until all cards are dealt. Then bidding happens. Player with the highest bid wins and gets to choose the trump. Bid starts at 65 and goes first to the person who did not deal. If he kicks it back to the dealer, then the dealer gets it for 60. You have to have at least 20 points in your meld in order to take the bid other wise you are board set and the game starts over. The dealer is penalized points if he is board set....but I can't remember how much. But lets say the bidding is a go and the trick portion begins. the top card of the three stacks is flipped up and left on top. These can be used in the trick. Person who won the bid starts and the game goes on until all cards are played. Last person to win the hand gets an extra 2 points. The cards in the stacks can be used just as the cards in the hand through out the game with the top card on the deck always facing up. Count the cards at the end with A, 10, K all worth 1 point. Q and J are worth nothing. All points combined during the trick portion should equal 50 (including the 2 extra points for scoring the last hand). First person to 300 wins. It's very different from the normal play (which I am just now learning) and I think much more simple. That said nobody except inmates know how to play this way.

[@dimebagdarrell6564]

@@jesusromero9732 LOL. Made me laugh

[@dimebagdarrell6564]

@@akvincent OMG! Thank you ! It's coming back to me a little now that I've read you're comment.

[@demass6499]

Cool

[@selfintrest332]

Who else head hurts

[@galiffrey1]

What kind of cards are you playing with?

[@GatherTogetherGames]

Ace

[@thebaconator.3867]

imagine sammy the bull vs neil delacrocce they loved thisg game WATCH SAMMY'S PAGE

[@samanthaflores8954]

tommy desimone used to beat up players when he lost against tommy agro in the 60s

[@Entropy106]

Everyone in the mafia played pinochle. It’s popular in prison also

[@harper5323]

so complicated.....

[@awolf913]

Hold on, I don’t get the scoring here. If each Ace and 10 is worth 10 points then how does 11 aces and 10s, 8 kings and queens and last trick equal 160 points? Surely... 11 aces is 11 x 10 = 110 11 10s is 11 x 10 = 110 8 kings and queens which is 8 x 5 = 40 and another 8 x 5 = 40 Plus the 10 for the last trick won. The total must therefore be: 110 + 110 + 40 + 40 + 10 = 310. Someone tell me where I’m going wrong.

[@cameronford5342]

I think that because aces and 10's are equal, they are lumped together. 11 total of aces and 10's. Same with kings and queens. So 11x10=110 8x5=40 Last trick 10+110+40=160

[@ItsMrRoyster]

Just to complicate things, my trusty, dog-dared *Hoyle's* has an alternate scoring scheme. 4:20. A, K & 10 are each worth 10 pts, and the Q is not a counter. A little easier to count, and much easier to play since you can lose the Qs without giving away points. Now: where are the rules for True American?!😀 #NewGirl

[@litakita]

The worms crawl in the worms crawl out the worms play pinochle on your snout

[@docgregg2]

This was too confusing for a beginner to follow. Sorry, but it was not at all helpful to me. I will keep searching.

[@rickybrewer4800]

*brain melts*

[@quidambrujah]

The rules for Pinochle are more complicated than for the True American drinking game.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Sort of like trying to understand Poker except no one is taking your money while you're trying to learn

[@Piffhefner]

This game never made any fuckin sense to me...stupid fackin game

[@RandyMUNSOn-fe2tb]

It takes brains, so ....