Two-handed pinochle is a different game from four-player pinochle (partnership auction pinochle). They share many similar mechanics and scoring, but this game is different enough to warrant its own article.
Pinochle requires a pinochle deck, which is made by taking two standard decks of cards and removing all cards below the 9 (as well as the jokers). This leaves you with two of every 9, J, Q, K, 10, and A in the game. A pinochle deck could also be made by combining two euchre decks. To start the first round, the dealer gives each player a 12-card concealed hand, setting aside the other 24 cards to form a stock. The dealer then flips up the top card of the stock and sets it faceup next ot the stock.
There are two ways to score points in pinochle, through melding and trick-taking. Each round is divided into two phases, one for melding and tricks and another just for tricks. Rules for trick-taking differ slightly between the two phases. The first player to a set number of points wins the game. I recommend 150.
It is important to note that the rank of cards in pinochle is slightly different than in most card games. The 10 is ranked between the K and the A, leaving the rank 9-J-Q-K-10-A from low to high.
The non-dealer leads the first trick with any card in their hand. The other player need not follow suit or trump -they can play any card they wish. The trump suit is the suit of the card flipped up by the dealer at the beginning of the round, and the highest trump in a trick always wins the trick. If there are no trumps, than the highest ranking card of the suit that led the trick wins the trick. If both players play the same card, then the leader wins the trick.
The winner of the trick takes those two cards and sets them in a facedown pile in front of them -all tricks they win will go here for scoring at the end of the round. The winner of the trick then draws one card from the stock. As the winner of the trick, they now have the opportunity to meld. If they have any of the combinations listed below, they can lay it down on the table and score the points immediately. The loser of the trick then draws a card from the stock, but does not have the opportunity to meld. The winner of the trick leads the next.
| Meld | Description | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Run | J-Q-K-10-A, all of trump | 15 |
| Royal Marriage | Q-K, all of trump | 4 |
| Common Marriage | Q-K, of the same suit | 2 |
| Dix | 9 of trump | 1 |
| Pinochle | Q of spades and J of diamonds | 4 |
| Double Pinochle | Both Q of spades and both J of diamonds | 30 |
| Aces around | One A of each suit | 10 |
| Kings around | One K of each suit | 8 |
| Queens around | One Q of each suit | 6 |
| Jacks around | One J of each suit | 4 |
Cards that have been melded are public information since they are visible on the table, but the player that laid them down can still use them in tricks. Cards can also be used in melds more than once, as long no card is used in the same kind of meld more than once. For example, a player with a royal marriage on the table can play three more queens for queens around. This player could not play another king of trump to socre another royal marriage (unless they play a new queen of trump). A run that is played by adding to a royal marriage only earns 11 points (since 4 points have already been scored for the marriage). Similarly, a double pinochle that is played by adding to a pinochle only earns 26 points.
The first dix (pronounced "deece" as in French) is played by exchanging the 9 of trump with the flipped up trump card in the middle of the table. The second dix played is played like normal.
If a meld can be made by moving cards already on the table, without adding any new cards, that is fine. It is scored like normal. For example, if a player has already melded four marriages, on their next opportunity to meld they can score a kings or queens around.
When the stock is empty, this phase is over. The loser of the last trick will find that the stock is depleted before they can draw. They receive the face up trump card (likely a 9 at this point) for their hand.
To begin phase 2, each player picks up the cards that they have melded on the table and adds them back to their hand. Each hand should still be 12 cards. The winner of the last trick of phase 1 leads the first trick of phase 2. The rules of trick-taking have changed somewhat. The non-leader of a trick has to follow suit if they are able. They also must win the trick if they are able, but not if it would stop them from following suit. Players continue taking tricks until their hands are depleted.
Players then look through the piles of cards they have taken, and score one point for each K, 10, and A. The winner of the last trick gets an extra point, which means that the total points earned in tricks between the two players should always be 25.
The dealership switches, and a new round with a new trump begins.
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