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Two-Handed Pinochle : Doubling and Redoubling

This is the same as regular two-handed Pinochle with this exception: At any time a player may call “Double!” His opponent then has to decide whether to accept the double, in which case the stakes for that hand are doubled, or to concede the hand, in which case only the normal stakes are paid. If the double is accepted, the acceptor has the option to redouble at any time. When a hand is redoubled, the original doubler must decide whether to play for redoubled states or to concede the doubled stakes. The privilege of redoubling passes to the original doubler if he accepts the redouble. And so on. Almost invariably this variation is played on an each-game-a-separate-game basis, not on 1,000 point game basis.

Two-handed Pinochle, Turn-Up Trump, with a 64-Card Deck

This is played exactly as is two-handed Pinochle, with the following exceptions:

  1. To the standard Pinochle deck are added eight eights and eight sevens (two cards in these ranks of each suit), to constitute a 64-card deck.
  2. The eight and the seven are ranked below the nine, the seven being the lowest-ranking card.
  3. The deece is the seven of trump instead of the nine of trump.
  4. Excepting only the deece, the sevens and eights have no value in the count.
  5. Instead of the usual 12-card hands, as in standard two-handed Pinochle, 16 cards are dealt each player, four at a time.
  6. The thirty-third card is turned face up to identify the trump suit.

Three-or-four-Handed Pinochle, individual Play, Turn-Up Trump

This is a three-or four-player Pinochle game that is played with a standard Pinochle deck. Under basic General Rules for Pinochle are set forth the laws governing selection of the dealer and establishment of seating positions at the table, changing seats, the shuffle, and the cut. The determination of stakes and scorekeeper are the same as in two-handed Pinochle (turn-up trump).
Object of the Game. To win the game by scoring 1,000 or more points before any of one’s opponents does so.
The Deal. When the game is three-handed: The dealer deals to each player 16 cards, four at a time, starting with the leader (the player to the dealer’s left) and dealing clockwise until the dealer has four cards left in his deck stock. The top one of these four cards is turned face up and placed on the table, in the middle. (It’s the forty-fifth cards from the top of the original deck.) He takes the three remaining cards for himself.
When the game is four-handed: Each player, in the manner descried above, is dealt 11 cards. again, the forty-fifth card is placed face up on the table. Again, the dealer takes the last three cards for himself.
How Trump Is Determined. The suit of the face-up card in the center of the table, the forty-fifth card deal from the deck, establishes the trump suit. If the upturned card happens to be a mine-spot (deece), the dealer is immediately credited in the scoring with 10 points.
If the face-up card is not a deece, the privilege of exchanging the upturned card for a deece passes to the player to the dealer’s left. If he lacks a deece, or chooses not to exchange it for the upturned card, the privilege moves to his left. This privilege rotates clockwise until the face-up card has been exchanged for a deece. The player exchanging the upcard for the deece gets credit for a 10-point meld. The holder of the other deece (nine of trumps) may meld it and get credit for 10 points.
If all players except the dealer fail or decline to exchange the upcard for a deece, the dealer may take the upcard as part of his hand. if the upcard has been previously exchanged for a deece, the dealer must take the deece to complete his hand. however, he is not credited with 10 points for that deece; the exchanger gets the 10-point credit.
The players now meld. The card which had been the upcard may be used by the holder in his melding.
Melding. All the players lay down their melds, and the scorekeeper enters each player’s total under his name on the score sheet. After the scores have been recorded, the players pick up their melds and put them back into their hands; they are now ready, for the play of the hand.
The Play. The dealer leads off. He may play any card he elects. Turn of play then rotates to the left, clockwise. After the first card has been led, each player in his turn of play poker (which, remember, moves to the left must observe the flowing rules:

  1. Each player, if he has it, must play a card of the suit led. Example : A diamond is the first card led therefore, all players must follow with diamonds if they have any in their hands.
  2. If the player does not have a card of the suit led, he must play a trump card.
  3. If he does not have a card of the suit led or a trump card, he may play any other card in his hand.
  4. When a trump card is led, each other player must play a higher trump card than any previously played, if he has one.
  5. But if a nontrump card is led and a player trumps that card, succeeding players, if compelled to trump, are not obliged to play a trump card higher than the one already played.
  6. The highest–ranking card played to it wins the trick. When two cards of the same value tie for the trick, the winner is the first one played.
  7. The winner of the trick leads off again, and play rotates to the left under the rules set forth above.
  8. Winner of the last trick is credited with 10 points more on this score.

This routine of play continues until all cards in the player’s hands have run out and all cards have been played to tricks. Then the score for melds and points taken in tricks is totaled a new deal takes place and play continues until one of the players has scored 1,000 points and has won the game.

Additional Rules

Misdeals. Here is how to determine whether or not a misdeal has occurred:

  1. If one or more cards are exposed in cutting or reuniting the pack, there is a misdeal.
  2. If the pack has not been offered to the online poker player at the dealer’s right to be cut, there is a misdeal if the trump card has not been turned up. But, there is not a misdeal if the trump card has been turned up: The deal is legal.
  3. If one or more cards are observed face up in the pack during the deal, there is a misdeal.
  4. If on the deal the dealer exposes one or more of any other player’s cards, there is a misdeal. But if the dealer exposes one or more of his own cards on the deal, there is not misdeal.
  5. If a player exposes one or more of his own cards during the deal or the play, there is not a misdeal.
  6. If any player including the dealer has been dealt fewer or more cards than constitute a legal hand, there is a misdeal.
  7. If it is discovered that an imperfect deck is in use, that is, deck containing fewer in more cards than required under the rules for the game, play must stop immediately on the discovery. The hand stop immediately on the discovery. The hand in progress is a dead hand and does not count. All previous hands are legal and do count.
  8. If when the last trick is played it is found that one or more players have an incorrect number of cards, there is a misdeal.

Looking Through Card’s Taken in Tricks. If a player insists that a renege has been committed, he may asks to examine any cards he or he or any there players has won in trick. But he can look at another players last trick or his own only before playing his card to following trick. The rules of Pinochle provide that card taken in tricks must not be looked through on an allegation of reneging. But no penalty is provided is provided for infraction of the rule, since any player determined to violate its spirit can still comply with its letter by charging renege before examining the cards at the end the hand.
Leading and Playing Out of Turn. If a player leads or plays a card of turn and this is discovered before the trick has been covered and a card has been played to the next trick, the card played in error must be taken back by the offending player and the error must be taken texas holdem tricks, the card played in error must be corrected. But if play to the trick has been completed and the player who won the trick has led a card to the next trick, the play is legalized de facto, and cannot be corrected.
No Angling. It is not feasible to define a penalty when any player instructs another player as to what card to play. This can be done verbally, by grimace, by gesture, or by flashing a tip-off card. Such angling is often indefinable. The player who consistently resorts to devices inimical to decent sportsmanship and fair play is a crook. The only enforceable penalty against him is refusing to play with him.
Renege Rules. Any of the following violations shall be construed as a renege, providing the offender’s card has been covered by a card played by the next succeeding player or (if there is no further play to that trick) the trick has been taken and a card has been led to the following trick. A renege may be corrected if the error is noted before the next proper play in the game has been made. There is a renege.

  1. If a player able to do so fails to follow the suit led when the laws of the game require him to do so.
  2. If a player able to do so fails to trump when required.
  3. If a player able to do so fails to play a higher trump card when the laws of three game he is playing require that he do so.

The following are the recommended penalties for reneges:

  1. If the bidder reneges, the amount of the penalty against him shall be the same as if he had played the hand and failed to make his bid.
  2. If a player reneges, the amount of the penalty he must pay the bidder shall be the same as if the bidder played the hand and made his bid.
  3. When any player defending against a bidder reneges, his renege is binding upon any other defending player. The amount of the penalty each other player must pay the bidder shall be exactly as if he himself committed the renege.

Partnership Pinochle, Turn-Up Trump

This poker game is played exactly as is three-or four-handed Pinochle (individual play, turn-up trump), with the following exceptions:

  1. Four players, two against two, play as partners.
  2. Selection of partnerships is governed under basic General Rules for Pinochle.
  3. Table talk is forbidden. Partners are not permitted to cue their teammates as to what card it would be desirable to play, nor are they permitted to comment by word or sign on the play of the hand. For instance, to observe that the previous play, or any previous play, was good or bad is absolutely banned.
  4. The scores of the two players forming a partnership are totaled as a single score