Pinochle (English: /ˈpiːnʌkəl/), also called pinocle or penuchle,[1] is a trick-taking ace–ten card game, typically for two to four players and played with a 48-card deck.

It is derived from the card game bezique; players score points by trick-taking and also by forming combinations of characters into melds.

[2][verification needed] A second alternative is that pinochle actually developed from the Swiss and, later, South German game of Binocle or Binokel,[3] which in turn is a descendant of bezique.

It may come from the French word binocle literally meaning "two eyes", or "eyeglasses" or "binoculars",[4] and was a reference to the mythical notion that the German game of Binocle was invented with a special deck where the Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds were pictured in side profile with just one eye each.

[6] The term may also be related to the French word binage for the combination of cards called "binocle".

German immigrants brought the game of Binokel to America[8] in the latter quarter of the 19th century, where it was mispronounced and misspelled "pinochle.

During World War I, the city of Syracuse, New York, outlawed the playing of pinochle in a gesture of anti-German sentiment.

In variations for odd numbers of players like three, a "widow's hand" (also called a "kitty", "talon", or "stock") of cards remains.

[17] However, many alternate scoring rules drop the unnecessary trailing zero; in that case, bids of 10 and 25, respectively, have the same values.

The point value of the discards can sometimes be added to the bid winner's total trick count or not, depending on the pre-established rules.

In some house rules, trump cannot be declared in any suit not containing a "run", "marriage" or "dix" meld.

The objective of the partner is either to add to the total points in meld or to pass trick-winning cards.

Variations are for the bid winner and partner to exchange the designated number of cards simultaneously, or for no passing to occur.

Typically this is done by placing the combination of cards face up on the playing surface until all players have had the opportunity to examine them.

In pinochle circles and tournaments the post-1945 rules are played about half of the time according to Pagat and Hoyle.

An even simpler method has aces, tens, and kings worth 10 (and known as "counters"), and everything else zero ("garbage").

Instead, the entire deck is placed face-down on the playing surface between the two players to form the widow.

One player begins the hand-building process by drawing the top card of the widow.

There are three methods of resolving ties: Any time a player accidentally misplays during the play portion of the hand, it is called a renege.

There are various forms of misplay: If the bidder reneges, they automatically takes a double set and the amount of the bid is subtracted from their score.

If at any point during melding or play it is determined that a non-standard deck is being used, any player may declare a card-fault misdeal.

They are generally played with 1 1/2 or doubled decks, with extra dix added or withheld to make an even deal.

If playing for $1 stakes, each check gained means that the other two players owe a dollar.

Play is similar to regular pinochle, except 20 cards are dealt to each person and minimum bid is increased to 500 points.

Each player is dealt 20 cards, and the rules of double deck pinochle apply, except that the minimum bid is 75, and the last trick is worth 3 points.

[23][24] Today the Internet is host to many live professional cash tournaments,[25] although many are still cautious about playing online because of potential cheating.

As summarized by Dave LeVasseur: "Racehorse means that, after the winning bidder has named trump, that player's partner passes cards across the table"[26] Played much the same as "double deck" but to six hands, the point values are inflated.

Note: all runs, double, triple, and quadruple, marriages must be in trump The game continues with the standard rules of play.

An optional scoring rule rewards 1,000 points for a quadruple pinochle—four jacks of diamonds and four queens of spades in a meld.

They also can play for this victory even if their bid cannot be made with the maximum number of trick points available plus their meld.