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Quick Instructional Guide: Six-Card Racehorse Pinochle

· 6 min read

Overview​

Six-Card Racehorse Pinochle is a fast-paced melding and trick-taking game for 2–6 players using a double 48-card deck. Each round consists of bidding to name trump, melding specific card combinations for points, and winning tricks to fulfill your bid. The first player to reach or exceed 50 points while meeting their bid wins the game.

Terminology​

  • Bid
    A declaration of how many total meld-plus-trick points you intend to score this hand. The highest bidder names trump. Failing your bid (“going set”) subtracts that amount from your score.

  • Bidder
    The player who wins the auction and chooses the trump suit.

  • Trump
    The suit declared by the bidder; trump cards beat all non-trump cards when played in a trick.

  • Trick
    A single round where each player plays one card. The highest trump played—or, if no trump, the highest card of the led suit—wins the trick.

  • Lead
    The first card played in a trick; its suit must be followed by others if they can.

  • Follow Suit
    If you hold any cards of the suit led, you must play one. If you cannot, you must play a trump card if possible; otherwise you may discard any card.

  • Kill Rule
    If you can beat the current highest card in the lead suit (or a trump), you must do so.

  • Meld
    Specific combinations of cards turned face-up before play to score points (for example, marriages, pinochles, runs).

  • Marriage
    A king–queen pair of the same suit. Worth 4 points in trump; 2 points in a non-trump suit.

  • Pinochle
    A jack of diamonds paired with a queen of spades. Worth 4 points; a double pinochle (two of each) is worth 50.

  • Run
    The sequence A-10-K-Q-J all in trump. Worth 15 points.

  • Dix
    A trump nine, worth 1 meld point each.

  • Redeal (Replenishment)
    After bidding and naming trump, players discard any number of cards and draw from the draw pile back to six cards in hand.

  • Set
    When the bidder fails to meet their bid, they go set and subtract their bid from their score.

  • Smear
    Playing a point card (A, 10, or K) on another player’s winning trick to pressure the bidder into going set.

  • Throwing In
    The bidder’s option to fold after seeing melds but before play, keeping only meld points and accepting a set at bid value.

Components and Setup​

  • Deck: Two copies each of 9, J, Q, K, 10, and A in all four suits (48 cards total).
  • Card ranking (low to high): 9, J, Q, K, 10, A.
  • Determine dealer: All players cut; highest pinochle-ranked card deals first.
  • Deal six cards face down to each player.
  • Place the remaining cards face down as the draw pile.

Bidding​

  1. The player to the dealer’s left begins; bidding proceeds clockwise.
  2. Two players: minimum bid 5 points.
  3. Three or more players: minimum bid 6 points.
  4. If all pass, the dealer must bid the minimum.
  5. Highest bidder names trump; if they fail to meet the bid, they go set and subtract the bid from their score.
  6. A bidder may “throw in” after seeing opponents’ melds to accept an automatic set.

Trump Declaration & Redeal​

  1. Winning bidder declares the trump suit.
  2. All players discard any number of cards.
  3. Replenish to six cards each, dealing one card at a time from the draw pile starting with the bidder’s left.
  4. Redeal limits:
    • 2–4 players: up to six replacement cards each
    • 5 players: up to four per non-bidder, six for bidder
    • 6 players: up to two per non-bidder, six for bidder (or dealer sits out as a fifth)

Meld​

Each player exposes and declares meld combinations. Common meld values:

  • Double pinochle (2 J♦ + 2 Q♠): 50
  • Run in trump (A-10-K-Q-J): 15
  • Double marriage in trump: 30
  • Four aces: 10; kings: 8; queens: 6; jacks: 4
  • Single pinochle (J♦ + Q♠): 4
  • Marriage in trump: 4; off-suit marriage: 2
  • Dix (trump 9): 1 each

Note: Queens and jacks may count in distinct melds if they’re different cards; no card may serve two of the same meld type.

Trick-Taking​

  1. Bidder leads the first trick by playing any card.
  2. Each player in turn must:
    • Follow suit if possible, and if able, play a card that beats the current high card (“kill”).
    • If void in suit, play a trump card if possible (even if it cannot win).
    • Otherwise discard any card.
  3. Highest trump played wins the trick; if no trump, highest card of the lead suit wins.
  4. Winner of the trick leads the next.
  5. Reneging (failing to follow suit or play trump when required) is a serious breach.

Scoring​

  • Trick points: each captured Ace, 10, or King is 1 point.
  • Last trick: bonus 1 point.
  • To count meld plus trick points, you must capture at least one point card or take the last trick.
  • Failing to qualify any trick yields zero points for that hand (meld still counts unless you threw in).

Winning the Game​

  • First to reach or exceed 50 points while fulfilling their bid wins immediately.
  • If a non-bidder hits 50 mid-hand, finish the hand to see if the bidder also reaches 50.
  • In ties above 50, the bidder wins; otherwise tied players cut or play extra hands.

Strategy Tips​

  • Smear a King on another player’s winning trick to pressure the bidder.
  • Lead a lone Ace in a suit early so opponents can’t overtake it.
  • As bidder with a weak hand, lead a trump Queen to draw out opponents’ trumps.

Throwing In the Hand​

If the bidder deems their hand too weak after seeing all melds but before the first trick, they may “throw in”:

  • Keep only meld points; forgo trick scoring.
  • Accept a set equal to the bid to limit losses.