Pinochle is the original pinochle game, while partnership, auction, and all other variants are derived from it. It is the game most similar to the original Bèzique game, whence pinochle was derived, via the German game of Binokel. The only significant difference in its rules from Bèzique is the scoring. The original version of pinochle involves a partial deal of twelve cards to both players in packets of four, leaving a stock of 24 cards. A player can score one meld after each trick won of the first 12 tricks. Melded cards can even be used to win tricks. After each
International Skat Players Association International Skat Players Association The International Skat Players Association (ISPA) is the worldwide umbrella organisation for all competition Skat players. The ISPA was founded in 1976 by Peter Brand and Martha Prickartz in Aachen, Germany. It initially crossed swords with the world's largest national Skat association, the German Skat Association ("Deutscher Skatverband", DSkV), and promulgated different rules for the game. Towards the end of the 1990s, talks between the top officials of each organisation led to rapprochement and agreement between the two large associations. The ban on double membership was lifted and a uniform International Skat Order ("Internationale Skatordnung ",