Pinochle Pinochle Pinochle () or binocle (sometimes pinocle, or penuchle) 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 cards into melds. It is thus considered part of a "trick-and-meld" category which also includes the game belote. Each hand is played in three phases: bidding, melds, and tricks. The standard game today is called "partnership auction pinochle." Pinochle derives from the game bezique. Its name comes from the French word "binocle" meaning "eyeglasses".
Officers' Skat wins or loses, whereas game points determine how much is won or lost. Many people calculate the points using additional matadors ("Spitzen") as in Skat, so that in a game with all four Jacks and the Ace of trumps, the winner gets 5 matador points for a game value of 6 times the base value. The same goes for the calculation of "Unters" or Jacks not held. In addition there are also simplified forms of scoring: If agreed, a game can also be played where players can 'pass' instead of choosing trumps. If the actual declarer passes, the dealer can