Card Game Companion

Pinochle scorekeeper

Enter the bid, the meld and the tricks. The scorekeeper decides made or set, keeps the running totals, and calls the winner.

Pick the bidder, set the bid, and type each side's meld and the points it took in tricks (counters plus the last trick). Fill one side's tricks and the other side fills itself in. The scorekeeper decides made or set and handles the defenders' meld. Everything stays on this device, so you can close the page mid-game.

How pinochle scoring works

  1. Meld. After trumps are named, each player shows and scores their meld. Partners add theirs together. Not sure of a count? Use the meld calculator.
  2. Counters. After the play, each side counts the aces, tens and kings in its tricks, 10 each, plus 10 for the last trick. The two sides always total 250.
  3. Made or set. If the bidding side's meld plus counters reach the bid, they score both. If not, they are set: they score nothing and the bid is subtracted. Scores can go below zero.
  4. Defenders. They score meld plus counters, but in the four-handed single-deck game they keep their meld only if they take at least one point in tricks. A meld of only dix saves itself.

Defaults this scorekeeper uses

GameLowest bidIn tricksGame
4 players, partners2502501,500
Double deck5050500
3 players (auction)2502501,500
2 playersno bid2501,000

Change "Play to" for a shorter game. If both sides pass the target on the same hand, the bidders win.

Three-handed scoring

The bidder plays alone. When the bid is made, each opponent scores meld and points only if they captured at least one counter (A, 10 or K). When the bidder is set, both opponents score their meld and points regardless. A bidder who concedes before play loses the bid and the others score their meld.

More pinochle tools

Scorekeeper

Bids, meld, counters, made or set: 4-handed, 3-handed, 2-handed or double deck.

Meld calculator

Pick your cards and trumps; see every meld and the total.

How to play

Bidding, passing, meld and the rules of the play, in plain English.

Meld chart (cheat sheet)

Every meld and its value on one printable page.

Printable score sheet

Paper sheets for partnership and three-handed games.

Questions people ask

How many points do you need to win pinochle?
Most four-handed and three-handed games are played to 1,500. Double-deck pinochle is usually played to 500 and two-handed to 1,000. Many families pick a shorter target; the scorekeeper lets you set any number. If both sides pass the target on the same hand, the bidders win.
What happens when you go set in pinochle?
If the bidding side's meld plus counters don't reach the bid, they score nothing for the hand and the amount of the bid is subtracted from their score, which can go below zero. The defenders still score their meld and counters. Some tables subtract double the bid; agree it in advance.
Do the defenders keep their meld in pinochle?
In four-handed single-deck pinochle, the defenders keep their meld only if they take at least one point in tricks (a counter or the last trick); a meld of only dix saves itself. In double deck the defenders always keep their meld. In three-handed, an opponent must capture a counter when the bid is made.