Card Game Companion

Pinochle meld calculator

Pick your cards and trumps to see every meld, what it's worth, and which cards are doing double duty.

Count your meld

Trumps

Practice: count the meld

Count it the way you would at the table, then check. Streak: 0

How to count pinochle meld

Count in the same order every time and say the running total aloud. Going type by type stops you using a card twice in one type, and stops you forgetting a type.

  1. Type I, trumps. Is there a run (A, 10, K, Q, J of trumps)? Then any royal marriage outside the run (a second K and Q of trumps). Then each 9 of trumps (dix) in the single deck.
  2. Type I, other suits. Each king-and-queen pair in the other three suits is a marriage. Two kings and one queen are still one marriage.
  3. Type II. Q♠ with J♦ is a pinochle, whatever is trumps. Both copies of each make a double pinochle (300, not 80).
  4. Type III. For aces, kings, queens and jacks: one of each suit is an around. Two of each is a double around. Tens around score nothing.
The sharing rule. A card may be used in melds of different types, but never in two melds of the same type. The Q♠ can be in a spade marriage (I), a pinochle (II) and queens around (III) all at once. But K‑K‑Q of one suit is only one marriage, and the K‑Q inside a run is not also a royal marriage.

Combinations people ask about

Run + aces around (they share the trump ace)250
Run + a second K and Q of trumps (royal marriage)190
Run + one extra K of trumps150
Roundhouse: K and Q of every suit240
K♠ Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ J♦: marriage + pinochle + queens120
Q♠ Q♠ J♦ J♦: double pinochle300

Double deck in one line

Same melds, no dix (there are no 9s), and the scarcest card sets the multiple: three Q♠ with two J♦ is a double pinochle (30). Values are small (run 15, pinochle 4) because counters are worth 1. Full table on the meld chart.

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

Can one card count in two melds in pinochle?
Yes, if the melds are of different types. The queen of spades can be in a spade marriage, a pinochle and queens around at the same time. It can't be used twice within one type: two kings and one queen of a suit make only one marriage.
What is a double pinochle worth?
300 in the single deck: both queens of spades with both jacks of diamonds. That is far more than two single pinochles (80). In double-deck pinochle a double pinochle is 30, a triple 60 and a quadruple 90.
Does a run count as a royal marriage too?
No. The king and queen inside a run are already part of it, so a run is 150, not 190. You score a royal marriage as well only if you hold a second king and queen of trumps. Some families add 40 for a single extra king or queen; that is a house rule.