Pitch is a traditional trick-taking card game played in teams. Players bid on how many points they think their team can win, then try to meet that bid by capturing specific cards and tricks. The game rewards communication, timing, and careful bidding. Here is how to play Pitch.
Materials You Need
- A standard 52-card deck
- Four players divided into two teams
- Paper and pencil for keeping score
Card Rankings and Trump
Pitch uses a trump suit that changes each hand.
Card rank from highest to lowest in the trump suit is:
- Ace
- King
- Queen
- Jack
- 10
- 9 through 2
Cards of non-trump suits rank normally and cannot beat a trump card.
Point Cards
Only certain cards score points:
- High: Highest trump captured
- Low: Lowest trump captured
- Jack: Jack of trump captured
- Game: Most points from cards won in tricks
Each of these is worth one point, for a total of four points per hand.
Basic Setup
Partners sit across from each other.
Shuffle the deck and deal six cards to each player.
Bidding
Starting with the player to the dealer’s left, players bid on how many points their team will win. Bids range from one to four.
Each bid must be higher than the previous bid. Players may also pass.
The highest bidder wins the bid and chooses the trump suit.
Playing Tricks
The bidder leads the first trick by playing any card. Other players must follow suit if able.
If a player cannot follow suit, they may play any card.
The highest card of the suit led wins the trick, unless a trump card is played. In that case, the highest trump wins.
The winner of each trick leads the next trick.
Scoring the Hand
After all tricks are played, points are awarded:
- High, Low, Jack, and Game are each checked and scored.
If the bidding team meets or exceeds their bid, they score the points they earned.
If the bidding team fails to meet their bid, they lose the number of points they bid.
The non-bidding team scores any points they earned.
Winning the Game
iStockPhoto – justocker
Play continues until one team reaches the agreed-upon score, commonly eleven or twenty-one points.
Important Rules to Remember
- Only the bidding team risks losing points.
- Trump is chosen by the winning bidder.
- Players must follow suit when possible.
- All four point cards are checked every hand.
Optional Variations
- Play to seven or fifteen points for shorter games.
- Use different deal counts depending on house rules.
- Allow a bid of shoot the moon for advanced play.
Tips for Playing Pitch
- Do not overbid unless you have a strong trump.
- Pay attention to which trump cards have been played.
- Communicate through your plays, not words.
- Protect your partner’s lead when possible.
- Keep score carefully to avoid disputes.
Party Game Guides
- How to Play Salad Bowl
- How to Play Fishbowl
- How to Play Celebrity
- How to Play Mafia
- How to Play Werewolf
- How to Play Bunco
- How to Play Spoons
- How to Play President
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