How to Join a Pinochle League

Improve your Pinochle play by playing competitively as much as possible. One of the best ways to enjoy regular competitive play is to join a Pinochle league. Because of the widespread popularity of Pinochle, leagues can be found in communities the world over as well as online.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Knowledge of Pinochle game play

1. Learn the rules of Pinochle, as well as the more common scoring and game play variations, before you join a league. Pagat's online Pinochle pages (see Resources below) offer an encyclopedic explanation of Pinochle rules, variations and strategies. Pinochle is a complex and fascinating game that takes time to both understand and master. Do your homework.

2. Practice your play in an informal environment. While league competition is certain to be fiercer than casual play among friends, it is still valuable to play Pinochle in a less intense environment before entering a league.

3. Scour your community for Pinochle leagues that the public are invited to play in. Senior citizen groups, the Internet, the community pages of your local newspaper, hobby or game stores and word of mouth are all avenues you can pursue in your search for a local Pinochle league.

4. Contact the league's organizers to ask about any membership fees. Also make sure that you have a thorough understanding of how the league is structured. You will want to know how standings are kept and scored, and if there are any tournaments or playoff games held to determine a champion. Some leagues play to determine a champion, while others simply continue forward on an indefinite or annual basis, allowing members to accrue points. In the latter case, the points leader is regarded as the league leader, a position all other league players will be trying to usurp.

5. Join the league by yourself or with a partner. Have fun and remember that card playing is as much a social experience as it is a competitive one. Exhibit exemplary sportsmanship and an attitude of camaraderie at all times.

Tips & Warnings

• Before joining, ask a league official what, if any, variations or deviations from standard Pinochle rules are used in league play. Because a great number of Pincohle variants exist, it is common for any given league to operate using variations on standard rules as their default.

Resources

• Visit Pagat.com's Pinochle rules page

[Phoeniix1234]

on 12/1/2007 Do you consider a pre-arranged fake meld bid an acceptable numerical bid.

A PAFMB is when two partners get together and come up with a plan to fool or deceive the opponents. For example, on a bidder out situation, one of the partners will open the bid with 54, this is an indication to all at the table that the bidder is passing 40 meld to his partner. The only problem is, the opening bidder does not have 40 meld, he actually has less than 10 and no aces. His partner knows he only has 10 meld, but the opponents believe they have 40.

I have always been taught that meld bidding is a true indication to all at the table of your true meld strength.

Please do not get a pre-arranged fake meld bid between two partners, the same as over bidding your hand. Over bidding your hand is done spontaneously, and you are the only person at the table who knows the strength of your hand.