What Is Auction Pinochle?
Auction Pinochle is the three-player version of Pinochle where one player bids and plays alone against the other two acting as a team. Three hidden widow cards help the bidder improve their hand. Win your contract and collect chips from both opponents. Fail and pay both of them. The stakes are clear and immediate.
What You Need
- A 48-card Pinochle deck — two of each: 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace in all four suits
- Three players
- Chips
Card Rankings
Ace (highest), 10, King, Queen, Jack, 9 (lowest) in every suit.
Setup and Bidding
- Deal 15 cards to each player and 3 cards face-down to the center as the widow.
- Starting left of the dealer, players bid the total points they think they can score from melds plus tricks. Minimum bid is 300. Bidding goes around until two players pass.
- The highest bidder wins the auction.
Taking the Widow
- The winning bidder picks up the 3 widow cards (now holds 18).
- Declare the trump suit.
- Lay down all melds face-up and score them.
- Discard any 3 cards face-down — these count as tricks won by the bidder.
Meld Values
- Run (A-10-K-Q-J of trump): 150 pts
- Aces Around: 100 pts
- Kings Around: 80 pts
- Queens Around: 60 pts
- Jacks Around: 40 pts
- Pinochle (J♦ + Q♠): 40 pts
- Royal Marriage (K+Q of trump): 40 pts
- Common Marriage: 20 pts
Trick Play
Bidder leads first. Players must follow suit; trump if unable; any card if neither. Trick points: A=11, 10=10, K=4, Q=3, J=2. Last trick = 10 pts.
Settling Up
- Bidder makes contract: each opponent pays chips based on bid level.
- Bidder fails: bidder pays BOTH opponents double.
Tips
- The widow can save a borderline hand — but don’t overbid hoping for perfect widow cards.
- Lead trump early to strip opponents of their power cards.
- Defenders must coordinate — one covers trump while the other feeds points.