How to Play Pitch

Objective

Win the bid when your hand is strong, then capture enough of the four points on offer to make it. There are only four points in a hand, so every one counts. Other players score whatever points they take, but the high bidder, called the pitcher, has to make the bid or lose that many points.

Setup

Choose a dealer; the deal passes to the left each hand. Deal six cards to each player, three at a time. The rest of the deck is set aside and not used in this hand.

There is no turned-up trump card. Trumps are decided by the first card the pitcher plays. Cards rank ace high, down to two, in every suit.

How to play

Starting on the dealer’s left, each player gets one chance to bid or pass. Bids run from 2 to 4, and each bid must be higher than the last. The dealer bids last and may take the contract at the current highest bid without raising it. If everyone else passes, the dealer must bid at least 2.

The pitcher leads the first card, and its suit becomes trumps. When a trump is led, you must follow with a trump if you can. When a plain suit is led, you may follow suit or play a trump, as you prefer. If you can do neither, play any card. Highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the suit led. The winner leads next, and all six tricks are played.

1. 1Bid 2, 3 or 4, or pass, one chance each
2. 2The high bidder pitches the first card to name trumps
3. 3Follow trumps on a trump lead; follow or trump on a plain lead
4. 4Play all six tricks, then count the four points

Scoring

After the six tricks, award the four points. If the jack of trumps was not dealt, nobody scores Jack.

If the pitcher takes at least as many points as they bid, they score all the points they took. If not, the bid is subtracted from their score, which can go below zero (in the hole). Everyone else simply scores what they took. If players tie for Game, nobody scores it. The first player to 7 wins. If more than one player could reach 7 on the same hand, the pitcher’s points are counted first, then High, Low, Jack and Game in that order.

Variations

Smudge: at many tables, a bid of 4 that takes all four points wins the game on the spot, unless the bidder is in the hole.

Longer games: plenty of groups play to 11, 15 or 21 instead of 7, especially with partners.

Partnership Pitch: four or six players in two teams, partners combining their points. Bigger versions add extra scoring cards such as the off-jack or jokers, which turn it into Ten-Point Pitch or Pedro-style games.

Tips from the table

A strong bid usually starts with the ace or king of a suit plus the jack or a couple of other trumps. The ace of trumps guarantees High, and at most tables the two of trumps guarantees Low, so those are points you can count before the first card is played.

Game is the point people forget. Tens are worth 10 toward it, so winning a trick with a ten in it can matter more than winning one with an ace.

When you are not the pitcher, work with the other players against the bid. Setting the pitcher back costs them points, which is as good as scoring your own.

Frequently asked