Pitch Card Game

Pitch as a card game is quite flexible and accommodating in terms of player structure. While it can be played by two or three individuals, it can also be played by two pairs of players quite easily. The objective of the game is quite straightforward. Pitch (or 'High Low Jack') is an American trick-taking card game derived from the English game of All Fours (Seven Up). Historically, Pitch started as 'Blind All Fours', a very simple All Fours variant that is still played in England as a pub game. Pitch or Setback is a 3 or 4 person card game. This website offers the rules on pitch and a free game to play.

Pitch is a popular trick-taking card game. The classical name of the pitch is Auction Pitch. Auction pitch is more than a 4-century old card game. It is evolved very much during this period. You can learn the game by reading our guide on How to Play Pitch. So, let’s start the guide on How to Play Pitch.

Required

Deck

The 52 Cards standard deck is used.

Players

Four players required to play this game.

Rank of The Cards from Highest to Lowest

Pitch Card Game Singapore Mahjong

Ace (A), King (K), Queen (Q), Jack (J), 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

The Object of The Game

The main object of the game is to score points by winning tricks. The first player to reach the decided limit wins the game. The limit is decided by the players before starting the game. Players may set the limit of 5 or 10 points.

Determining the Dealer and Dealing the Cards

The first dealer is selected randomly. A player may accept the dealership voluntarily for the first round. After the first round, the dealership transfers to the player on the left of the dealer. After that, the dealer deals six cards to each player in the groups of 2 or 3 cards, face-down.

The Bidding

Pitch Card Game/free

The player on the left of the dealer starts bidding. The players bid the number of tricks that they expect to win at the end of the game. Each player has two options, either bid or pass. A player has to make a bid of two or more. The next player has to bid more than the previous bid. If a player doesn’t want to bid than he/she can pass. The highest bidder is called the “Pitcher” and the bid becomes the contract.

The chance to bid moves in a clockwise manner. The pitcher selects the Trump suit. If a situation arises where no player makes a bid then the dealer has to accept the bid for two.

The Gameplay

The pitcher leads the first trick by playing a trump suited card. Then, the player on the left of the pitcher takes his/her turn by playing a card. The players take their turns in a clockwise manner. All players have to follow the suit of the led card. However, if a player cannot follow the suit, he/she can play a card of another suit.

During the game, if Trump suited cards are played, then the player who played highest-ranking Trump suited card, wins the trick. If no Trump suited cards are played during the game, then the player who played the highest-ranking card of the led suit wins the trick.

Pitch Card Game Youtube

Score

At the end of the game(After completing six tricks), the players having the highest Trump card, the Lowest Trump card, and Jack (J) of Trump wins one point. Also, the player having the highest card value at the end of the game wins one point.

Card Values

Pitch Card Game Instructions

A player gets the same number of points as the number of tricks won by that player. Example:- If a player had won 2 tricks out of six, he/she gets 2 points. This rule is applicable to all the players except the pitcher.

If the pitcher wins equal or more tricks than the tricks mentioned in the contract, then he/she also gets the same number of points as the number of tricks won by him/her. But if he/she does not win the number of tricks mentioned in the contract, he/she loses the same number of points as the number of tricks mentioned in the contract. Example:- If the contract was for 3 tricks and the pitcher has 4 points at the beginning of the round, and during the round, he/she couldn’t win 3 tricks. So, the pitcher loses 3 points and ends up having 1 point at the end of the round.

A player may have negative score. The players who do not bid at the starting of the round lose 1 point. The player who reaches to the decided score first, wins the game. If two or more player reach the limit in the same round, then the highest bidder among that players wins the game.

Now, you know how to play pitch. Play with friends and family.

Also. check-out some other fun card games like Kemps and Slapjack.

Pitch Card Game App

Thank you.