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In college I fell in with a foul-mouthed band of cutthroat pirates, and we used to play this game all night long, from 7:00 pm until after dawn. It’s that addictive.
But first you have to learn it, and it takes a little work. This is a slightly simplified, double-deck version of the old favorite “Pinochle,” which is related to Whist, the precursor of Bridge. Like those games you play in teams, and start each hand by bidding. The winner of the bid calls trump, a suit which is more powerful than the three others. Before you begin play you get points for combinations of cards in your hand, such as K-Q (a marriage), aces in all suits, and the eponymous pinochle — Jack of Diamonds and Queen of Spades.
Unlike normal Pinochle, the 10 is higher than all cards other than the Ace. (I know: who came up with that idea?) The deck includes only A, 10, K, Q, J (4 copies of each), so it’s pretty easy to come up with lots of points. But when the hand is played, you have to win enough point cards (A, 10, K) to meet your bid, and that’s not always easy.
It’s challenging, infuriating, and rewarding. And your partner is a sometimes over-confident idiot. If that strikes your fancy, you may find yourself playing it all night. But at least you won’t be stuck in a room with a bunch of demented obsessive vulgarians.