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Pinochle & Bezique is a
triple-mode game which may be configured to play
two-player Pinochle, Binokel, or Bezique, or even a hybrid combining
any of the various melding rules.
The games adhere to the respective documented rules, and provide rule variations
should you be familiar with other methods of playing.
Bezique is the
older game, having originated in France where it evolved from games
dating back to the sixteenth century. Bezique reportedly evolved
into the Swiss/German game of Binokel ("Binocle" in the
French dialect) which then crossed the Atlantic and was popularized as
Pinochle in the U.S. in the late 1800s by German immigrants.
Subsequently two-player
Pinochle further evolved into the
four-player version. With respect to the derivation of the term
"Binokel" (as in
"binocular"), some sources claim that it is because
the deck includes two copies of each card; others claim that it means
"two eyed" and refers
to the fact that of the Jacks and Queens in the traditional French
deck, only the Queen of Spades and the Jack of Diamonds appear in
profile - thus showing one eye each.
The MeggieSoft Games
implementations of Pinochle, Binokel, and Bezique are of the original two-deck, two-player
games. (The six-deck version of Bezique is reported as having
been Winston Churchill's favorite game.)
The games combine elements of
the Whist and Rummy families insofar as they involve trick taking and
melding. The basic rules and differences between the three games
are shown in the following table. (The differences with respect to
Binokel are shown at the bottom.)
|
Pinochle |
Bezique |
| Deck |
48-card deck
comprising the Nine through Ace of each suit, twice. Ten
ranks between King and Ace. |
64-card deck
comprising the Seven through Ace of each suit, twice. Ten
ranks between King and Ace. |
| Deal |
Twelve
cards are dealt to each player. The twenty-fifth card defines the trump suit
and is turned face up and
placed behind the remaining cards, which form
the stock.
|
Eight
cards are dealt to each player. The seventeenth card defines the trump suit
and is turned face up and
placed behind the remaining cards, which form
the stock. |
| First
Phase (while cards remain in the stock) |
Non-dealer
leads to the first trick, dealer responds (with no requirement to follow suit). During this
phase, each player earns points by melding cards in their hand.
When a trick is won, the winning player may declare one meld if
they are able to and wish to. Each meld must include at least
one hitherto unmelded card. After the turn is complete, each
player takes a fresh card from the stock. |
Non-dealer
leads to the first trick, dealer responds (with no requirement to follow suit). During this
phase, each player earns points by melding cards in their hand and for winning tricks containing Aces and Tens.
When a trick is won, the winning player may declare one meld if
they are able to and wish to. There is no requirement to
include at least one hitherto unmelded card in a new meld.
After the turn is complete, each player takes a fresh card from the
stock. |
| Meld
Types (equivalent meld types do not necessarily
score the same number of points in each game) |
Dix:
Nine of Trumps (exchanged with
stock trump card if the latter is not a Nine).
Pinochle: Jack of
Diamonds plus Queen of Spades.
Marriage: Queen and King of a non-Trump suit.
Royal Marriage: Queen and King of the Trump
suit.
Forty Jacks: Four Jacks of different suits.
Sixty Queens: Four Queens of different suits.
Eighty Kings: Four Kings of different suits.
Hundred Aces: Four Aces of different suits.
Flush: Jack, Queen, King, Ten, Ace of the Trump suit.
Double Pinochle (optional): Two Jacks of Diamonds plus
two Queens of Spades.
Roundhouse
(optional): Four Queens of different suits plus four Kings of
different suits.
|
Seven:
Similar to a "Dix" in Pinochle (exchanged with stock
trump card if the latter is not a Seven).
Bezique: Equivalent to a "Pinochle" in Pinochle.
Common Marriage: Equivalent to a "Marriage" in
Pinochle
Royal Marriage: Equivalent to a "Royal Marriage"
in Pinochle
Four Jacks: Equivalent to "Forty Jacks" in
Pinochle
Four Queens: Equivalent to "Sixty Queens" in
Pinochle
Four Kings: Equivalent to "Eighty Kings" in Pinochle
Four Aces: Equivalent to "Hundred Aces" in
Pinochle
Royal Sequence: Equivalent to a "Flush" in Pinochle
Double Bezique: Equivalent to a "Double Pinochle" in
Pinochle
Double Common Marriage (optional): Two Common Marriages
declared as a single meld
Double Royal Marriage (optional): Two Royal Marriages declared
as a single meld.
Common Sequence (optional): Jack, Queen, King, Ten, Ace of a
non-trump suit |
| Second
Phase (when no more cards remain in the stock) |
Trick
play continues, but no more melds may be declared. The
players must follow suit and must win the trick if possible.
During this phase, points are scored for winning tricks. |
Trick
play continues, but no more melds may be declared. The
players must follow suit and must win the trick if possible.
During this phase, points continue to be scored for winning tricks containing Aces and
Tens. The winner of the final trick earns bonus points. |
| Game |
Successive rounds are played until a player reaches
1000 points. If both players have reached 1000 points at the end of a round, the goal is extended by
250 points. |
Successive rounds are played until a player reaches
2000 points. If both players have reached 2000
points at the end of a round, the goal is extended by 250 points. |
| Binokel |
The
card deck and deal is as for Pinochle. The melding rules are
as for Bezique (no requirement to use a card from hand, more
liberal remelding). The available meld types are as shown for
Bezique, plus Roundhouse (as in Pinochle), Grand Binokel
(Jack of
Diamonds plus the King and Queen of Spades), Double Sequence
(termed "Family"), and Double Set. An
optional rule permits making multiple melds in a single turn.
The
default game is 1500 points. |
Pinochle &
Bezique also provides
many documented rules and scoring variations for each game - plus the ability to mix
the various rule and scoring options to create an interesting hybrid.
Click on thumbnail for
full-size screenshot of Pinochle.
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