These pitch card game rules cover the classic American bidding game also known as Auction Pitch or Setback. Each player gets six cards, players bid on how many points they can make, and the high bidder "pitches" the first card to name trump. There are four points up for grabs each hand, and if the bidder falls short they are set back. Pitch is quick, easy to teach and full of table talk, which is why it is a favorite at family gatherings across the Midwest. Rules vary from town to town, so we give the standard four-point game first and the popular 5 point and 10 point versions under Variations.
Quick rules
- Deal 6 cards to each player, in two batches of three.
- Starting left of the dealer, each player bids once: pass, or 2, 3 or 4. The dealer bids last.
- The high bidder leads the first card, and its suit becomes trump.
- Follow suit if you can, or you may always play a trump. If you cannot follow, play any card.
- Four points are available: High, Low, Jack and Game.
- If the bidder wins at least their bid, everyone scores what they won. If not, the bidder loses the bid amount.
- First to 11 points wins.
What you need
- A standard 52-card deck, no jokers. Cards rank A, K, Q, J, 10, 9 down to 2.
- 2 to 7 players. Four players in two partnerships, partners sitting opposite, is the most popular setup.
- Pencil and paper, or the scorekeeper below.
Setup
- Draw cards for the first dealer. The deal passes to the left after each hand.
- The dealer shuffles, the player on the right cuts, and the dealer gives each player 6 cards, three at a time.
- The undealt cards are set aside and not used in that hand.
How to play
Bidding
- Starting with the player to the dealer's left, each player gets one chance to bid or pass.
- Each bid must be higher than the last. Bids are 2, 3 or 4. A bid of 4 is called shooting the moon or smudge in many homes.
- The dealer bids last and may take the bid by matching the highest bid, a common home rule called "dealer's privilege." In strict auction rules the dealer must go higher.
- If everyone passes, the dealer must bid 2 (a stuck dealer). Some groups redeal instead.
Pitching and playing tricks
- The winning bidder, the pitcher, leads any card. Its suit is trump for the hand.
- Each player plays one card in turn. You must follow suit if you can, but you may always play a trump instead, even when you hold the suit led.
- If you have no cards of the suit led, play any card.
- The highest trump wins the trick. If no trump is played, the highest card of the suit led wins.
- The winner of each trick leads the next. Play all six tricks.
Scoring
| Point | Who scores it |
|---|---|
| High | 1 point to the player who played the highest trump in the hand |
| Low | 1 point for the lowest trump in play. In classic rules it goes to the player who was dealt it; many groups give it to whoever wins it in a trick |
| Jack | 1 point to the player who wins the trick containing the jack of trumps (only if it was dealt) |
| Game | 1 point to the player or team with the most game points in their tricks: each 10 counts 10, ace 4, king 3, queen 2, jack 1. A tie means nobody scores it |
If the pitcher (or their team) makes at least the bid, every player scores the points they won. If the pitcher falls short, they score nothing and lose points equal to the bid, which can put them below zero. Other players still score what they took. This is being "set back."
How to win
The first player or team to reach 11 points wins. If more than one player could reach 11 on the same hand, the bidder's points count first, then points count in the order High, Low, Jack, Game. Many partnership games play to 15 or 21 instead.
Variations
- 5 point pitch: regional names differ. In many homes it adds a joker as a fifth point, ranking as the lowest trump above the 2; elsewhere it means a game with a 5-point smudge bid where the bidder must win all six tricks.
- Off-jack: the jack of the same color as trump becomes a trump ranking just below the jack and is worth an extra point.
- 10 point pitch: uses both jokers, the off-jack and the 3 of trump (worth 3 points), and is often played to 52.
- Minimum bid of 1: some players allow a 1 bid.
- Discard and draw: in some versions players discard non-trumps after trump is named and draw back up to six.
Tips and strategy
- Count your likely points before bidding. An ace of a suit is almost a sure High point if you lead that suit as trump.
- A low 2 or 3 of the same suit gives you a good chance at Low.
- Hold your 10 of trump and play it on a trick your partner is sure to win, as it is the biggest card for Game.
- Lead high trumps early to pull out the jack from other players.
- Be careful bidding 4. One missed point sets you back by 4.
House rules to agree first
- Whether low goes to the player who was dealt it or who won it.
- Whether the dealer is stuck when everyone passes.
- Target score: 11, 15 or 21.
- Which extra point cards, if any, are in play.
If your table enjoys bidding games, try Euchre, Spades, 500 or Oh Hell.
Questions people ask
How do you play the card game Pitch?
Deal six cards each and bid on how many of the four points you can win. The high bidder leads the first card, which sets trump, and players take six tricks. Points go for High, Low, Jack and Game, and the first to 11 wins.
How does scoring work in the Pitch card game?
There are four points each hand: High (highest trump played), Low (lowest trump), Jack (winning the jack of trumps) and Game (most game points in tricks, with 10s worth 10). If the bidder makes the bid, everyone scores what they won; if not, the bidder loses the bid amount.
What is 5 point pitch?
It is a regional name with more than one meaning. Most often a joker is added as an extra trump worth a fifth point, though some players use the name for a game that allows a 5-point smudge bid.
What is the difference between 4 point and 10 point Pitch?
Four point Pitch scores only High, Low, Jack and Game. Ten point Pitch adds extra scoring cards, usually the off-jack, two jokers and the 3 of trump, and is played to a higher target such as 52.
What happens if the bidder does not make their bid in Pitch?
They are set back: they score nothing for the hand and subtract the bid from their total, even if that makes their score negative. Other players still score the points they won.