Even beginners can learn their way around pinochle hand

BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER

Oftentimes, no one wants a beginner joining their card-playing group, but acceptance is more often found with the pinochle players at the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center.

“I have never played pinochle before, but I was hunting for something that I didn’t have to have a partner like in bridge where someone knows your moves and how you play,” Janet Forney said.

Pinochle has some enthusiastic players at the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center.

“This pinochle group plays a regular deck,” said Elaine Collison, the player in charge of the group. “There are other games that feature two decks that make it more of a challenge.”

Pinochle is a trick-taking and melding (a set of matching cards) game derived from a variation of Bezaique and was brought to the states by German immigrants. There are multiple variations of the game, each with differing rules and traditions. Regular play is with four players and a deck of 48 cards.

The decks have two copies of each card rank as suit of ace (high), 10, king, queen, jack and nines (low).

“Cards used are the ace, 10, queen, king and jack,” Mike Suchar said of the game he has played since he was in the U.S. Army. “I found I liked it and have just continued playing it.”

In pinochle, the 10s are a high card that outranks face cards. The six phases of the game include dealing, bidding, exchanging, melding, trick taking and scoring.

“I got into it just for the social aspect, but have played for 60 years,” Collison said. “Now, it is a form of continuing socialization and activity.”

Martin Fisch has played for 70 years and compares the game to bridge, finding it challenging.

“A lot of people find it difficult, what with all the terms to learn,” Suchar said.

Players are always willing to share their knowledge of the game.

“This is such a patient group, though,” Forney said. “They will tell me what is in my hand (without seeing it). That is how much they know the game. But I can ask questions. I was very fortunate to find this group to play with, because they don’t mind teaching and showing you what to do.”

What has been difficult is finding players. The group used to number 33, but after COVID fewer players returned.

Pinochle is played from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Thursday at the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center, with players coming and going as desired. Anyone can play, but players must be a member of the senior center. SL