World Series of Pinochle ®
Official Rules

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Dates: October 5 - 7, 2007

Location: Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter NW, Atlanta, Georgia

Host: Luanne Snyder

• A player from each team will keep score.
• They should verify the score after each hand.
• Verify that the correct players are at the table for the round.
• Record, add and total scores on the score sheet and obtain the signatures of all the players at the end of the round/game to indicate agreement on the final score.
• Return the score sheets to the scoring table at the end of the round/game.

SHUFFLE:

• At the beginning of each round, it is suggested that the cards be cut by all four players and high card deals first.
• The order of the cards from highest to lowest is A, 10, K, Q, J.
• The cards are to be handled only by the dealer who is required to shuffle them.
• They are to be shuffled a minimum of three times.
• The cards are to be offered for a cut to the player to the dealer's right.
• The cards are only cut once.
• Cards are lifted by the upper portion of the pack clear of the lower portion, leaving no less than four cards.
• The former lower portion is then replaced on top of the former upper portion.
• Exceptions to this rule will be made for handicapped players.

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT MAKE YOUR OWN RULINGS. CALL THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.
DEALING & GAME PLAY:

• Two to five cards may be dealt at a time to evenly distribute the cards.
• Please count your cards after every deal.
• If there is a misdeal, all cards will be collected and cards will be reshuffled, cut, and dealt.
• If a misdeal is discovered after the first trick is closed it is a set for the dealing team (see the rules for sets), call the TD for assistance.
• Any exposed card(s) will be kept laying face up on the table and must be played at the first legal opportunity. The partner cannot lead out in that suit unless forced. (If there is an exposed card before or during bidding, the partner may not call that suit trump.)
• Tricks must be kept in the order they are collected and kept by the person who took the trick.
• When the first card of the next trick has been struck, the previous book is closed.
• All cards must be played to the table one at a time.
• All cards must be played (even if there is a "lock" on the remaining cards).
• All rounds and breaks are timed.
• The faster you play your game, the more time you will have for socializing, eating, drinking, and smoking.
• If you are not at your table and ready to play by the start of each round, you will be disqualified from that round and given ZERO points.
• (There will be 3 minute leeway) Opponents will receive a score equal to the highest game of that round.

CHEATING:

• Cheating OF ANY KIND will not be tolerated and will result in a DQ from the rest of the tourney and NO MONEY WILL BE REFUNDED.

• Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
• facial gestures (i.e., winking)
• table tapping
• hand signaling
• gaps in cards (i.e., to designate strong suits)
• raising particular cards higher than others (i.e., to designate trump)
• TABLE TALKING during bidding
• before trump is called
• or while hand is being played

BIDDING:

• There will be a 20 minimum rule for meld and tricks and the bidder must have a marriage to name trump.
• If the team with the bid has no marriage, their cards must be shown to the opponents, they are set, the hand is not played, AND the opponents get their meld (if 20+) with no trump called.
• If it is discovered that the team with the bid has a marriage and 20+ meld, the hand must be played.
• If the team with the bid cannot make board, their cards must be shown to the opponents, they are set, the hand is not played, AND the opponents get their meld (if 20+). If it is discovered that the team with the bid has 20+ meld, the hand must be played.
• Bidding begins to the dealer's left and continues clockwise.
• The lowest bid is 50 and continues in multiples of 1 until 60, in multiples of 5 after 60.
• The ONLY allowable bids are 'PASS' or a bid that includes all the numbers, such as fifty-one, fifty-five. A "by me" or "I'll save" or "save" type bid results in the offender's partner not being able to bid. Call the TD for assistance.
• All players must bid in turn. Bidding out of turn will result in the offender's partner not being able to bid and the bid will revert back to the original bidder. Call the TD for assistance.
• The last player to bid names trump.

MELDING - ALL MELD MUST BE SHOWN:

• It is the responsibility and legal right of all players to see and count the meld of all players.
• No one will meld prior to trump being declared.
• The first marriage laid on the table is trump.
• No meld will be counted after the first card is played.
• Aces must be declared.

SETS:

• This is a "progressive tournament". If the bidder goes set, the non-bidders will receive the bid, their meld (if 20+) and points pulled (if 20+).

RENEGES:

• STOP PLAY AND CALL THE TD TO THE TABLE IMMEDIATELY.
• A player cannot be forced to renege. Therefore, in order to avoid a renege, the player has the privilege of correcting the play before the book is closed.
• If a renege is called and the tricks are not in the correct order, the renege will go against that team.
• A renege occurs when a player fails to follow suit, fails to beat the falling cards, or fails to trump when out of a suit.
• If a renege during play is called and not proven, the person calling the renege has committed a renege and the penalty will go against them.

PENALTIES:

• If the bidding pair reneges during play, the hand stops, and the opponents will receive the bid, their own meld (if 20+) plus 31 points (or better if more was earned). The bidding pair will not be awarded their own meld (if 20+).
• If the non-bidding pair reneges during play, the hand stops, and the bidders will receive their own meld plus 50 points. The non-bidding pair will not be awarded their own meld (if 20+).
• If a team is disqualified, the opponents will be awarded the same number of points as the highest score for that round.

BOSTON PINOCHLE:

• The team pulling all 20 tricks during a deal/hand automatically wins the game (as long as they make their bid) and will receive an additional 100 points.
• Example
• If a team has a total score of 320 points after pulling the Boston, the team will receive 350 points for the win + 100 bonus points equaling 450 points.
• If a team has a total score over 350 points after pulling the Boston, they will receive an additional 100 bonus points to add to their final score.

BYE GAMES:

• Applies in the event of an odd number of teams.

A bye game will be awarded the same number of points as the highest score for that round.

COURTESY OF GAME PLAY:

• There shall be no communication between partners, which includes card placement/manipulation, except by numerical bidding.
• Cards are not to be flashed. All cards must be played to the table one at a time.
• Cards are not to be slammed or played in an indicating manner.
• A card hitting the board is a play.
• The Tournament Director (TD) has the final say on rules not covered.

In some cases these rules and procedures may seem harsh to the casual player, but remember, you're in a Tournament now! THE TD'S DECISION IS FINAL.

NOTE: Meld Table stays the same!

VALUE OF MELD:

*Final Note -This information will be updated and/ and or revised as is necessary.