Tips for Passing When Your Partner Wins the Bid

When your partner is the high bidder, they’re the star of the show. Put your ego aside and focus primarily on ways to boost your partner’s hand and help them maintain control of the tricks. Focus on passing cards that will help strengthen their hand, even if it means giving up melds for yourself. This article gives some tips on how to approach passing when your partner is the high bidder and suggests an order of priorities to help you make critical passing decisions.

Passing Priorities

1. Always pass Trump Cards (Except 9s)

Passing trump cards (except 9s) strengthens your partner’s trump suit and improves their control of the game.

2. If the trump suit is Spades or Diamonds pass Pinochle parts

  • If Diamonds are trump, pass Spade Queens.
  • If Spades are trump, pass Diamond Jacks.
  • Do not pass Pinochle parts if Hearts or Clubs are trump—let your partner pass them back to you since they are likely trick losers for them.

If your partner choose Spades or Diamonds as the trump suit and their bid signals that they are going for a Double Pinochle, you may decide that they are holding the other Pinochle cards, and choose to pass your Pinochle cards before passing trumps.

3. Other Aces

Passing Aces may help your partner get Aces Around and are essential for winning tricks, so passing them will help your partner maintain control of the tricks for as long as possible.

4. Trump 9s

While lower in priority, passing Trump 9s can be useful if there are no better options, as having many trumps in hand will also help your partner maintain control of the tricks.


Deciding What to Keep

If you have more than four valuable cards to pass, consider the following when choosing which ones to keep:

1. Trump 9s

Always keep Trump 9s if you must decide between other high value cards.

2. One of a Pair (in Trumps or Aces)

  • If you have two identical Trump Jacks, keep one.
  • If you have two Aces in a non-trump suit, keep one.

3. Non-Trump Pinochle Ace (If Spades or Diamonds Are Trump)

  • If Spades are trump, keep the Diamond Ace to win your partner’s Jack.
  • If Diamonds are trump, keep the Spade Ace to win your partner’s Queen.

4. Aces in Strong Suits (If Hearts or Clubs Are Trump)

  • Pass Aces in suits where you still have a strong card (like a King or 10), allowing you to discard them strategically.

5. Aces in Long Suits Over Short Suits

  • Keep Aces in your longer suits and pass Aces from shorter suits, as short-suit Aces are more likely to be trumped by the opposing team.

Special Considerations

Choosing between Aces Around or Trump Cards

If you have Aces Around (one Ace in each suit) along with other non-9 trumps, follow these guidelines:

  • Keep Aces Around intact if your only non-9 trump is an Ace.
  • Pass non-9 trumps to your partner if you have any, keeping Aces Around for a minimum guaranteed 10 point meld.
  • Even if your partner fails to form a run, they will still get at least 4 meld points for getting a trump marriage and you’ll keep your 10. In this case, 14 certain points is often more prudent than 15 potential points.

Choosing between Kings, Queens, or Jacks Around or Trump Cards

  • The math changes a bit for these as these sets have lower meld value than Aces Around.
  • It’s usually better to pass a trump King or Queen to increase your partner’s chances of making a run or at least a trump marriage.
  • It’s usually better to pass a trump Jack, even if it means breaking up your Jacks Around, since a potential 15 point run is worth significantly more than a measly 4 points for Jacks Around.

What If You Don’t Have Enough Good Cards to Pass?

If you have fewer than four high value cards, consider these options instead:

1. Passing Non-Trump 10s and 9s

  • Hold on to your Kings or Queens to potentially form marriages or complete sets when your partner passes cards back to you.
  • If you have two identical 10s, pass one of them.

2. Passing Side Suit 9s When Out of Trumps, Aces, and Pinochle Parts

  • Retaining non-trump Jacks increases the chance of forming Jacks Around or a Pinochle if Jack or Diamonds.
  • Passing non-trump 10s is risky since they may be lost to an opponent’s Ace. If you have other cards in the same suit keeping them can be better as it allows you to discard them strategically for tricks when you know your partner will win the trick.

3. Passing Strongest Cards from Your Longest Suit (If No Trump or Aces)

  • Strengthening your partner’s long suit can help them take more tricks.
  • If you have a suit with two 10s, consider passing them.

4. Passing Three Kings, Queens, or Jacks from Different Suits

  • There’s a 55% chance your partner holds the fourth card, leading to potential Kings, Queens or Jacks Around melds.
  • Alternatively, keep your three non-trump Kings, Queens, or Jacks and wait to see if your partner passes the fourth trump back to you.

Final Thought

Although these tips can help guide your thought process, there is one single approach that works in every situation. Use your own judgment and the hints you pick up on during gameplay to make the best passing decisions. Once you become an experienced player, sometimes using your intuition is best…if you have a strong hunch telling you what to do, sometimes it’s ok to forgo these practices and take a chance on your gut.

No comments

Leave a Reply

Online Now

  • Mark

    Rating 8764
  • Jen

    Rating 334
  • Tommie

    Rating 2734
  • duck

    Rating 2239
  • Kelly

    Rating 1833
  • Shadow

    Rating 834
  • craig

    Rating 2172
  • emme

    Rating 1325
  • Jeff

    Rating 96
  • Kami

    Rating 7374
  • Betty Jo

    Rating 132
  • Daenerys

    Rating 2197
  • ATrain

    Rating 1496
  • Babak

    Rating 1467
  • luka

    Rating 2140
  • Saris

    Rating 2334
  • Pj

    Rating 1743
  • tech

    Rating 1635
  • BigE

    Rating 2570
  • Jessephxaz

    Rating 1580
  • Chioma

    Rating 1937
  • Elizabeth

    Rating 1467
  • ClarkBar

    Rating 2045
  • Jack

    Rating 3535
  • bob

    Rating 2038
  • jr

    Rating 2676
  • Cherikim

    Rating 18
  • Slapintrump

    Rating 483
  • Naomi Krizan

    Rating 105
  • prince

    Rating 1846
  • Dwigt

    Rating 160
  • That Guy

    Rating 1602
  • Suz

    Rating 1432
  • palmer

    Rating 2163
  • Big Tim

    Rating 1341
  • jenna

    Rating 2280
  • Bonnie

    Rating 2059
  • more

    Rating 1545
  • Washington

    Rating 677
  • nurse

    Rating 2418
  • Chill

    Rating 2869
  • arnold

    Rating 1437
  • worm

    Rating 2213
  • Dan

    Rating 1617
  • tamara

    Rating 1570
  • Joe

    Rating 11600
  • lynn

    Rating 1691
  • ramsey

    Rating 1687
  • Tng

    Rating 125
  • Virginia

    Rating 2161
  • Julie

    Rating 2361
  • Matthew

    Rating 1407
  • Jay

    Rating 1976
  • melody

    Rating 2601
  • Sara

    Rating 1503
  • jackie

    Rating 1399
  • Deniz

    Rating 2326
  • manser

    Rating 1204
  • Nick

    Rating 1744
  • Eagles

    Rating 4309
  • ozone

    Rating 1929
  • Ortega

    Rating 1872
  • gary

    Rating 1401
  • Fagin

    Rating 85
  • marley420

    Rating 1306
  • laurence

    Rating 1250
  • MTG

    Rating 2415
  • Val

    Rating 4524
  • ecker

    Rating 1060
  • Stan

    Rating 982
  • Trenton

    Rating 1818
  • Sonny

    Rating 1325
  • Streyski

    Rating 2370
  • maire

    Rating 1099
  • Jim

    Rating 2166
  • Brian

    Rating 1981
  • Antonina

    Rating 1733
  • ron

    Rating 1544
  • Elkhntr

    Rating 3822
  • Durham

    Rating 2289
  • Karen

    Rating 2336
  • Dee

    Rating 1986
  • Char

    Rating 750
  • brock

    Rating 2523
  • DrDeath

    Rating 2017
  • thedon

    Rating 2418
  • bryce

    Rating 2170
  • mich

    Rating 863
  • Gina

    Rating 1549
  • Lisa

    Rating 2443
  • BeerNGuns

    Rating 1424
  • Terry

    Rating 1747
  • Owen

    Rating 1248
  • Sir

    Rating 2104
  • irma

    Rating 2104
  • JodyBro

    Rating 1909
  • trolly

    Rating 1477
  • Star

    Rating 1189
  • danielle

    Rating 2181
  • Chef

    Rating 116
  • rip

    Rating 1517
  • dwinkler

    Rating 1507
  • TopDog

    Rating 1303
  • KristenG

    Rating 2054
  • elrond

    Rating 1727
  • Dee

    Rating 1769
  • rebecca

    Rating 2249
  • Player

    Rating 10220
  • Jodie

    Rating 1531
  • Kling

    Rating 1424
  • Player

    Rating 1490
  • Trent

    Rating 1626
  • hummel

    Rating 1373
  • nan

    Rating 2153
  • Mono

    Rating 1991
  • snake

    Rating 2163
  • Frank

    Rating 1608
  • Bananafish

    Rating 2021
  • Judd

    Rating 617
  • Ernie

    Rating 32184
  • andy

    Rating 1307
  • Decibel

    Rating 1743
  • Hot Shot

    Rating 4884
  • Skw

    Rating 2268
  • Codo

    Rating 1946
  • Jay

    Rating 37
  • tami

    Rating 1120
  • Clark

    Rating 1280
  • Shawn

    Rating 2554
  • derrick

    Rating 1312
  • reg

    Rating 641
  • rj

    Rating 1493
  • Robert

    Rating 877
  • Ruby

    Rating 788
  • Connor

    Rating 1580
  • kismet

    Rating 1671
  • megha

    Rating 1409
  • CBH

    Rating 1236
  • wots

    Rating 2101
  • marino

    Rating 1687
  • Scotty

    Rating 2278
  • Karina

    Rating 1983
  • starkey

    Rating 2011
  • Mark

    Rating 2118
  • Zoogod

    Rating 1821
  • Reyes

    Rating 1727
  • joey

    Rating 422
  • Kroll

    Rating 2226
  • Playergingin

    Rating 38
  • quatto

    Rating 2112
  • Laslo

    Rating 1589
  • Dustin

    Rating 1491
  • Mona

    Rating 1953
  • Jimy

    Rating 1204
  • Nova

    Rating 1053
  • smores

    Rating 1579
  • win

    Rating 2137
  • Nell

    Rating 1421
  • Al

    Rating 799
  • cal

    Rating 2331
  • Big Dill

    Rating 4838
  • Tim

    Rating 1597
  • G Màn

    Rating 2986
  • Linda

    Rating 152
  • Brady

    Rating 9965
  • Paylane

    Rating 2438
  • Dakota

    Rating 7109

Today's Best Hand

Dee

Double Deck Partners
King of ClubsQueen of ClubsKing of SpadesKing of SpadesKing of HeartsKing of HeartsKing of ClubsKing of DiamondsKing of DiamondsAce of SpadesAce of SpadesTen of SpadesTen of SpadesTen of SpadesKing of SpadesQueen of SpadesQueen of SpadesQueen of SpadesJack of SpadesJack of Spades
  • Ernie

    Rating 32184
  • Joe

    Rating 11600
  • John

    Rating 11353
  • Dave T

    Rating 10827
  • Player

    Rating 10220
  • Brady

    Rating 9965
  • Otto

    Rating 8966
  • Mark

    Rating 8764
  • Djs

    Rating 8374
  • Ron

    Rating 7720