Pitch

The game Pitch, formerly known as All Fours, originated in England during the 17^th Century. The game has maintained its popularity ever since, and is especially loved by players in the United States. Variations of the game such as Seven-Up and Cinch have evolved from the original game, and while the rules of Pitch have undergone significant changes throughout the years, the core aspects of the game remain the same. Let’s explore how to set up, play and score the game, so that you too can enjoy what Pitch has to offer.

Set Up
Dealing begins by distributing three cards at a time in a clockwise direction, starting with the player on the left, until each player holds six cards. After each hand, the deal shifts to the left. Moving to the bidding phase, the player to the left of the dealer initiates the bidding process. Each player, in their turn, can either place a bid or decide to pass. The initial bid starts at two, and subsequent bids must be higher than any previous bid, however, this does not apply for the dealer. The dealer has the privilege of bidding and playing for the same amount as the preceding bid. If any player makes a bid of four, they are referred to as “smudging,” and their bid cannot be retracted or challenged by other players.

How to Play

The player with the highest bid, known as the “pitcher,” or the dealer if they bid the highest, takes the lead in the game. The suit of the card they play as the lead indicates the trump suit for that round. If the lead is in the trump suit, each player must follow suit if they have cards of that suit. However, on a lead in any other suit, a player has the option to either follow suit or play a trump card. When a player cannot follow suit, they are allowed to play any card from their hand. The player who plays the highest trump card, or if there are no trumps, the highest card of the suit led, wins the trick and earns the right to lead the next round.

Scoring

After all six tricks have been played, the players tally their points, often using pencil and paper. Each player, except the pitcher, scores the points they earned during the game. If the pitcher’s score equals or exceeds the bid contract, they score the points they made. However, if the pitcher falls short of the bid, they are “set back” by the bid amount, resulting in a deduction from their score. This can lead to a net minus score, referred to as being “in the hole,” which is indicated on the score sheet with a number encircled.

The game proceeds until a player achieves a plus score of 7 points, resulting in them being declared the winner. The pitcher’s score is given priority, so even if both the pitcher and another player reach 7 points simultaneously, the pitcher prevails, regardless of the other player’s higher total score. If two non-pitcher players attain 7 points at the same time, the points are ranked as follows: High, Low, Jack, Game. A player who “smudges” by winning all 4 points with their bid secures an instant victory, except if they were previously in the hole, in which case they only receive the 4 points.

The game’s victor acquires 1 point from each player with a score of 1 point or more, and 2 points from each player with a zero or negative score (in the hole). In some variations, the winner might additionally receive a point from each player for each instance that player has been set back.