Players add any points they scored for that round to their overall total score. Tens are worth 10 game points, Aces are worth 4 game points, Kings are worth 3 game points, Queens are worth 2 game points, and Jacks are worth 1 game point. The final and fourth point is awarded to whoever has the most game points within the cards they won that round. One point goes to the highest trump card, 1 point goes to the lowest trump card, and 1 point goes to the jack in the trump suit. Then, each player calculates how many of the 4 total points they won for that round based on the cards they collected. This continues until the players are out of cards.

The trump suit always wins, regardless of the leading suit. Whoever plays the highest card in the leading suit wins, unless someone plays a card in the trump suit, in which case they win. Then, that player plays any card from their hand, and the rest of the players play one card each. Whoever plays the highest trump card wins that hand and collects the cards on the table.

Play continues to the left, and every player throws down one card. The suit of that card becomes the trump for the entire round. The highest bidder chooses any card from their hand to play first. If a player bids 4, called “smudging,” they automatically get to play the first card. Whoever bids the highest is the pitcher for that round and gets to play the first card. They can either match the previous bid, bid higher, or pass. After one player bids, the player to their left bids next. Players can bid 2, 3, or 4, depending on how many of the 4 total points they think they will score that round, or they can pass. After all of the players have had a chance to look at their hand, everyone makes a bid, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

The game starts with each player being dealt 6 cards. Pitch is a fun trick-taking card game for 3 or more players where players try to be the first to score 21 points.

Card game 21 points