Pitch-Setback Rules

Rules for Pitch - Setback game

The following gives an overview of the rules of Pitch or Setback as implemented by the game on this website.

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The game of Pitch can be played with either 3 players or 4 players. In the 4 player game, the individuals sitting across from one another are partners and scored as a team.

Start of the game

The game starts by selecting a dealer and the dealer deals six cards to each player.

The Bidding Process

Once all the players have been dealt six cards, the player to the left of the dealer will make a bid. The valid bids are Pass, 2, 3, or 4. After the first player makes a bid, each player to the left (moving clockwise) will make a bid in order. All players, with the exception of the dealer, can always Pass on a bid. If a player wants to bid 2, 3, or 4, then that bidding player (except for the dealer) must bid higher than the current bid. The last player to bid is the dealer. If the highest bid is 2, 3, or 4, then the dealer may Pass or submit a bid at the current bid level. If all players have Passed, then the dealer is obligated to make a 2 bid and will win the bid. The player with the highest bid wins the bid with the exception of the dealer who can win the bid with a tying bid. For example, if the highest bid for the players before the dealer was a 3, the dealer could also bid 3 and win the bid.

Selecting the Trump

Once the winning bidder is established, that player will need to select the trump suit for the game. The trump suit is the suit that will have the highest priority over all other suits for that game. The trump suit is determined by the first card the winning bidder plays.

Playing the Trick

A Pitch game is made up of six tricks. During each trick, every player selects one card to play, in order, starting from the trick leader moving clockwise. After the bid process, the winning bidder is the initial trick leader. After a trick has been played, the next trick leader is whoever won the last trick. The player that wins a trick will receive all the cards for that trick. The cards won by players are keep face down except for the first card of the first trick which represents the trump suit for the game.

Winning a Trick

The lead suit for a trick is the suit of the first card that is thrown. The trick is won by the person throwing the highest value lead suit, unless a trump suit is played by one or more players. If a trump suit card(s) is played, then the person playing the highest trump suit value will be the winner of the trick. The value of the cards are 2 being the lowest and Ace being the highest.

Valid Cards to Throw During a Trick

The trick leader (person throwing the first card) may play any card in their hand. The trick leader establishes the lead suit of the trick by playing the first card. After that, players have certain restrictions on the cards they may play for that trick. If the lead suit is a trump suit, each player must play a trump suit card if they have one, otherwise they may play any other card. If the lead suit is a not a trump suit card and a player has a card of the lead suit, then a player may play a trump suit card or a card that matches the lead suit. If a player has no cards in the lead suit, then any card can be played. A player may play a trump card at any time.

Ending a Game

When all the six tricks have been played, that game ends and the score for that game is tabulated.

Scoring a Pitch Game

There are 4 points that are possible to be awarded for each pitch game. The points are

calculated from the cards won by each player during the six tricks played in the game.

- One point is awarded to the player that has won the highest trump card.

- One point is awarded to the player that has lowest trump card. This is determined in one of two ways. Option 1 - One point is awarded to the player that has won the lowest trump card. Option 2 - One point is awarded to the player that was dealt the lowest trump card. Option 1 or 2 is selected at the start of the round.

- One point is awarded to the player that has won the Jack trump card.

- One point is awarded to the player that has won the most trick points.

Trick points are calculated as follows:

An Ace is worth 4 trick points.

An King is worth 3 trick points.

An Queen is worth 2 trick points.

An Jack is worth 1 trick points.

An Ten is worth 10 trick points.

There are always 2 points awarded for each game (high trump and low trump). The point for Jack of trump may not be awarded if no one has won that card. Also, if there is a tie for high trick points, that point is not awarded. The players (or team) that did not win the bid are automatically assigned the points that they won during the game. The winning bidder (or team) must have won enough points during the game to either equal or exceed their original bid to be credited with the points for that game. If the winning bidder (or team) does not win the bid, points are deducted in the amount equal to the winning bid. In the 4 player game, the players cards are combined for each team and calculated accordingly.

A Pitch Round

After the pitch game is scored, the person to the left of the dealer of the last game becomes the new dealer. A new game is dealt. A pitch round is won when a player or team reaches 11 or more points and was the winning bidder and won their bid. If the team or player that reaches 11 or more points was not the winning bidder, the team or player with the most points (11 and greater) will win the round. In this case, if there is a tie when a player or team reaches 11 or more points, then the round continues with a new game until a clear winner is established.

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