Video:Pitch Card Game Strategy Ideas

Transcript:Pitch Card Game Strategy Ideas

Hi, I'm Nick and today for About.com, I'm going to teach you some strategy ideas for the card game Pitch, with information provided by Erik Arneson, the card game guide at About.com.

What Is the Card Game Pitch?

Pitch is a card game that can be played by three to seven players. Otherwise known as Setback, the objective of the game is to acumulate the highest score by winning the most tricks.

Strategies for the Bidding Stage of Pitch

One of the most important elements of the game is the bidding stage. The person who wins the bid gets to choose the all-important trump, but bidding too much could see you end up with a negative score. Of course, high cards are a good indicator of a good hand, but can be misleading – queens and jacks seem strong, but they are not unbeatable. Instead, look for lots of cards of a similar suit. The more potential trumps you own, the less chance an opponent has of out-trumping you.

If playing with a partner, it's worth adding one point to your initial bid, as they increase your chances of reaching your target. Keep in mind that you should only bid four if you possess the jack of trumps yourself – there's too much of a risk that the card may not be in the game at all! Don't be afraid to pass up a bid if you have a poor hand – not only does it gaurantee that your score stays intact, but it may put pressure onto your opponent to make a bid.

Utilize Lower Cards First

Once the game gets underway, the temptation is to play the best cards as soon as possible, but it's a better idea to utilise lower cards in an attempt to draw out an opponents best cards. Save your higher cards for occasions when you're more certain they will win, or when crucial cards such as the jack of trumps are played.  Remember, opponents have to match suit, even if it means playing a card of unneccessarily high value.

Work Together with Opponents in Pitch

As a last resort, you can work together with opponents, even if they are not teammates, in an attempt to stop the bidder reaching their target. A good way to do this is to ensure one other player recieves the high gamescore by losing all high-scoring cards to them, ensuring the bidder has to suffer a negative points penalty.

Now you know the best strategies for winning at Pitch.  For more tips and tricks, visit hobbies.about.com.