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Official Cinch Rules
Cinch (also known as High Five or Double Pedro) is a trick-taking card game played by four players in fixed partnerships. Partners sit opposite each other. The main objective is to score points by winning certain valuable cards in tricks. Here's how to play:
Objective
To be the partnership that scores the most points by winning tricks and capturing specific cards.
Setup
The Deck
A standard 52-card deck is used, with cards ranked (from high to low): Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
The Deal
The dealer shuffles and deals nine cards to each player, dealing three at a time.
The dealer rotates clockwise after each hand.
Gameplay
The Bidding
Auction Phase: Starting with the player to the dealer's left, each player bids the number of points they believe their partnership can score. The minimum bid is 1.
Highest Bid Wins: Bidding continues clockwise with each player either passing or bidding higher. The highest bidder wins the auction and declares the trump suit.
Trump Suit and Card Values
The trump suit has five special cards that are worth points:
Right Pedro (5 of trumps): 5 points
Left Pedro (5 of the same color as the trump suit): 5 points
High (highest trump in play, usually Ace): 1 point
Low (lowest trump in play, usually 2): 1 point
Jack (Jack of trumps): 1 point
Other cards do not have point values.
The Play
Opening Lead: The player to the left of the declarer (the highest bidder) leads to the first trick.
Following Suit: Players must follow the suit led if possible. If unable to follow suit, a player may play any card.
Winning a Trick: The highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless a trump is played, in which case the highest trump wins.
Winning Tricks: The winner of each trick leads to the next trick.
Scoring
Points for Cards: Points are scored based on the special cards won in tricks:
Right Pedro (5 of trumps): 5 points
Left Pedro (5 of the same color as the trump suit): 5 points
High (highest trump in play, usually Ace): 1 point
Low (lowest trump in play, usually 2): 1 point
Jack (Jack of trumps): 1 point
Making the Bid: If the declarer's partnership meets or exceeds their bid, they score the points they made. If they fail, they lose the amount of their bid.
Opponent Points: The opponents score any points they made, regardless of the declarer's success or failure.
Winning the Game
The game is typically played to a set number of points, usually 51 or 61. The first partnership to reach this score wins the game.
Notes/Variations
Number of Cards: Some variations use 10 or 12 cards per player instead of 9.
Bidding: Some variations require a minimum bid of 6.
Scoring System: The scoring system can be modified to include additional or fewer point values for certain cards.
Cinch is a game that combines strategy, teamwork, and a bit of luck. It's a great choice for a fun and competitive game night.
