What is Auction Pitch?
Auction Pitch is the version of Pitch where players bid for the privilege of naming trump. Hoyle's rule books have listed it for over a century, and it's the form most families mean when they say they play Pitch or Setback.
The auction is what gives the game its tension. Every hand, each player looks at six cards and decides how many of the four points (High, Low, Jack, and Game) they can take if they get to choose trump. Bid too low and someone else picks the suit. Bid too high and you get set, losing the full amount you bid. This guide covers the setup, the auction, play, scoring, and the strategy that separates good bidders from lucky ones.
How do you set up a game of Auction Pitch?
You need a standard 52-card deck with no jokers, and aces rank high. The most popular setup is four players in two partnerships, with partners sitting across from each other. Auction Pitch can also be played individually by three to seven players, each keeping their own score.
Cut for the first deal, then pass the deal to the left after each hand. The dealer gives each player six cards, usually in two rounds of three. The remaining cards are set aside and not used during the hand, which is why some important cards, like the jack of trump, may not be in play at all.
How does the bidding work in Auction Pitch?
Deal six cards to each player. Starting at the dealer's left, each player gets one chance to bid or pass. A bid is the number of points you promise to take, from 2 to 4, and each must top the previous bid. The player with the highest bid is the pitcher.
The pitcher's first card sets trump. That's the auction: you're paying in risk for the right to pick the suit that suits your hand.
Because each player bids only once, position matters. The dealer bids last and knows exactly what it takes to win the auction. In some groups, the dealer may also take the bid by matching the current high bid rather than topping it, a house rule often called dealer may steal. If everyone passes, tables either redeal or force the dealer to bid 2, known as stick the dealer.
Playing and scoring
Play six tricks, following suit when possible. Then award High, Low, Jack, and Game. If the pitcher's side made its bid, it scores everything it took; if not, the bid comes off its score. Other players score what they won.
One detail trips up new players. In the traditional rules, you must follow the suit led or play a trump, so trumping in is allowed even when you could follow suit. If you have neither, you may discard any card. Some groups play a stricter rule that you must follow suit whenever you can, so check before you start. The winner of each trick leads to the next one.
For Game, count the cards each side captured: tens are worth 10, aces 4, kings 3, queens 2, and jacks 1. The side with the higher total wins the Game point.
A sample hand of Auction Pitch
Suppose you are the pitcher with a bid of 3, holding the ace, jack, and 3 of spades, plus the ten of hearts, king of clubs, and 5 of diamonds. You lead the ace of spades, making spades trump and guaranteeing High. Your partner follows with the queen of spades, and both opponents follow with small spades.
Later, you win a trick with the jack of spades, which secures Jack. Your 3 of spades turns out to be the lowest trump in play, so you take Low. The opponents capture your ten of hearts, and when Game is counted they win it, 24 to 21. You took High, Low, and Jack for 3 points, so you make your bid and score 3, while the opponents score 1 for Game.
How do you win a game of Auction Pitch?
The first side to reach the target score, most often 11, wins the game. Because a set subtracts the full bid, scores can swing quickly, and a team can even fall below zero, which many players call being in the hole.
When both sides could reach the target on the same hand, the common rule is that the pitcher's points are counted first, so the bidding side goes out ahead of the defenders. Other groups count the points in order, High, Low, Jack, then Game, and the first side to hit the target wins. Either way, it pays to know the rule before a close finish.
Bidding strategy
Bid on what you can count, not what you hope for. An ace of a suit almost guarantees High if you name it trump. A jack with protection can win Jack. Low is often the hardest point to plan for, so many players bid 2 on High and Game and treat everything else as a bonus.
In partnership games, remember your partner's hand counts too. A modest bid with a strong partner beats an aggressive bid alone.
Score matters as well. When the opponents are close to winning, bid more aggressively, because taking the auction away from them can stop them from going out. When you are well ahead, a safe bid of 2 keeps the pressure on without risking a big setback.
Common Auction Pitch mistakes
The most common mistake is bidding 3 or 4 without the ace or king of your trump suit, which leaves High and Jack exposed. Another is leading a weak trump first, which wastes the chance to pull the opponents' trump early. A third is throwing tens away on tricks the opponents are winning, handing them the Game point. Finally, many players forget that a failed bid costs the full bid, not just the points they fell short.
Auction Pitch variations by region
Auction Pitch has many regional cousins. Setback is the same core game under another name. Smear often adds bonus points or extra cards, such as jokers or the off-jack, and is popular in the upper Midwest. Ten Point Pitch and similar variants raise the number of points per hand and adjust bidding to match.
Even within classic Auction Pitch, details vary. Some groups play to 7 points, others to 11 or 21. Low may go to the player who held it or to whoever captured it. A bid of 4, sometimes called a smudge, may simply score 4 or may win the game outright. Settle these before the first deal.
Play Auction Pitch online
Auction Pitch is the default game on pitch.ac: bids of 2, 3, or 4, trump set by the first lead, and games to 11. Play free in your browser or on iPhone and iPad.
You can play solo against AI players, create a private room and share a 4-letter code with friends, or match up online. Games can also be set to 7 or 21 points, and house rules like dealer-may-steal and stick-the-dealer can be switched on before the game starts.