What is High Low Jack?
High Low Jack is one of the oldest names for an American card game that has gone by many — All Fours in the 1700s, then High Low Jack, then Pitch and Setback. The rules have barely changed: players bid for the right to name trump, then battle over four points each hand.
The name tells you most of the game. High, Low, and Jack are three of the four points you're playing for.
Setting up the table
The classic game has four players in two partnerships, with partners sitting across from each other. Deal six cards to each player from a standard 52-card deck. The deal rotates to the left after every hand.
The four points
High is won by whoever plays the highest trump of the hand. Low goes to the lowest trump in play. Jack goes to the team that captures the jack of trump — and if nobody was dealt it, no one scores it. Game goes to the team whose captured cards add up to the most, with tens worth 10, aces 4, kings 3, queens 2, and jacks 1.
Bidding and choosing trump
Going around the table, each player may bid 2, 3, or 4 — the number of points their team promises to take — or pass. Each bid has to beat the last. If everyone passes, many tables require the dealer to bid, known as sticking the dealer.
The high bidder leads the first card, and that card's suit becomes trump for the hand.
Playing the hand and scoring
Follow the suit that was led if you can; most tables also let you play trump even when you could follow. The highest trump wins the trick; otherwise the highest card of the led suit does. The winner leads the next trick.
After all six tricks, count the four points. If the bidding team made its bid, it scores everything it took. If not, it's set back by the amount it bid — which is where the name Setback comes from.
Play High Low Jack online
High Low Jack moves fast — a full game to 11 takes about fifteen minutes — which is part of why it has lasted for three centuries at kitchen tables. You can play it free at pitch.ac against AI players or with friends on web, iPhone, and iPad, with house rules like stick-the-dealer and strict follow-suit you can switch on before each game.