How to play
Pitch in one page
This app plays 4-point Pitch to 11. It supports 2, 4, 6, or 8 players, with AI able to fill any empty seats before the round begins.
Hosts can change house rules in the lobby before the game starts.
1
Bid for trumpPlayers bid 2, 3, or 4. Bids must beat the current high bid. A bid of 4 is the big swing, and the dealer can be forced to bid if everyone else passes.
2
Deal by player countThe deal depends on table size: 2 and 4 players get 6 cards each, 6 players get 5 cards each, and 8 players get 4 cards each.
3
Win trick pointsAfter bidding, the high bidder chooses trump by leading the first card. Teams fight for high, low, jack, and game.
4
Follow suit or trump inIf you have cards in the lead suit, you must follow it — or you may play trump instead. If you cannot follow suit, play anything. Hosts can switch to strict follow-suit in the lobby.
5
Reach the targetEach round updates the running score. If the bidding team misses its bid, it gets set back by that bid amount instead.
The four points
♠HighHighest trump captured
♥LowLowest trump captured
♦JackJack of trump if captured
♣GameMost card-value points across tricks
Common questions
What are the four points in Pitch?The four points in Pitch are High (the highest trump captured), Low (the lowest trump captured), Jack (the jack of trump, if captured in a trick), and Game (most total card value across your tricks). Each is worth one point per hand.
How does bidding work in Pitch?Players bid 2, 3, or 4 — a promise of how many of the four points their team will win. Each bid must beat the current high bid, and if everyone passes, the dealer is forced to bid 2 (stick the dealer).
How is trump decided?The high bidder chooses trump by leading the first card of the hand — whatever suit they lead becomes trump for that hand.
What happens if you miss your bid?If the bidding team wins fewer points than it bid, it is set back: the bid amount is subtracted from its score. That's why the game is also called Setback.
Is Pitch the same game as Setback?Pitch and Setback are the same core game — 4-point Pitch is commonly called Setback in the Northeast US. This app plays 4-point Pitch to 11 with 2, 4, 6, or 8 players.