Pitch

Pitch, also known as Setback is a trick-taking card game derived from the 17th century game of All-Fours. Pitch involves bidding and may include betting or gambling. There are many variations of Pitch. Most variations use slightly different scoring systems, allow teams, or make other changes. Variants seem to develop regionally, and their merits are hotly contested by players. The many possibilities mean that a player can find a balance of strate... more

Pitch, also known as Setback is a trick-taking card game derived from the 17th century game of All-Fours. Pitch involves bidding and may include betting or gambling. There are many variations of Pitch. Most variations use slightly different scoring systems, allow teams, or make other changes. Variants seem to develop regionally, and their merits are hotly contested by players. The many possibilities mean that a player can find a balance of strategy and difficulty that appeals to their own playing style. While basic pitch has no team play ("cutthroat" pitch) most variations of the game allow team play. Most commonly, pitch is played with two or three teams of 2 players. Teams may be chosen at random or by prior agreement. Scoring works as in basic pitch, but by team; to avoid being set back, the team's total points must equal or exceed the highest bid made by a member of that team. Betting is usually by game, rather than by hand. Players must typically bet a set amount before each game... less