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In every self-respecting variant of Double-deck Pinochle that I've ever heard of, the contract winning player must table at least a marriage in the suit nominated as trump.
Beyond that requirement, it is up to the offensive team to decide exactly which meld cards they want to table. Of course, the offense is required to "make board" by tabling a minimum of 20 meld. This
could mean that, despite holding a run in trump, the declarer only tables a royal marriage and his/her partner tables a double pinochle. In this scenario, all requirements are satisfied.
There may be a few reasons why a team would do this. Perhaps the contract was for 50 (stuck) and the declarer's partner quickly lays down 30 points and says to the declarer, "You only need to lay a marriage down. The advantage is withholding information.
Here is what that scenario could look like: (paste this into the Hand Animator)
Code:
% Format "PPN 1.0"
% Site "worldofcardgames.com"
% Players "N E S W"
[GameScores "480:480"]
[Deal "W:CAAATTTQJDAKKSTJJJHAAAQQ CKKJJDATTTJJSATQQHTTKKJJ CATQQJDAQQQJSAAKKKHTTQJJ CAKKDATKKQJSATTKQQJHAKKQ"]
[Auction "N:Pass Pass Pass 50"]
[Contract "W 50 S"]
[Melds "0:CDSH 30:CDJJSQQH 0:CDSH 4:CDSKQH"]
It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing all your life. -- Mickey Mantle
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Whoops, I misunderstood the question.
Definitely, if the defense doesn't want to table any cards, they are under no requirement to do so -- they just don't get any points.
That said, with some online pinochle games, the software defaults to: tabling all valid meld, even if the team doesn't make board.
I think this a "tribal" case you are hearing from. Some tribes have softened the competitiveness of home games by merging "kindness", "forgiveness", "etiquette", and "rules". Some tribes allow "rewinding" of tricks if there was a renege. Some tribes allow for special bids that communicate Aces Around -- these bids may or may not equate to a numerical bid. The possibilities go on.
All of these allowances should be acknowledged for what they are. These are bastardizations -- deviations from sensible, competitive rules structures. Each home game host has the right to establish their own rules, but I would strongly urge all game hosts to keep pinochle respectable and maintain the "good" rules that keep the game exciting and strategic.
It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing all your life. -- Mickey Mantle
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Mick, thanks, your response made it clear that I had just not understood the question. I will post a link to your thread in the comment section.
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On always showing all the melds, I agree with mick for online. I completely understand that the defense won't want to expose a hidden surprise when they don't need to...and with 480+, the only concern is pulling 20. Meld's not an issue. But IMO allowing this is looking for any edge whatsoever in order to win...and I don't care for that. In my book, not showing the meld would be on par with bidding (repeatedly) with no marriage in order to take a set and prolong the game. Legal, yes, but rude.
