BOUNS POST, BONUS POST, BONUS POST.....

Hi friends of pinochle and snacks!

A bonus post for you.....

It's Sunday night around 7 p.m. and we just finished dinner (BBQ chicken sandwiches laced with sharp cheddar cheese and thin sliced red onion, rigatoni veggie salad, ice cold PBR for me and ice cold crisp chardonnay for my gorgeous wife) and three rounds of two-handed pinochle, with the third hand being the rubber match (Yep, I won a round.......finally).

We played two rounds of pinochle where you shuffle, deal each person one card then each person in turn picks two cards, one at a time, keeping the first and discarding the second or discarding the first and keeping the second to make either a strong meld hand or a strong playing hand. So in the first round, I was winning 70 to 41, I have this round in the bag right? Think again grasshopper, wifey poo puts together 42 meld points, wins the bid with 16 (ugh) and crushes me once more to win with taking the first trick of the next hand. So, she wins the first round 128 to 96. BUT............ I come roaring back in the second round, taking the lead with the first hand, taking the last trick every time (which gets you an extra point) and winning 112 to 70.

I highly recommend playing two handed this way, a lot! It forces you to remember which cards you have seen (as you pick) and what has been played. That is how I was able to take the last trick every time. We are getting so good at this, we are seriously thinking about taking our game on the road http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yshnhEHBtO4&feature=related

But we'll see....

We then played the rubber match to decide the overall victor since we had each won once. Foolishly we tried to play the complicated version where the rules are suspended in the beginning and then you meld in as you play, pick cards, etc.... etc.... etc....we got so lost we stopped. This version is very hard and needs a lot if instruction, I was so lost, this is how I felt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww&feature=related yep, I felt that stupid.

So, class number seven this Wednesday, look for the post!

BONUS TIP: As you play, keep the instructions nearby, but try not to use them, it helps develop your confidence and skills to play from memory!

BONUS RECIPE: Boil a pound of Fingerling potatoes (small finger shaped potatoes) in a pot of salted water until just fork tender (about 10 - 12 minutes DO NOT OVERCOOK). Drain and cool. Meanwhile take one cup of Hellman's mayo, mix with 1/3 cup of Dijon mustard, about 1/4 cup of fresh finely minced dill, 1 small clove of VERY finely minced garlic and 3 to 4 TBSP of white wine. Place in serving bowl and chill. Slice cooled potatoes in half lengthwise and arrange on serving platter, place bowl of mayo/mustard dip in middle and serve. Cold Pinot Grigio goes great with this as the sweetness of the wine cuts the richness of the dip.