Abstract: Disclosed is a combination card holder and card deck for playing cards. The card holder includes a housing with a lid hingedly attached thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the interior of the housing is configured to hold double deck pinochle cards, which include four of each of the face cards of each suit, as well as four of each of the aces and tens of each suit, totaling eighty cards. The lid is dimensioned to cover the open top portion of the housing. The underside of the lid includes a pocket for holding playing cards that are in a player's hand, or for holding discarded cards during game play. The pocket includes an open upper end for receiving cards therethrough, and a closed lower end for preventing the cards from falling out therefrom. The pocket may be tapered from the upper end to the lower end thereof.