Learn Bridge: Tutorial

The auction determines the contract -- how many tricks the declaring side promises to win.

Starting with the dealer, each player in turn may:

- Bid: a number (1-7) + a strain (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, or notrump)

- Pass: decline to bid

- Double: increase the stakes on the opponents' bid

- Redouble: counter an opponent's double

The bid number represents tricks above 6. So "1 Spade" means 6+1 = 7 tricks with spades as trump. Each new bid must be higher than the previous one.

The auction ends after three consecutive passes following a bid. The last bid becomes the contract.

Here is an example auction in progress:

- North (dealer): Opens "1 Spade" (promising 7+ tricks with spades as trump)

- East: Passes

- South: Raises to "2 Spades" (supporting partner's suit)

- West: Passes

- North: Bids "4 Spades" (game bid -- needs 10 tricks total)

- East: Passes

- South: Passes

- West: Passes (three passes end the auction)

North becomes the declarer (first player in the partnership to name the winning strain). The contract is 4 Spades, requiring 10 tricks.

The opening lead is made by the player to the left of declarer.

After the auction, three roles are assigned:

- Declarer: The player in the winning partnership who first named the trump strain. Declarer controls both hands.

- Dummy: Declarer's partner. After the opening lead, dummy's hand is placed face-up on the table for all to see. Dummy does not choose cards.

- Defenders: The opposing partnership, who try to defeat the contract.

The player to the left of declarer makes the opening lead (plays the first card). Then dummy's hand is exposed, and declarer plays cards from both hands.

In this example, North is declarer in 4 Spades. East leads, and South's hand (dummy) is visible.

Each trick consists of 4 cards, one from each player.

The rules are the same as most trick-taking games:

1. The lead player plays any card

2. Other players must follow suit if possible

3. If you cannot follow suit, you may play any card (including a trump)

The trick is won by:

- The highest trump card played, or

- The highest card of the led suit if no trump was played

In a notrump contract, there is no trump suit -- the highest card of the led suit always wins.

The trick winner leads the next trick. Play continues for all 13 tricks.

When a trump suit is named in the contract, any card of that suit can beat any card of another suit.

If you cannot follow the led suit, playing a trump card (called ruffing) wins the trick -- unless someone plays a higher trump.

For example, in a 4 Spades contract, spades are trump. If clubs are led and you have no clubs, playing even the 2 of Spades beats the Ace of Clubs.

Strategic ruffing is key to making your contract. As declarer, you often plan to ruff losers in the dummy hand.

Bridge uses rubber scoring with points divided above and below the line:

Below the line (contract tricks made):

- Clubs/Diamonds (minor suits): 20 points per trick

- Hearts/Spades (major suits): 30 points per trick

- Notrump: 40 for the first trick, 30 each after

Game requires 100+ points below the line. A rubber is best of 3 games.

Vulnerability affects penalties and bonuses. A side that has won a game becomes vulnerable, facing higher penalties for failing but bigger bonuses for success.

Overtricks (tricks beyond the contract) score above the line. Undertricks (failing the contract) give points to the defenders.

During the auction, you can double the opponents' last bid, increasing the stakes:

- Double (X): Doubles the trick value below the line, and increases penalties/bonuses.

- Redouble (XX): Counters a double, quadrupling the base values.

You can only double an opponent's bid, and only redouble your own side's doubled bid.

A doubled contract that is made scores:

- Double the trick value below the line

- 50-point bonus ("insult") above the line

- Overtricks: 100 each (not vulnerable) or 200 each (vulnerable)

A doubled contract that fails gives defenders:

- 1st undertrick: 100/200 (not vul/vul)

- Further: escalating penalties

The most exciting contracts in bridge are slams:

- Small Slam (level 6): Win 12 of 13 tricks. Bonus: 500 (not vulnerable) or 750 (vulnerable).

- Grand Slam (level 7): Win all 13 tricks. Bonus: 1000 (not vulnerable) or 1500 (vulnerable).

Slam contracts are rare and require exceptional hands. Partnerships use special bidding conventions (like Blackwood 4NT to ask for aces) to determine if they have enough strength.

Grand slams are especially thrilling -- one lost trick means failure! A successful grand slam can swing an entire rubber.

A rubber is a match of bridge, won by the first partnership to win 2 games (best of 3).

Each game requires accumulating 100+ points below the line from fulfilled contracts. When you win a game, your below-the-line score resets.

Rubber bonus:

- Win rubber 2-0: 700 points

- Win rubber 2-1: 500 points

The total score for the rubber is the sum of all points (above and below the line). The partnership with the higher total wins.

Key tips for success:

- Communicate through bids to find the best contract

- Count high-card points (A=4, K=3, Q=2, J=1) to evaluate your hand

- Lead intelligently as a defender

- Plan your play as declarer before playing the first card