What is Minibridge?
Minibridge is a way into bridge without a bidding system. As soon as the cards are dealt, every player's high-card points are counted and shown to everyone: 4 for an ace, 3 for a king, 2 for a queen and 1 for a jack, 40 in the whole pack.
The partnership with more than 20 points becomes the declaring side, and its player with more points is the declarer; if both partners hold the same number, the one who comes first in turn from the dealer declares. If each side has exactly 20, the same player deals again. The declarer's partner is dummy, and dummy's hand is laid face up for everyone at once.
With both hands in view, the declarer chooses the contract: trumps or no trumps, and either a part score, which needs seven tricks, or a game, which needs nine tricks in no trumps, ten in hearts or spades, or eleven in clubs or diamonds. Then the player on the declarer's left leads and the cards are played exactly as in the standard game, with the declarer playing both hands.
A contract that makes scores the trick points for every trick over six, plus 50 for a part score or 300 for a game. A contract that fails gives the defenders 50 for each trick short. There is no vulnerability and no doubling, and each deal is scored on its own. A game is four deals, and the side with more points after them wins; equal totals are a draw.
Rule changes
| Rule | Standard Bridge | Minibridge |
|---|---|---|
| Auction | Standard BridgeStarting with the dealer, players bid, pass, double or redouble until three passes follow a bid. | MinibridgeNone. The cards and the points decide who declares. |
| High-card points | Standard BridgeEach hand stays private; nobody announces anything but calls. | MinibridgeCounted for every player as soon as the cards are dealt (ace 4, king 3, queen 2, jack 1) and shown to everyone. |
| Declaring side | Standard BridgeThe side that makes the last bid. | MinibridgeThe side with more than 20 points. At 20 each, the same player deals again. |
| Declarer | Standard BridgeThe player of that side who first named the strain of the final contract. | MinibridgeThe partner with more points; with equal points, the one who comes first in turn from the dealer. |
| Dummy | Standard BridgeLaid face up after the opening lead. | MinibridgeLaid face up for everyone as soon as the declarer is known, before the contract is chosen. |
| Contract | Standard BridgeThe last bid: from one to seven in any suit or no trumps, possibly doubled or redoubled. | MinibridgeChosen by the declarer: trumps or no trumps, and a part score (seven tricks) or a game (3 no trumps, 4 hearts or spades, 5 clubs or diamonds). No doubles and no slam contracts. |
| A contract that makes | Standard BridgeTrick points go below the line towards a game; overtricks, slams and doubled contracts earn bonuses above it. | MinibridgeTrick points for every trick over six, plus 50 for a part score or 300 for a game. |
| A contract that fails | Standard BridgeThe defenders score 50 a trick short, 100 if the declaring side is vulnerable, and more if doubled. | MinibridgeThe defenders score 50 for each trick short. |
| Length of a game | Standard BridgeA rubber, until one side has won two games; winning a game makes a side vulnerable. | MinibridgeFour deals, with nobody ever vulnerable. Each deal is scored on its own. |
| Who wins | Standard BridgeThe side that wins two games wins the rubber. | MinibridgeAfter the fourth deal, the side with more points in total. Equal totals are a draw. |
| Players | Standard BridgeFour in two partnerships; with two players the table plays a two-handed version. | MinibridgeExactly four. A table of two always plays the two-handed game. |
History
Minibridge was introduced in Europe in the 1990s as a teaching aid for new players, first in France and the Netherlands. The English Bridge Union has promoted it for primary schools, and the American Contract Bridge League has published material on it for teachers.
The rules here follow a common description of the game: the high-card point count decides the declaring side and the declarer, a deal with 20 points on each side is redealt by the same dealer, a part score needs seven tricks, and a failed contract gives the defenders 50 for each trick short. Players at a real table announce their counts in turn; here the counts are worked out and shown as soon as the cards are dealt.
Descriptions differ in details. Some also let the declarer choose a small or grand slam, with bonuses for bidding and making twelve or thirteen tricks, and mention a version in which dummy first announces only the shape of the hand. Neither is played here. Published descriptions score each deal on its own; playing four deals as one game, so that every player deals once, is this site's choice.