Contract Bridge
The Partnership Card Game · 4 players (2 partnerships) · Ages 12+ · 30 min–∞
Contract Bridge is widely regarded as the greatest card game ever devised. Four players form two partnerships, sitting opposite each other. First, a bidding phase determines the contract—which partnership will take how many tricks, and in what trump suit. Then the hand is played. The interplay of information-exchange bidding, dummy play, and defensive signaling creates a game of extraordinary depth.
Equipment
- Standard 52-card deck
- Score pad
- Optional: Bidding boxes, screen (for duplicate)
Players and Seats
Four players: North, East, South, West. North-South are partners; East-West are partners. Partners sit opposite each other.
The Cards
Cards rank from highest to lowest: A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 in each suit.
Suits rank (for trump and bidding purposes): Spades (♠) > Hearts (♥) > Diamonds (♦) > Clubs (♣). This ranking is used for bidding order; suits have no inherent value otherwise.
The Deal
The dealer shuffles and deals all 52 cards, one at a time clockwise, until each player holds 13 cards. The player to the dealer's left becomes the first to bid. Dealership rotates clockwise.
Bidding
The Language of Bidding
A bid specifies: 1. Level: A number from 1 to 7, indicating how many tricks above 6 the bidder's partnership commits to winning (a bid of 3 = a contract to win 9 tricks, since 6 + 3 = 9). 2. Strain: The trump suit (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades) or no-trump (NT).
The 35 possible bids are arranged in order: 1♣ 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 1NT 2♣ 2♦ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT ...through... 7♣ 7♦ 7♥ 7♠ 7NT
Each bid must be higher than the previous bid (higher level, or same level with higher strain).
Other Calls
Pass: No bid. If all four players pass in the first round, the deal is thrown in and redealt.
Double (X): Called against an opponent's contract. Doubles the scoring for that contract (penalties if they fail, bonus points if they make it). The doubled bid remains the current contract.
Redouble (XX): Called after a double, by the side that was doubled. Doubles again. The contract remains, but scores are quadrupled.
The Auction
Bidding proceeds clockwise. The auction ends when three consecutive players pass after any bid (or immediately if all four players pass on the first round).
The Declarer: The player from the partnership that made the final bid who first named the final trump suit or no-trump. Their partner is the Dummy.
Point Count (Valuing Your Hand)
High Card Points (HCP) provide the most common hand-valuation: - Ace = 4 points - King = 3 points - Queen = 2 points - Jack = 1 point
Average hand = 10 HCP. Total deck = 40 HCP.
Distribution points (additional): - Void (no cards in a suit) = 3 points (some systems use 5) - Singleton = 2 points - Doubleton = 1 point
Common Bidding Conventions
These agreements between partners allow more efficient communication of hand strength and shape.
Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC)
The most common American standard. Basic framework:
- Opening 1NT: 15–17 HCP, balanced hand (no void, no singleton, at most one doubleton)
- Opening 2NT: 20–21 HCP, balanced
- Opening 2♣: 22+ HCP (strong, forcing—unconditional forcing bid)
- Opening 1 of a suit: 12–21 HCP, normally 4+ cards in the suit bid
Stayman Convention
After partner opens 1NT or 2NT, a bid of 2♣ (or 3♣ after 2NT) asks partner: "Do you have a four-card major (hearts or spades)?"
Responses: - 2♦ (or 3♦): No four-card major - 2♥ (or 3♥): Four or more hearts - 2♠ (or 3♠): Four or more spades (sometimes used for both 4 spades and 4 hearts)
Purpose: Find 4-4 major suit fits, which often produce more tricks than no-trump.
Blackwood Convention
The 4NT bid asks partner how many aces they hold.
Responses (Roman Keycard Blackwood, the modern version): - 5♣: 0 or 3 key cards - 5♦: 1 or 4 key cards - 5♥: 2 key cards, no trump queen - 5♠: 2 key cards, with the trump queen
"Key cards" = the four aces plus the king of trumps. RKCB is used before slam attempts.
After the response, 5NT asks for kings. The purpose: avoid bidding small slams missing two aces (6♠ missing two aces is hopeless).
Transfer Bids (Jacoby Transfers)
After partner opens 1NT: - 2♦: Transfer—partner must bid 2♥ (shows 5+ hearts in responder's hand) - 2♥: Transfer—partner must bid 2♠ (shows 5+ spades)
This lets the stronger hand (the 1NT opener) become declarer, concealing their strength.
Opening 2♣
Artificial strong bid (22+ HCP or any hand too strong for a 1-level opening). Completely forcing—partner cannot pass. Responses: 2♦ = waiting/negative (says nothing about diamonds); 2♥/2♠/3♣/3♦ = natural positive with good suit; 2NT = balanced, 8+ HCP.
The Play
Dummy
The declarer's partner (dummy) lays their entire hand face up on the table after the opening lead. The dummy plays no role in the hand—the declarer plays both hands. Dummy may not give advice, indicate leads, or object to plays.
The Opening Lead
The defender to the left of the declarer makes the opening lead—the first card played. The opening lead is made face down to allow partner to double-check the contract; then exposed.
Standard leads: - From a sequence: Lead the top card (K from KQJ) - Against NT, from a long suit: Lead 4th from the top (7 from K Q 9 7 4) - Against a suit contract: Lead top of doubleton, or 4th best from length
Trick Play
Clockwise from the opening lead, each player plays one card. Trick play rules: 1. Must follow suit if possible. 2. If unable to follow suit, may play any card (trump or discard). 3. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick, OR the highest trump if any trump was played. 4. The winner of each trick leads to the next.
Declarer plays both their own hand and dummy's hand, choosing which card to play from dummy at the appropriate moment.
Making the Contract
Declarer wins by taking at least as many tricks as the contract specified (6 + the bid level). If declarer takes more tricks than needed, these are called overtricks. If fewer, they're undertricks.
Scoring
Trick Points
Points are scored for making the contract:
| Suit | Per trick bid and made |
|---|---|
| Clubs or Diamonds (minors) | 20 points per trick |
| Hearts or Spades (majors) | 30 points per trick |
| No-Trump | 40 for first trick, 30 for each additional |
A doubled contract scores double these trick points; redoubled scores quadruple.
Game and Slam Bonuses
Game: A contract worth 100+ points in trick points (3NT, 4♥, 4♠, 5♣, 5♦). - Non-vulnerable game bonus (rubber): 300 - Vulnerable game bonus (rubber): 500
Slam: - Small slam (12 tricks bid and made): 500 non-vulnerable, 750 vulnerable - Grand slam (all 13 tricks): 1000 non-vulnerable, 1500 vulnerable
Partial score (partscore): Contract below game level, scoring less than 100 trick points. Carries over in rubber bridge.
Undertrick Penalties (when contract fails)
Points scored by the defenders:
| Condition | Per undertrick |
|---|---|
| Not doubled, not vulnerable | 50 |
| Not doubled, vulnerable | 100 |
| Doubled, not vulnerable | 100/200/200... (1st/2nd/3rd+) |
| Doubled, vulnerable | 200/300/300... |
| Redoubled: double the doubled penalties |
Overtrick Scoring
- Undoubled: same as trick points per strain
- Doubled, not vulnerable: 100 per overtrick
- Doubled, vulnerable: 200 per overtrick
Honors (Rubber Bridge Only)
A player holding all five honors (A-K-Q-J-10) in the trump suit scores 150 bonus points. Four honors in one hand: 100 points. Any player (including dummy) may score honors.
Rubber Bridge
Players play until one partnership wins two games (reaches 100+ trick points below the line). Winning a rubber before the opponents win a game: +700. Winning rubber when opponents also have one game: +500. Add all scores; highest total wins.
Vulnerability
After winning a game, a side becomes vulnerable. Being vulnerable increases penalties (and some bonuses). A side that has won one game and needs one more is vulnerable; the other side is not vulnerable until they win their first game.
Duplicate Bridge
In duplicate bridge, the same hands are played at multiple tables simultaneously. Players do not compete against their direct opponents at the table—they compete against all players who held the same cards. This eliminates luck of the deal.
Matchpoint scoring: Each board (deal) is scored independently. You earn matchpoints by outscoring pairs who held the same cards. Common in club play and tournaments.
IMPs (International Match Points): Used in team-of-four events. The net swing per board (your score minus the other table's score on the same board) is converted to IMPs using a logarithmic scale. Rewards big gains and punishes large losses.
Boards: Hands are dealt into plastic boards with four pockets (N, E, S, W). Cards are retained in pockets after play for redistribution to the next table. The dealer and vulnerability are predetermined for each board number (rotating through 16 combinations).
Defensive Signals
Defenders communicate through card plays:
Standard count signals: Playing a high card then low (or a high card in first position on partner's lead) shows an even number of cards in that suit; low-high shows odd.
Attitude signals: On partner's lead, play high to encourage continuation, low to discourage.
Suit-preference signals: When following suit or discarding, a high card suggests preference for the higher-ranking of the other two suits; a low card suggests the lower-ranking suit.
See also: Spades (simpler partnership trump game), Euchre, Cribbage