SAYC Yellow Jacket

Bridge Notes

Basics of Contract Bridge


Introduction to Contract Bridge

*** Use Bridge Baron to Demonstrate ***

  1. A card game played with a deck of 52 cards.

  2. Played by 4 people sitting at a table.
    • The players who are sitting across from each other form a partnership.
    • For identification purposes, each player is associated with a compass direction proceeding in a clockwise direction around the table.
      •       North
      • West       East
      •       South
    • Partnership:  North & South
    • Partnership:  East & West

  3. Trick-taking card game
    • A trick contains four cards, one contributed by each player.
    • Allowable cards to play
      • Each player must "follow suit" - play a card in the suit led.
      • If a player is void in suit led - any card, including a trump may be played.
    • Winner of trick
      • Highest card in suit lead (suit 1st played)
        • No trump played
      • Highest trump card wins the trick
        • Trump played

  4. Game composes of a series of deals.
    • Each deal results in a score.
    • The type of bridge game (rubber, Chicago, duplicate, etc.) determines the number of deals and how the score for each deal is determined.
    • The sum of the scores for each deal determines who wins that game of contract bridge.

  5. A "deal" is also referred to as a "hand". A "hand" also may refer to the 13 cards each player has during 1 deal of the cards.

  6. Phases of a deal
    • Deal the cards
      • Dealer gives each player 13 random cards.
      • After shuffle, deal 1 card (facedown) to each player going clockwise.
      • Each player arranges hand - puts cards in suits in rank order.
    • Bidding (or auction)
      • Players bid to determine the contract - the target number of tricks for the declaring partnership and the trump suit.
      • The declaring partnership is the side that wins the auction.
      • The defenders are the other partnership.
    • Play of the hand
      • 13 tricks are played with each partnership trying to win as many tricks as possible.
    • Score the results
      • Points are given to the declaring partnership if they made the Contract - win an equal or greater number of tricks than the target number of tricks.
      • Points are given to the defenders if the contract went down - made less than the target number.

  7. Final Thoughts:
    • Beginner and intermediate players are on a steep learning curve. There is a tendancy to try to learn as much as possible as fast as possible. In the long run, it is better to learn new concepts at a more through, but slower pace.