Guide to Duplicate Bridge

First time going to a bridge club

1. Find a club:   Web Sites
   
   
2. Find a partner:
   • Already have a partner:
   • Looking for a partner:   Call a club director and ask for help in finding a partner.
   
   
   
3. At the club:
   • Find the person selling entries.
   • Cost:   typically $5 to $8
     • College and other students will often have a reduced rate.
   • Ask for East-West entry (You won't have to keep official score.)
   • Entry:   shows table number and direction (East-West or North-South)
   • Pair number:   same as table number (usually)
   • Introduce yourself as a newcomer. Experienced players will help you learn the guidelines of the event.

The Convention Card

1. Before you play, you and your partner need to fill out a convention card.
   
   
2. A convention card shows the conventions that you use along with your general approach to bidding.
   • Guidelines for Georgia Tech Bridge Club's teaching card - SAYC Yellow Jacket version.
   • ACBL Card for SAYJ
     • Front Side
     • BackSide
   • Sample SAYC Card
   
   
3. The card tells your opponents what you play (required by ACBL rules).
   
   
4. Filling out a card allows you and your partner to get your bidding and carding understandings straight.
   
   
5. Don't worry about the details in the beginning. Just complete the sections that you understand. As you gain experience, you will better understand the card.
   
   
6. Don't worry about an opponent with a complex card. They will "Alert" you when they make an unusal bid and are required to explain that bid if you ask for an explanation.
   
   
7. Bids shown in blue require an Announcement. For example, when your partner bids 1 Notrump, you announce to your opponents the Notrump range. Most pairs use 15-17 or 16-18 HCPs. Some have other agreements.

Bidding Boxes

1. Most games now use bidding boxes filled with cards designating every possible call.
   
   
2. Ask the director or one of your opponents at the first table to show you how to use them.
   
   
3. Short Explanation:
   • Instead of verbally stating your bid, you place a card with the bid on it on the table.
   • Each bid should partially overall your previous bid in a manner that you can still see all the bids.
   • This allows allows the players to see the complete auction at any time and prevents the need for a review of the auction.
   • The procedure also reduces the noise level.

Shuffle, Deal & Play

1. The director will place duplicate boards with cards on the table.
   
   
2. The cards may be pre-shuffled.
   • If not, shuffle the cards and put one hand in each slot of the duplicate boards.
   
   
3. Start the game:
   • Pick up your hand, noting from the board instructions who is dealer, and play bridge.
   • Also note who is vulnerable (marked as red) and who is non-vulnerable.
   • Being vulnerable means you get higher game/slam bonuses but also higher penalties for not making your contract.
   
   
4. The Play:
   • Remember, in duplicate bridge others will play the same hands that you play. You compare your results on each hand with them to get your match point result to determine a winner.
   • At your turn, play your card by placing it in front of you face up. Do not mix your cards with those of other players.
   • When each trick is complete, place each card face down in front of you on the table, pointing the card toward your partner if you win the trick, and toward the opponents if you lose the trick.
   • As declarer, you will tell your partner which card to play instead of pulling the dummy yourself. The dummy doesn't ask to see your partners hand or walk around the table for a peek. Since the hands remain intact, there is opportunity later to look at them.
   • Also remember to make your opening lead face down to prevent leads out of turn. Many players will make their lead while asking their partner, Do you have any questions? Partner may shake her head no or may then ask for an explanation of an opponent's bid.
   • When the deal is complete and the result agreed upon, the North player will enter the result on a scoresheet later used by the director to determine overall winners. You will want to record your own scores on the reverse side of a Convention Card.
     • Some clubs will have scoring machines which interface to a computer to speed up scoring.

Keeping Your Private Score

1. The Convention Card (inside) contains the board numbers and vulnerability and spaces for you to record the result of each deal. There is also space to estimate your points and record the final result for each board.
   
   
2. Most clubs now use a computer program called ACBLscore, and the director may print out the scores for each player from the program.
   
   
3. Duplicate is scored like Chicago bridge. If your side makes a contract, you receive your trick score, plus a bonus. Scoring Table

Move for the Next Round

1. You will play two to four boards at each table and a total of 20-28 for the entire session.
   
   
2. To keep the game going smoothly, each round is timed. You are allowed an average of about 7-1/2 minutes for each board so you will want to learn to use your time wisely.
   
   
3. When you have finished all of your boards at a given table, the director will call the round and direct the movement of the boards and players. Generally, North-South remain stationary while East-West get move to the next higher table.

Final Result

1. In a duplicate pair event, the winner is not the pair who scored the most because they had the best hands.
   
   
2. Results from each hand are compared with others, and you get matchpoints for scoring better than other pairs who played the same cards as you.
   • Gain 1 matchpoint for every pair that you beat.
   • Gain 1/2 matchpoint for every pair that you tie.
   
   
3. The winners are the pair with the most matchpoints.
   
   
4. There are also team events with a similar scoring method.
   
   
5. In an ACBL event, you are rewarded "master points" if you are one of the top several pairs for that event. Your master point total is a measure of your bridge skill and experience.