Contract Bridge
Sit South with a computer partner in North against computer opponents East and West. Bid with a simplified Standard American (SAYC) system, play the contract as declarer with dummy, and see every board scored duplicate-style with a full hand review.
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Your bid
Hover or focus a bid to see what it tells your partner.
Shuffling…
Hand review
Auction
Score
Trick by trick
Score sheet
You sit South; North is your computer partner. When your side wins the auction you play both your hand and dummy. Keys: ← → move between cards, Enter plays, H hint.
How to use the Contract Bridge
- Look at your hand. You are South. The bar above the table shows the board number, the dealer and who is vulnerable.
- Bid. When it's your turn, choose a call in the bidding box. Illegal calls are greyed out, the suggested call is outlined and hovering a bid tells you what it shows partner.
- Play the contract. The player left of the declarer leads, then dummy is turned face up. If your side declares, you play both your cards and dummy's. Follow suit when you can.
- Defend. If East or West declares, you defend with your partner North. Use Show hint if you're unsure which card to play.
- Review and score. After 13 tricks the board is scored duplicate-style. The hand review shows all four hands, the auction and every trick. Deal the next board or replay this one.
Bidding system used by the computer
The computer players bid a simplified Standard American (SAYC) style system. Points are high card points: A = 4, K = 3, Q = 2, J = 1.
| Opening bid | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1♣ / 1♦ | 12-21 points, 3+ cards, no five-card major |
| 1♥ / 1♠ | 12-21 points, 5+ cards in the suit |
| 1NT | 15-17 points, balanced hand |
| 2♣ | 22+ points, strong and artificial (partner bids 2♦ as a waiting response) |
| 2♦ / 2♥ / 2♠ | Weak two: 5-10 points with a good six-card suit |
| 2NT | 20-21 points, balanced |
| 3-level suit | Preempt: weak hand with a seven-card suit |
| Response to 1NT | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 2♣ | Stayman: 8+ points, asks for a four-card major |
| 2♦ / 2♥ | Jacoby transfer: 5+ hearts / 5+ spades |
| 2NT | 8-9 points, invites game |
| 3NT | 10-15 points, to play |
| 4NT | 16-17 points, invites slam |
Responses to one of a suit: a single raise shows 6-10 points with support, a jump raise 10-12 (limit raise), a new suit at the one level 6+ points and four cards, a new suit at the two level 10+ points, and 1NT 6-10 points without a fit. In competition the computer overcalls with a good five-card suit, makes takeout doubles with shortness in the opponent's suit, and uses the Law of Total Tricks to decide how high to compete.
Duplicate scoring table
| Item | Not vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| Each trick over six, ♣/♦ | 20 | 20 |
| Each trick over six, ♥/♠ | 30 | 30 |
| Notrump: first trick / each later trick | 40 / 30 | 40 / 30 |
| Part-score bonus (under 100 trick points) | 50 | 50 |
| Game bonus (100+ trick points) | 300 | 500 |
| Small slam / grand slam bonus | 500 / 1000 | 750 / 1500 |
| Undertricks, undoubled | 50 each | 100 each |
| Undertricks, doubled | 100, 300, 500, then +300 each | 200, 500, 800, then +300 each |
| Doubled overtricks | 100 each | 200 each |
| Making a doubled / redoubled contract | +50 / +100 | +50 / +100 |
Doubling doubles the trick points (so 2♥ doubled, worth 120, counts as a game) and redoubling multiplies them by four. Redoubled undertricks and overtricks are twice the doubled amounts. Common results: 4♠ making not vulnerable scores 420, vulnerable 620; 3NT making scores 400 or 600.
Tips for new bridge players
- Count your points first. With 12 or more, open. With 6 or more opposite partner's opening, respond.
- Look for an eight-card major fit. Four hearts or spades opposite partner's five is the ideal trump suit.
- Game needs about 25-26 combined points. Add your points to the minimum partner has shown to decide how high to bid.
- Draw trumps early as declarer, unless you need dummy's trumps to ruff losers.
- Second hand low, third hand high is a reliable rule for defenders.
- Use the hand review. Seeing all four hands after each board is one of the fastest ways to improve.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play contract bridge?
Bridge is played by four players in two partnerships with a 52-card deck, 13 cards each. First comes the auction: players bid to name a contract, a number of tricks above six and a trump suit or notrump. The highest bid becomes the contract. Then the player left of the declarer leads, the declarer's partner's hand (dummy) is placed face up, and 13 tricks are played. Players must follow suit if they can. The declaring side scores if it takes at least the number of tricks it contracted for.
What does SAYC mean in bridge?
SAYC stands for Standard American Yellow Card, a widely used basic bidding system. Its main features are five-card major openings, a 1NT opening showing 15-17 high card points and a balanced hand, a strong artificial 2♣ opening, weak two-bids, Stayman and Jacoby transfers over notrump. The computer players here use a simplified version of it.
How do you count points in bridge?
High card points (HCP) are counted as Ace 4, King 3, Queen 2 and Jack 1, so the deck has 40 HCP in total. About 12 points are needed to open the bidding, and a partnership usually needs about 25-26 combined points for game in notrump or a major suit, and about 33 for a small slam. Long suits and short suits add extra value for suit contracts.
How is duplicate bridge scored?
Each trick bid and made beyond six scores 20 in a minor suit, 30 in a major suit, and 40 for the first and 30 for each later trick in notrump. If those trick points reach 100 you get a game bonus of 300 (not vulnerable) or 500 (vulnerable); otherwise a part-score bonus of 50. Small slams add 500 or 750 and grand slams 1000 or 1500. Failing a contract gives the defenders 50 or 100 per undertrick, and more if doubled.
What does vulnerable mean in bridge?
Vulnerability raises both the bonuses and the penalties. A vulnerable side scores more for making a game or slam but loses more when it goes down. In duplicate bridge, vulnerability follows a fixed pattern on boards 1 to 16, which this game uses along with the matching dealer for each board.
Who plays dummy's cards?
The declarer plays both hands. Dummy's cards are laid face up after the opening lead and the declarer chooses which card dummy plays. When your side wins the auction here, you play both South and North, whichever of you is declarer.
What are Stayman and Jacoby transfers?
Both are responses to partner's 1NT opening. Stayman is a 2♣ response that asks the 1NT opener whether they hold a four-card major. Opener answers 2♦ (no), 2♥ or 2♠. A Jacoby transfer is a 2♦ or 2♥ response showing five or more cards in the next suit up (hearts or spades), asking opener to bid that suit so the strong hand becomes declarer.
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