How to Play Bridge!

PLAYERS
- 4 players in two fixed teams: North–South vs. East–West. Partners sit opposite each other.

TURN ACTIONS
1) Bidding (Auction)
- Each player, in clockwise order, either:
  - Makes a bid (level 1–7 plus a suit or No Trump),
  - Passes,
  - Doubles an opponent’s bid, or
  - Redoubles after a double.
- A bid promises to win level + 6 total tricks, with the chosen trump suit (♣ ♦ ♥ ♠) or No Trump (NT).
- The auction ends when three players in a row pass. The last valid bid is the contract.
- Declarer is the first player from the winning side who named the final trump (or NT). Declarer’s partner becomes the Dummy.

2) Playing the Hand
- Opening lead: The player to the left of the declarer leads the first card.
- Follow suit if possible; otherwise you may play any card. In a suit contract, trumps can beat other suits.
- Highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless a trump is played; then the highest trump wins.
- After the opening lead, Dummy lays their hand face-up; the declarer plays both hands.
- There are 13 tricks per hand. The winner of each trick leads the next.

3) Scoring the Hand
- After all 13 tricks, determine if the declarer met the contract (made) or fell short (down).
- Trick points for making the contract are recorded “below the line” (toward winning a game).
- Overtricks, slam bonuses, doubled/redoubled bonuses, rubber bonuses, and penalties are “above the line.”

ROUND SCORE
- Contract trick points (below the line) depend on denomination:
  - Clubs or Diamonds: 20 points per each trick above six
  - Hearts or Spades: 30 points per each trick above six
  - No Trump: 40 points for the first trick above six, then 30 per additional each trick
- Overtricks score above the line. Failing the contract gives penalty points to the defenders above the line.
- Once a side reaches 100 points below the line, they win a game. After winning one game, that side is vulnerable (bigger bonuses and harsher penalties).

SESSION SCORE
- The first partnership to win two games wins the rubber.
- Rubber bonus:
  - Win 2–0: +700 points above the line
  - Win 2–1: +500 points above the line
- Slam bonuses (above the line):
  - Small Slam (12 tricks): 500 non-vulnerable, 750 vulnerable
  - Grand Slam (13 tricks): 1000 non-vulnerable, 1500 vulnerable
- Insult bonus for making a doubled/redoubled contract: +50 / +100 above the line

Watch our video, explaining the rules, here: