BEGINNER'S

BEGINNER'S BRIDGE

LESSON 1

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INTRODUCTORY CONCEPTS ‑ VOCABULARY ‑ PLAYING GUIDELINES

Bridge is a partnership game in which each players is designated by his/her compass direction. NORTH and SOUTH are PARTNERS playing against their OPPONENTS, EAST and WEST. The bridge deck consists of 52 cards with four SUITS: CLUBS, DIAMONDS, HEARTS, and SPADES. Clubs and Diamonds are termed MINOR SUITS, Hearts and Spades are termed MAJOR SUITS. The cards in each suit are RANKED with the Ace being the highest, followed by the King, Queen, Jack, Ten ... then on down the line to the 2 (the lowest ranking card). The suits are also ranked, these in alphabetical order: “C”lubs. "D”iamonds, "H”earts, and "Spades", with clubs being the suit of lowest rank and spades the highest. The cards are SHUFFLED and the deck is then dealt by the DEALER, one card at a time, face down in a clock‑wise direction until each player has 13 cards; comprising his/her, HAND.

The game of bridge has two stages. Firstly, there is the BIDDING stage, which, in an auction fashion, determines which partnership will undertake a final CONTRACT. The bidding is begun by the dealer with each player in turn, in clock‑wise rotation, choosing to either BID, or to refrain from bidding by simply saying "PASS".

Each BID or CALL consists of two parts; e.g., (1 Spade, 2‑Hearts, 3‑Diamonds, 4‑Clubs, 5 No Trump, etc.). The first part, the numerical portion, represents the number of tricks that partnership is committed to take over and above the first six tricks called BOOK. For example, bidding “1” of any denomination commits that team to taking seven (6+1) tricks; bidding “3” of any denomination commits the team so bidding to taking nine (6+3) tricks; etc. The highest level of bidding is, therefore, the seven level. This commits a team to a total of thirteen (6+7) tricks.

The second portion of any bid is the denomination; i.e., whether the contract is to be played in a TRUMP SUIT contract or in a NO TRUMP contract. There are only five possible denominations ‑ Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, and No Trump. "No Trump" ranks above spades. As in an auction, each successive bid must be higher than the proceeding bid in either level or denomination, or both. The auction proceeds until there are three successive passes. The member of the partnership who first suggested the suit denomination of the final contract becomes the DECLARER. The bidding phase is then concluded with the last declaration becoming the final contract. The opponent to the left of declarer makes the OPENING LEAD by placing a single card, face up upon the table, and the play of the hand then begins.

The second stage of bridge is the PLAY of the cards in which one side played by the DECLARER tries to fulfill the agreed-upon CONTRACT, while the other side ( the DEFENDERS) tries to defeat the specified contract. Declarer's partner is called, the DUMMY. Declarer plays the cards for both himself/herself and the Dummy. Each player, in a clock-wise rotation, plays a card of the same suit. The four cards played constitute a TRICK. When the contract is played without a TRUMP SUIT, the player who contributes the highest‑ranking card of the same suit led wins the trick. On many hands, however, one suit is designated, through the bidding, as "wild" or as the TRUMP suit. A trump card of any denomination played beats any card in all the other three suits no matter their rank. Since it is a partnership game, either partner playing the highest card wins the trick for his/her side. One must always follow the suit which is being played, but if one does not have a card in the suit led, one may then play a card from any other suit. This is called DISCARDING. In a trump suit contract the following rules apply:

a. One must follow suit if one can do so. You may play a trump only if you have no cards in the suit led. This is called TRUMPING or RUFFING.

b. One does not have to trump if a card in the suit led is not available. One may alternatively discard.

c. If more than one player trumps a trick, the highest ranking trump wins the trick.

d. The trump suit does not have to be led at any particular time. It is up to the discretion of each player when to lead a trump.

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The partner who wins the previous trick leads the first card to each successive trick, and so on until all thirteen tricks are played out. The teams count their tricks won or lost and it is thus determined whether the bid finally contacted for has been made or defeated. A score is awarded to the victors.

BIDDING OF THE HAND - THE AUCTION

CHOOSING TO BID: Once a player arranges his/her cards into suits, he/she then determines the shape and the strength of his/her hand, so as to decide whether or not to open the bidding or, alternatively, to pass; and, if bidding, whether to commit to a Trump Suit Contract or to avoid naming a Trump Suit and to strive for a No Trump Contract, alternatively. The dealer has this first opportunity to bid, and the bidding then proceeds in a clockwise rotation with each player receiving a chance to bid or to pass. The relative strength of each hand is computed by each player based upon the:

THE 4‑3‑2‑1 POINT COUNT SYSTEM

HIGH‑CARD POINTS ‑ HCP'S DISTRIBUTIONAL POINTS

ACE = 4 POINTS Each DOUBLETON (Two Cards in a Suit) = 1 Point

KING = 3 POINTS Each SINGLETON (One Card in a Suit) = 2 Points

QUEEN = 2 POINTS Each VOID (No Cards in a Suit) = 3 Points

JACK = 1 POINT

Since it has been determined that a partnership needs approximately 26 Points or more in combined high‑card and distributional point strength to make a GAME for which there is awarded a bonus, any one member of either partnership is expected to have his/her one-half share (approximately 13 Points) in order to venture the first BID or CALL. When you and your partner have at least eight (8) combined cards in any suit, think of it as a GOLDEN FIT. That is the suit that might well be named as the TRUMP SUIT. In absence of a golden fit, since no one suit predominates, NO TRUMP contracts are usually best sought.

Hands are considered UNBALANCED (favoring a suit contract) if they have one or more voids. one or more singletons, or two or more doubletons. Hands are considered BALANCED (favoring a no trump contract) if they have no voids, no singletons, and not more than one doubleton.

A BALANCED HAND - 5-3‑3‑2 4‑4‑3‑2 4‑3‑3‑3

OPENING THE BIDDING

Requirements for opening the bidding ONE OF A SUIT: = 13-15 Points (Both HCP's and Distributional points are counted since it be advantageous to have an absence of one or more side suits in any great abundance.)

a. With Any 5‑Card Suit or Longer - Bid the Longest suit

b. With Two 5‑Card or 6‑Card Suits - Bid the Higher Ranking Suit First

c. With No 5‑Card Suit - Bid the Longest (Preferred) Minor Suit

d. With Two 4‑Card Minor Suits - Bid the Higher Ranking of the Two (Diamonds)

e. With No 4‑Card Minor Suit - Bid the 3-Card Minor (Clubs or Diamonds)

f. With Two 3‑Card Minor Suits - Bid the Lower Ranking Club Suit

Requirements for opening the bidding ONE NO TRUMP: = 15-17 HCP’s (Only High Card Points are counted, never distributional points since it be disadvantageous not to have all suits to the greatest degree possible.)

BEGINNER'S BRIDGE

LESSON 2

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OBJECTIVES

SCORING: At the end of each hand, points are awarded based upon the final contract and whether or not the specified contract was indeed fulfilled. Points can be earned in three ways:

1. Trick score for fulfilling a contract. ‑ for each trick bid and made (in excess of book), the partnership is awarded points based upon the specific denomination of the final contract.

a. 20 points per trick in Clubs or Diamonds (Minor Suits)

b. 30 points per trick in Hearts or Spades (Major Suits)

c. 40 points for the first trick, and 30 points for each subsequent trick in No Trump

2. Bonuses for fulfilling special contracts. ‑ An additional large bonus is awarded if the partnership bids and succeeds in making a contract worth 100 or more points. Thus, 5 of any minor suit, 4 of any major suit, and 3 NT are all awarded these special game points if contracted for, and made. Note: You do not get the game bonus if you do not bid the game contract, even if you take enough tricks. Bonus slam points are also awarded for bidding and making any 6 contract (SMALL SLAM), and for bidding and making any 7 contract (GRAND SLAM).

Using the Point Count System: the following special contracts can USUALLY be achieved if the partnership has a combined total of HCP's and distributional points:

a. 26 Points = Game b. 33 Points = Small Slam c. 37 Points = Grand Slam

3, Penalties for defeating the opponent's contract. ‑ If you do not make your bid or declared contract, your opponents receive points for defeating you. The penalty for GOING DOWN in your contract depends upon the number of tricks by which your contract is defeated, as well as whether or not your team is specified as being VULNERABLE or NOT VULNERABLE.

GUIDELINES FOR PLAY: The play of the hand, both from the declarer's and the defender's point of view is an exciting part of the game and poses numerous challenges as to which card to play on each trick. A few guidelines are as follows:

1. THE OPENING LEAD: ‑ The play starts with the player to the left of declarer making a lead. When leading against a no trump contract it is usually best to lead your longest suit, since long suits can be a good source of tricks. When choosing a card to lead, one leads the top card if you have three or more touching high cards, (Ex. QJ10 or KQJ), or fourth best from your longest suit (Ex. K9832 or A10963). When leading against a suit contract one might also lead the top of a sequence as just explained or else one may choose to take advantage of your trumps by leading a short suit of one (singleton) or two (doubleton) cards. You are hoping that, when the suit is led again, you will be able to win the trick by ruffing. When leading from a doubleton, lead the higher card first (Ex. 82 or 43).

2. SUBSEQUENT LEADS: ‑ The winner of the previous trick leads to the next one. If defending, it is often a good idea to return the suit that your partner led originally.

3. SECOND‑HAND PLAY: ‑ If the opponent on your right has led a card, and if not certain what to otherwise play, the generally accepted wisdom is to play a low card (second hand low).

4. THIRD‑HAND PLAY: ‑ If partner has led a card, you will contribute the third card to the trick. If it does not look as if partner's card will win the trick, it is usually advisable in third hand position to play a high card in an attempt to win the trick (third hand high).

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HAND VALUATION: ‑ The exchange of information between partners via bidding shows the combined valuation of the partnership as to both HCP's coupled with distributional points. The points in the combined partnership hands suggested as being needed in order to likely take enough tricks to make a game contract are as follows:

1. 5 Clubs or 5‑Diamonds (Minor Suits): 29 points (HCP’s + Distributional)

2. 4‑Hearts or 4‑Spades (Major Suits): 26 points (HCP’s + Distributional)

3. 3‑NT: 26 points (HCP’s only)

THE GOLDEN FIT: ‑ There are two parts to making a bid; i.e., the level and the denomination.. We have already discussed that the level is generally determined by the combined strength of the partnership. The determination as to whether the hand should be played in a suit contract or conversely in No Trump, however, is based upon the presence or absence of the GOLDEN FIT; i.e. whether or not the partnership has a combined majority of at least 8 cards in any one suit. If not, then No Trump is probably the best location as to the denomination of the final contract.

THE ROLES OF THE PARTNERS: ‑ You and your partner, working together, via the bidding, attempt to discover the relative combined strengths as to HCP's, distribution and relative presence or absence of a suit fit, so as to determine the level, denomination, and whether or not a game or slam bonus contract can be attempted.

1. THE OPENER: ‑ Each player has a role to play. The partner who opens the bidding gets the first opportunity to provide information to the partnership. The opening bid thus starts to paint a picture of his/her hand for partner.

2. THE RESPONDER ‑ The partner of the opening bidder is called the Responder. As responder, and having the advantage of having heard the opening partner describe his/her hand, he/she can thus takes the responsibility of guiding the partnership to the best contract as to both level and denomination. Remember, the level is decided by the combined strengths of the partnership; and the denomination is determined by the presence or absence of a golden fit; i.e., 8 cards or more in any of the four suits. The partnership can thus determine whether the team belongs in a part score, in game, or in slam through communication via the bidding process.

REQUIREMENTS FOR OPENING THE BIDDING 1 NO TRUMP

1. 15‑17 HCP's (Note: distributional points are not counted when considering a no trump contract.) In No Trump contracts it is not considered advantageous to have a doubleton, singleton, or a void, because shortness can never be trumped as it could be in a suit contract.

2. An evenly balanced hand; i.e. either a 4‑3‑3‑3, 4‑4‑3‑2, or a 5‑3‑3‑2 distribution (Note: There are no voids, no singletons, and never more than one doubleton. Also, the 5‑card suit in the latter example is always a minor suit, never a major suit.)

HANDS QUALIFYING FOR 1 NT OPENING HANDS NOT QUALIFY FOR 1 NT OPENING

J109 Q987 J73 J109 AQ87 J AK985 A9

A76 KJ AQ9 A76 KJ A1093 K87 A10

K872 AJ62 KJ1085 9872 AJ62 KQ1085 K95 KQ963

AKJ KQJ A9 AKJ KQJ AQ7 A6 K1095

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REQUIREMENTS FOR OPENING THE BIDDING 1 OF A SUIT

1. A combined HCP count and Distributional point count equal to 13 Points or more.

2. One of the following suit holdings:

a. With a 5-card or longer suit holding:

(1) Bid the longest suit

(2) Bid the higher ranking of any two 5-card or 6-card suits

b. With no 5-card or longer suit holding:

(3) Bid the longest (preferred) Minor suit (whether 3 cards or 4 cards)

(4) Bid the higher ranking of two 4-card Minor suits

Bid the lower ranking (Clubs) of two 3-card Minor suit holding

PLAYER NOMENCLATURE AND GENERAL BIDDER REQUIREMENTS

OPENER

At least 12‑13 Points with a 5‑Card suit (May Open)

14 HCP's with a 5 Card Major or Longest Minor Suit (Must Open)