003
Tricks To Win Your Contract
Bridge is a trick-taking game and is a card game in which playing the trick is based on 13
rounds of play, each called tricks, which has a winner or “taker” of that trick. When all cards have been
played, the number of the tricks won by each pair is counted for scoring. The winner of a trick is the one who
plays the highest-ranked card of the suit led, unless another player has trumped it.
Counting Tricks you need to make when you play a contract
The BookThe basic six tricks that must be won by the declaring side. The first six "book" tricks are always presumed and are not accounted for in either the bidding or scoring. This means that a contract at the 1-level commits declarer to take at least 7 (that is, 6 +... is a term which means that a total of six tricks in any order from the thirteen tricks in a game. These tricks need to be won by the declaring side before any extra tricks can be used to calculate a score.
A contractThe final suit and level of bidding sets the number of tricks and the trump suit for the game.This is called the contract. The partnership that wins the bidding can earn the points if they succeed in getting the number of tricks they contracted.
The number ... at the 1-level means the declarerThe player who during the auction made the first bid the SUIT of the final contract, becomes the declarer. The also play their partners hand which is now renamed 'dummy.'
Declarer plays both their own and dummy's hand. (player) must win at least 7 tricks (that is, the book = 6 + 1 extra) tricks. Extra points are awarded only for the extra tricks above the book.
The number ... at the 1-level means the declarerThe player who during the auction made the first bid the SUIT of the final contract, becomes the declarer. The also play their partners hand which is now renamed 'dummy.'
Declarer plays both their own and dummy's hand. (player) must win at least 7 tricks (that is, the book = 6 + 1 extra) tricks. Extra points are awarded only for the extra tricks above the book.
| Bid | Bid | + The Book | = Tricks to Win | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 NoTrumpA bid to play a hand without a trump suit where the highest card played to the suit first led to the trick - wins. This bid is peculiar to Bridge, | or | 1♠ | or | 1♥ | or | 1♦ | or | 1♣ | 1 | + 6 tricks | =7 tricks |
| 2 NoTrump | or | 2♠ | or | 2♥ | or | 2♦ | or | 2♣ | 2 | + 6 tricks | =8 tricks |
| 3 NoTrump | or | 3♠ | or | 3♥ | or | 3♦ | or | 3♣ | 3 | + 6 tricks | =9 tricks |
| 4 NoTrump | or | 4♠ | or | 4♥ | or | 4♦ | or | 4♣ | 4 | + 6 tricks | =10 tricks |
| 5 NoTrump | or | 5♠ | or | 5♥ | or | 5♦ | or | 5♣ | 5 | + 6 tricks | =11 tricks |
| 6 NoTrump | or | 6♠ | or | 6♥ | or | 6♦ | or | 6♣ | 6 | + 6 tricks | =12 tricks |
| 7 NoTrump | or | 7♠ | or | 7♥ | or | 7♦ | or | 7♣ | 7 | + 6 tricks | =13 tricks |
Scoring
Scoring is based on the number of tricks a player or partnership has won and the value of that contract for example a No-trump contract scores more points at the same Level than a major suitThe spade and heart suit are major suits, often referred to simply as 'the majors' contract and a major suit (Spades and Hearts – Lesson 011) contract scores more points than a minor suitDiamonds and the club suit are the minor suits, often referred to as 'the minors' (Diamonds and Clubs – Lesson 012) contract. The scoring is different depending on whether you won, or didn’t win, the number of tricks your bid promised. See our Bridge Scoring Table (for when you have achieved your contract) and our Undertrick Bridge Score Table for when you did not. Both tables are printable so you can use them in real-life Bridge games.Instant Progress Quiz – Check the correct answer
Responses
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Why is the hint straight to 4 Spades
The club lead at trick 2 made 12 tricks possible.
I made 12 tricks
The Book
Can this be reworded or expanded -yes, the ‘book’ is the first 6 tricks of the required number of tricks, but it does not mean as Declarer you have to win the first 6 tricks ( which is often what new players try to do)
There was no reference to major and minor suit contracts in the preceding section on bridge terms – first reference is above under scoring
Thank you – I have referenced the lessons on Major and Minor Suits