Lesson 3 of 5
In Progress

017 – Play Your Second Bridge Game With Us

017

Your Next Bridge Game

This is your third lesson and we know you want to play so you at the end of this lesson you will play another game.  

The bidding and the play

A Bridge game is in two phases – bidding (auction) and play. If you’ve already played Euchre, 500 or Whist, then the play phase will be very familiar, follow suit if you can or if it is a trump contract then you can also use a trump suit.

Cards and hands

There are no Bowers in Bridge and you will be playing with a full deck of 52 cards with each playing having 13 cards in their hand.

Use the hints to bid

While the play phase will be very familiar, the Bidding phase in Bridge is very different. Bidding in Bridge is very formalised with a large number of rules. However when playing online here you’ll be able to use the built-in help to help you bid. In these early lessons we recommend you always follow the bidding recommendations. These early lessons will focus on helping to to play better so you can play Bridge online here as quickly as possible.

Your turn to bid

 When it is your turn to bid, you’ll click on the ‘?’ beneath your seat position (SOUTH) to find out what your bid should be. The recommended bid appears below your card. In the example below the recommended bid is ‘1NT’ (one notrumps) so you would click ‘1NT’ on the bidding pad.

 The bidding hints are even available in our daily bridge competitions so after a few short lessons you’ll be be playing competitively in our online Bridge game competitions.

Click under your Username to see what bid you should make
Move your cursor and Click on the suggested Bid. In this game 1NT
If your screen size is tablet or smaller you will have a slider below your cards to bid, just click on your desired bid use the to navigate




Instant Progress Quiz - Check the correct answer



   Yes

   No

Responses

The Acol Bidding System

*If you live in the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand Acol is the most widespread system Acol has the following characteristics:
  • It is a natural system: most opening bids, responses and rebids are made with at least 4 cards in the suit bid, and most no trump bids are made with balanced hands.
  • It is a four-card major system: only four-card suits are required to open 1♠ or 1♄, unlike Standard American and many other systems where five-card suits are typically required.
  • It makes extensive use of limit bids: limit bids describe the hand so closely, in terms of high card points (HCP) and shape, that the one who makes the limit bid is expected to pass on the next round, unless partner makes a forcing bid.
  • Understanding and correct use of limit bids and forcing bids is fundamental to applying the system: all no trump bids below the level of 4NT are limit bids, as are all suit bids that merely repeat a suit already bid by the partnership; changes of suit may be forcing or not depending on the approach bids.
  • The level of the 1NT opening bid influences other bids: the normal choice is between a “weak no trump” (12–14 HCP) and a “strong no trump” (15–17 HCP).
  • All 1 of a suit opening bids then promise at least 4 cards in the bid suit
  • Notrump follow-up conventions include Stayman, Jacoby transfers Blackwood and Gerber Convention.