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Plain Sailing Introduction

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  1. 004 - High Card Points
  2. 005 - Long Suit Distribution Points
  3. 006 - Short Suit Distribution Points
  4. 010 - The Ranking of Bridge Bids
  5. 012 - The Minor Suits
  6. 011 - The Major Suits
  7. 003 - Tricks To Make Your Bid
  8. 014 - Quiz 1 Hand Evaluation
  9. 008 - Trump Suits
  10. 009 - No Trumps
  11. 000 - How to make your contract
  12. 002 - Definition of Terms
  13. 105 - Vulnerability
  14. 401 - Defensive Bids Overcalls and Doubles
  15. 406 - Overcalling 1NT
  16. 402 - Overcalling With Stronger Hands
  17. 629 - Opening Leads - Overview
Plain Sailing Introduction 003 – Tricks To Make Your Bid
Lesson 7 of 17
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003 – Tricks To Make Your Bid

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.
Bridge Scoring Table – Counting <span class="glossary-tooltip glossary-term-27080" tabindex="0"><span class="glossary-link"><a href="https://members.60secondbridge.com/glossary/trick/" class="glossary-only-link">Tricks</a></span><span class="hidden glossary-tooltip-content clearfix"><span class="glossary-tooltip-text">A round of 4 cards where each player contributes 1 card. There are 13 tricks in a game of bridge.</span></span></span>

Counting Tricks you need to make when you play a contract

The Book 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 contract at the 1-level means the declarer (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 NoTrump, 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 suit contract and a major suit (Spades and Hearts – Lesson 011) contract scores more points than a minor suit (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



   One Card in your hand

   Four cards in your hand

   When one card has been played by each player

   An interesting new idea

Practice This Lesson

Play a Game in 4S (four spades)

PLAY

Responses

  4. Unknown Member November 30, 2021

    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)

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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.
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