In this course you will learn  how to value your hand in order to bid effectively, the difference between bridge and other card games, the rank of the bids, where you get your points from, trumps or NoTrumps, terminology and tricks you will play a game after each lesson as well as having a short progress quiz at the end of each lesson.

A brief overview of our lesson features and an introduction to Bridge. At the end of this course you'll play your first Bridge game. Lessons 015-019

The Standard American bidding system is a widely used method for communication in bridge games. It serves several purposes, including facilitating clear communication between partners,…

The Acol bidding system is primarily associated with bridge players in the United Kingdom, although it's also used in some other English-speaking countries like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. While it may not be as widely used internationally as some other bidding systems like Standard American or Precision, Acol remains popular in these countries, particularly among social and club players. In bridge, the Acol bidding system is straightforward for beginners. It's called a "natural" system because most bids are based on the strength and length of your cards. Opening Bids: When you start bidding, you usually need at least four cards in the suit you're bidding. If you don't have a long suit, you might bid a balanced hand with no long suits. Responses and Re-bids: When your partner makes an opening bid, you respond based on your own hand. Again, you generally need four or more cards in the suit you're bidding. You tell your partner about your hand's strength and any good suits you have. No Trump Bids: If you don't have a long suit, you might bid "no trump." This means you have a balanced hand without a strong preference for any suit. Acol is a simple system that helps beginners communicate with their partner effectively during the bidding phase of the game.

Before you start playing your hand, take a moment to pause. Think about how many tricks you can win, review what your opponents have bid (or not bid), and think about where the missing tricks might be. Decide on a strategy for how to play your hand. Don't touch any cards in the dummy (the face-up hand) until you've planned your moves. Declarer: The declarer is the player from the partnership that won the contract during the bidding phase. Their main objective is to fulfil the contract by taking as many tricks as possible. The declarer's partner becomes the dummy for the duration of the hand. The declarer is responsible for leading to the first trick and for making all decisions regarding which cards to play from their own hand. Throughout the play, the declarer aims to execute their plan to win the required number of tricks based on the contract. Dummy: The dummy is the declarer's partner, whose hand is placed face-up on the table after the opening lead. The dummy does not participate in the play of the hand; instead, the declarer controls both their own hand and the dummy's hand. The dummy's role is to display their cards openly for both the declarer and the opponents to see, allowing the declarer to plan and execute their strategy effectively. While the dummy cannot offer any advice or participate in decision-making, they play a passive yet essential role in supporting the declarer during the play of the hand.

When you are on defense there are several ways (called systems) you can communicate with your partner. Of course you can only communicate using the cards you put down, your partner needs to watch carefully and try to watch for your signals. These lessons cover a few of the more commonly used systems and are intended as general guides for players and are not intended to be rigid failsafe rules.

A bridge convention refers to an agreement between partners about using certain artificial bids during the auction phase of a contract bridge game. These bids convey specific information about the player's card holdings, helping partners to understand each other's hands better and make informed decisions during the game. Below are some of the more common conventions used in Bridge and what they mean. Bids may be "natural" meaning they are based on a holding of the suit bid, or a balanced distribution in the case of a notrump bid or "artificial" where the bid shows a feature unrelated to the suit that has been bid.

Defending Contracts: On defense, astute card play is crucial for preventing declarers from making their contracts. Defenders aim to disrupt declarers' plans, potentially setting them by taking tricks or establishing defensive tricks of their own. Effective card play can involve careful signalling, timely use of high cards, and coordination with one's partner. When playing defense in bridge, you and your partner have various communication methods, known as systems, to coordinate your efforts. These systems rely on the cards you play to convey information to your partner. Therefore, it's crucial for your partner to pay close attention and interpret your signals effectively to enhance your teamwork and improve your defensive strategy.