The world’s best-known intellectual card game, played in sporting tournaments. The essence: agree a contract with your partner in the auction, then make it in the play.
Two pairs (partners sit opposite) name a contract in the auction — how many tricks they commit to take and with which trump — then try to make it in the play. The opponents, in turn, try to “defeat” the contract.
Play with a 52-card deck, 13 cards each. Players are named by compass points: North and South are one pair, East and West the other. Ranks are normal: ace high, two low.
After the deal comes the auction: players bid in turn. A bid “N in a suit or no-trump” is a commitment to take N + 6 tricks. Bids ascend — first by number, then by denomination rank: clubs and diamonds (minors) 20 points per trick; hearts and spades (majors) 30; no-trump 40 then 30. You may pass, and also double an opponent’s bid, and redouble. Three passes end the auction.
The declarer is the member of the winning pair who first named the contract suit; they play for both hands. The dummy is the declarer’s partner; after the opening lead they lay their cards face-up and the declarer plays them. The defenders are the opposing pair, trying to defeat the contract.
The opponent to the declarer’s left leads first, then the dummy’s cards go down. Thirteen tricks are played: follow suit if you can; trumping is not required; with no card of the suit you may trump or discard. A trick goes to the highest trump, or without trumps to the highest card of the led suit.
The contract is made if the declaring pair takes the bid number plus six. Points are scored by denomination; reaching 100 “below the line” makes a “game”. Failing gives points to the opponents. Separate bonuses go for slams (committing to 12 or all 13 tricks). Exact “below/above the line” scoring is a topic of its own.
Four players in two pairs, partners opposite. A 52-card deck, 13 each.
“N in a suit or no-trump” — a commitment to take N plus six tricks with that trump.
The declarer’s partner; after the opening lead they reveal their cards and the declarer plays both hands.
Bridge grew out of whist, adding the auction for a contract and the dummy.