How to Play Bridge: Your Complete Beginner's Guide
Bridge is a partnership card game renowned for its depth, strategy, and social enjoyment. This guide will walk you through everything from the very basics to intermediate tactics, helping you play confidently at home, online, or in club tournaments.
See All TutorialsThe Fundamentals
Before you can win tricks and score points, you need to understand the structure of the game:
Players & Partnerships:
Four players form two teams (North-South vs. East-West), sitting opposite each other.
The Deck:
A standard 52-card deck is used. Suits rank in order: spades (highest), hearts, diamonds, clubs. Within each suit, cards rank Ace down to Two.
Tricks & Hands:
Each deal consists of 13 tricks. A trick is won by the highest card of the suit led unless a trump card is played.
Sorting your cards by suit ♠️ ♥️ ♦️ ♣️ arranging them from high to low will make bidding and play much easier.
How Bidding Works
The bidding phase—or auction—is how partners communicate their hand strength and decide on the contract:
Dealing
The dealer distributes 13 cards to each player.
Opening Bid
Starting with the dealer, each player may bid (offer a contract), pass, double (increase the stakes on an opponent's contract), or redouble.
Level & Denomination
A bid is a number (1-7) plus a denomination (♣️ ♦️ ♥️ ♠️ or NT for No Trump). It promises to win six plus that number of tricks.
Ending the Auction
When three players in a row pass after a bid, the auction ends. The highest bid becomes the final contract.
Good partnerships agree on simple point-count and distribution guidelines, typically opening with 12+ high-card points, plus extras for long or short suits.
High-card points are counted as follows: 4 points for an Ace, 3 for a King, 2 for a Queen, and 1 for a Jack.
Once the contract is set, the declarer must win at least the number of tricks promised.
Fulfilling The Contract
Once the contract is set, the declarer (the player who first named the contract suit) must win the promised tricks:
1. Dummy's Cards:
Declarer's partner lays their hand face-up as dummy. Declarer plays both hands.
2. Opening Lead:
Defender to the left of declarer leads the first card.
3. Planning Your Line:
Before playing, count your certain winners and losers. Decide whether to draw trumps immediately or use trump cards to ruff losers in dummy.
4. Finesses & Safety Plays:
When holding honors like Queen-Jack or Ace-Queen, sometimes you lead through an opponent to maximize trick potential.
Always keep track of entries (ways to switch between declarer's hand and dummy) so you can cash established winners.
Working As A Team
Defenders win by defeating the declarer's contract. Success relies on clear signaling and coordinated leads:
Opening Leads:
A safe default is fourth-best from your longest suit, but a sequence (e.g. King-Queen-Ten) may call for different choices.
Attitude Signals:
Play a top card to encourage continuation of the suit; a low card to discourage.
Count Signals:
High-low to show an even number of cards remaining; low-high for odd.
Suit Preference:
When forced to discard, your choice of card can indicate which other suit you favor.
Turning Tricks Into Points
Bridge scoring may feel complex, but it breaks down into clear categories:
Contract Points:
For each trick above six, you earn points based on the contract suit or No Trump.
Overtricks/Undertricks:
Extra tricks beyond the contract score small bonuses; failing to make the contract incurs penalties.
Vulnerability:
Partnerships may be "vulnerable," which raises both rewards and risks.
Slams & Games:
Reaching 100 contract points makes a "game," earning a bonus; bidding and making six or seven-level contracts earns additional slam bonuses.
In rubber bridge, you play until one side wins two games.
In duplicate bridge (common in clubs), hands are compared across tables to rank performance, emphasizing consistency over absolute scores.
Speaking In Code
Conventions let partners share detailed information without giving away too much to opponents. Start with these essentials:
Stayman:
After a 1NT opening, responder bids 2♣️ to ask for a four-card major.
Blackwood:
A 4NT bid asking for the number of Aces (and then Kings) to judge slam potential.
Jacoby Transfers:
After 1NT, responder bids 2♦️ or 2♥️ to transfer to hearts or spades, keeping the stronger hand concealed.
Weak Two:
A preemptive 2-level opening showing a six-card suit and limited point count, aimed at disrupting opponents.
Master these before branching into more elaborate systems.
Count Early
On the first trick, tally probable winners and losers in both hands.
Manage Entries
Preserve entries to both declarer and dummy to cash established suits.
Avoid Overbidding
Stick to basic opening strength guidelines until you and your partner have built trust.
Communicate Clearly
Agree on when and how to use alerts, and review auction misunderstandings after each round.
Practice Often
Regular play—whether online, with friends, or in a bridge club—builds intuition and confidence.
Bidding Flashcards
Quiz yourself on opening requirements and responses until they become second nature.
Mini-Matches
Play short two-handed or three-handed practice to focus on specific skills (e.g., defense signals).
Online Platforms
BridgeChamp's virtual tables offer hands against real opponents and automated partners.
Books & Videos
Start with beginner-friendly titles (Audrey Grant, Eddie Kantar) and video series that walk through hands in detail.
You're Ready To Play! Let's Take The Next Step
BridgeChamp is designed for both players and organizers. If you're a club director, federation official, or event host, you'll love the powerful tools available:
