Bridge counting game

But, if you actively infer distribution and the location of the high cards, the principles go out the window, and you can instead play your cards "double-dummy", choosing the card to play that works the best.

There is something inherently satisfying in counting out the hand and discovering the best play to make, especially when it is different from what you would have done had you not counted. When your head is above water, you get one view of the ocean; when you put your head in the water, you get a completely different view. Do not count dummy points when you are bidding your own suit.

Only the dummy counts dummy points — Duh! Do not count dummy points for no trump, even if you have support for a suit partner has previously bid. If partner has bid a major suit, count dummy points whenever you have a fit. Declaring in the major suit is preferred to declaring in no trump. But if partner has bid a minor suit, do not count dummy points when you raise because many hands with a minor suit fit wind up played in NT.

Partner needs to know when the points you promise with your raise will contribute to taking tricks in a NT contract. Dummy points do not. If partner has avoided NT and has bid his minor a second time, count full dummy points when deciding if you should raise to a minor suit game. Go to the next topic:. Opening Bids. Opener's Rebids.

Responding to an Overcall. Takeout Doubles. Responding to a Takeout Double. Count losing tricks only for the first three cards of each suit The 4th, 5th, 6th etc.

With three or more cards in a suit count the A, K and Q as winners; anything lower is a loser. With two cards in a suit count the A and K as winners; anything lower is a loser With one card in a suit count the A as a winner; anything lower is a loser There are never more than three losers in a suit. You get a part-score bonus when the contract required is below the game level, i. A bonus of 50 points called " part-score bonus " is then automatically awarded.

A game bonus is awarded when the contract required has reached or exceeded points, the contract being considered as a game here. Bonuses of and points respectively are given to non-vulnerable and vulnerable sides. The game bonus replaces the part-score bonus. Slam bonuses are divided into two categories: small slam and grand slam. A small slam is a contract requiring declarer to make six-odd, or 12 tricks in all. A grand slam is a contract requiring declarer to win all 13 tricks 7-level.

This bonus is added to the game bonus. Here we are talking about a factor weighing heavily in point calculation. When the contract is " successful ", trick points won are multiplied by two or quadrupled respectively if the contract has been doubled or redoubled. If the contract is not fulfilled, a double or a redouble increase the number of points scored by the defence, making penalties significantly greater for declarer. Some players use an easier and quicker way to calculate points.

It is a scoring system that counts bridge points according to the contract and tricks. Notrump Spade Heart Diamond Club. Not doubled Doubled Redoubled. Also see: bid decoder. How to keep score in bridge?