| Two partnerships of two players each are | | | | also bids first. The dealer changes on |
| needed to play bridge. The four players | | | | each game, usually going clockwise |
| sit around a table with partners | | | | around the table. |
| opposite one another. The compass | | | | In rubber bridge (or other non-duplicate |
| directions are often used to refer to | | | | games), the cards are shuffled before |
| the four players, aligned with their | | | | every game, and the dealer distributes |
| seating pattern. Thus, South and North | | | | all the cards clockwise one at a time, |
| form one partnership and East and West | | | | starting with his left-hand opponent and |
| form the other. | | | | ending with himself, so each player |
| A session of bridge consists of several | | | | receives a hand of thirteen cards. At |
| deals (also called hands or boards). A | | | | the same time, for convenience, the |
| hand is dealt, the bidding (or auction) | | | | dealer's partner usually shuffles a |
| proceeds to a conclusion and then the | | | | second deck, to be ready for use on the |
| hand is played. Finally the hand's | | | | following deal. The dealer's left-hand |
| result is scored. | | | | opponent will deal next. Each hand in |
| The goal of a single deal is to achieve | | | | rubber bridge is therefore random and |
| the highest score with given cards. The | | | | unrelated to other hands played, and a |
| score is affected by two principal | | | | lot of the time the score depends on the |
| factors: the number of tricks bid in the | | | | cards as well as the skill of play. |
| auction, and the number of tricks taken | | | | In duplicate bridge, the hands are |
| during play. Broadly speaking, there is | | | | shuffled only once, at the beginning of |
| an incentive to accurately bid to the | | | | the session, and dealt into the same |
| optimum contract and then to play to | | | | four hands of 13 cards, and these deals |
| make the contracted number of tricks (or | | | | are preserved for the entirety of the |
| more if good play or luck allows). Thus, | | | | tournament. In this way, each time they |
| in the bidding stage, the pairs compete | | | | are played, the results for different |
| to see who proposes the highest number | | | | players will be comparable and any |
| of tricks, and the side which wins the | | | | element of chance due to some players |
| bidding must then fulfill that bargain | | | | having better cards is eliminated. Cards |
| by taking at least the contracted | | | | in duplicate are passed around from |
| quantity of tricks in play to obtain a | | | | table to table in bridge boards, plastic |
| score. The number of tricks bid and the | | | | containers which clearly mark the hands, |
| trump suit (or lack thereof) are | | | | identifies who holds which cards, and |
| referred to as a contract. The trump | | | | also contains a folded slip of paper to |
| suit, or its absence (no trumps) is | | | | record each teams' scores after the |
| referred to as denomination or strain. | | | | game. In some competitions, boards are |
| If the side which wins the auction then | | | | pre-dealt prior to the competition, |
| takes the contracted number of tricks | | | | especially if the same hands are to be |
| (or more), it is said to have fulfilled | | | | played at multiple locations (for |
| the contract and is awarded a score; | | | | example in a large national or |
| otherwise, the contract is said to be | | | | international tournament). There are |
| defeated and points are awarded to the | | | | also special machines for pre-dealing on |
| defenders. | | | | large tournaments. At each subsequent |
| In finding an optimum contract, it can | | | | table, the four players pull their cards |
| sometimes pay to bid slightly too high | | | | from the board and count them to ensure |
| (or bluff), and lose a small number of | | | | that there are 13 cards in their hand. |
| points, rather than allow the opposing | | | | Unlike rubber bridge, in duplicate games |
| side to bid and make a larger score. | | | | players do not put their cards in the |
| This is known as a sacrifice, and is | | | | middle of the table as usual; instead |
| quite common if both sides are | | | | played cards are placed immediately in |
| contesting the final contract. This | | | | front of each player and turned face |
| aspect is more common in duplicate | | | | down once each trick has been completed. |
| bridge (as played in competitions and | | | | This is to allow each player to return |
| many clubs) where the goal is to get a | | | | his hand, intact, to the board after he |
| better score than any other partnership | | | | has finished it, so subsequent tables |
| facing the same hands, by however small | | | | can play the same deal, unaltered. It |
| a margin and in whatever way possible. | | | | also means that in case of a query or |
| Dealing | | | | other irregularity during a competition, |
| The game is played with a deck of 52 | | | | it is clear exactly who played which |
| cards. On each game, one player is the | | | | cards, and the order in which they were |
| dealer, who distributes the cards and | | | | played. |