| The auction | | | | tricks). Thus to bid, a player is effectively stating they |
| The auction determines the declaring side and the final | | | | expect their partnership to win at least 50% of the |
| contract, which consists of the denomination and level | | | | available tricks in the pack (50% x 13 tricks = 6.5 tricks) |
| (number of tricks). Only one of partners of the | | | | if allowed to play the named contract. |
| declaring side, referred to as declarer, will play the | | | | A player wishing to bid must make a bid that is higher |
| hand, while the other will become the dummy (i.e. doing | | | | than the preceding bid. A bid is higher if it specifies any |
| nothing). In addition, if the final contract is doubled (by | | | | denomination on a higher level, or a higher-ranked |
| the opponents) or redoubled (by the contracting | | | | denomination on the same level. The denominations |
| partnership) the scoring of the hand is increased, | | | | are ranked, from lowest to highest, as clubs , diamonds |
| whether the contract is made or defeated. | | | | , hearts , spades , and no trump (NT). Thus, after a bid |
| During the auction, each player makes a call at his turn, | | | | of 3, bids of 2 or 3 are not allowable, but 3or 4 are. |
| which must be one of the following: | | | | Thus, 1 is the lowest possible bid, followed by 1 etc, |
| Bid (stating a level and a denomination) | | | | while 7NT is the highest possible bid. It should be noted |
| Double (when the last call other than pass was a bid | | | | that the primary purpose of the early bids is to |
| by an opponent) | | | | communicate between partners rather than to |
| Redouble (when the last call other than pass was a | | | | determine the final contract. |
| double by an opponent) | | | | A double can be made only after the opponents have |
| Pass (when unwilling to make one of the three | | | | made a bid. At its simplest, this states that the player is |
| preceding calls, i.e. "abstain") | | | | so confident that the opponents cannot make their bid |
| (Note: although technically incorrect, the word "bid" is | | | | during play that the player is willing to double their |
| also often used informally in place of "call") | | | | score if they do and the penalty if they do not. |
| The auction starts with the dealer and proceeds | | | | However, in modern bridge, the double is often used in |
| clockwise with each player, having first evaluated their | | | | conventional sense, to ask partner to bid or to pass |
| hands, making a call in order. The auction ends when 3 | | | | information to partner. A "redouble" is a bid which can |
| successive passes occur after a bid, double or | | | | be made only following an opponents' "double"; it |
| redouble (or if all 4 players pass in the first round). | | | | increases the points scored yet further. In practice the |
| A bid specifies how many tricks the bidder believes | | | | redouble can also be used systemically for other |
| that the partnership can take using both their hands, | | | | purposes. Double and redouble are in effect only until |
| and with which strain as trump. Any bid starts with the | | | | the next bid, i.e. any subsequent bid invalidates them. |
| assumption that the bidder can make at least six tricks, | | | | Once the auction ends, the last bid (together with any |
| called book, plus the stated number of additional tricks. | | | | double or redouble that followed it) becomes the |
| So the bid includes a level (from one to seven, | | | | contract, and the level of this bid determines the |
| representing how many tricks beyond six the bidder | | | | number of tricks required to achieve the contract and |
| proposes to make) and a denomination (also called | | | | its denomination determines what suit, if any, will be |
| strain), which is either a suit or "no trump". For instance, | | | | trumps. The pair that did not win the contract is called |
| "3 hearts" asserts that his partnership can take nine | | | | the defense. The pair that made the last bid is divided |
| tricks (book plus three) with hearts as the trump suit. | | | | further: the player who first made a bid in the |
| There are 35 possible bids, which include all | | | | denomination of the final contract becomes the |
| combinations of 5 denominations and 7 levels (7-13 | | | | declarer and their partner becomes the dummy |