Bridge

International

52

4

Game with an aristocratic scent, it is often suspected to be too difficult and complicated and thus alienates many possible fans. Actually, to start playing it you only need good will and a little attention.

The goal of the game is to make a certain number of catches after having budgeted them in the declarative phase: it is the so-called “contract”.

It is played with a regular deck of fifty-two international cards. The players are four, two against two. The partners sit opposite each other. Considering the table oriented according to the cardinal points, the pair (or line) North-South is opponent of the pair East-West. In the absence of different agreements or pairs already established (as in tournaments and championships), the pairs are determined by luck, through the cards. Each player draws one card and those who have taken the two most valuable become partners, while the others form the opposing pair.
The dealer is the highest draw. In case of drawing cards of equal value, the draw is made.

The dealer shuffles the cards and subjects them to the cut by the first player on his right. Then the cards are dealt one by one in a clockwise direction. Once the distribution is completed, the four players will have thirteen cards each. It is advisable that each player divide their cards according to the suit (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs) and values. The card with the highest value is Ace, followed by King, Queen, Jack, 10 and so on up to 2. The first five cards of each suit (Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10) are called honors. The ones from 9 to 2 are called “discards”. Transcribing the cards of a hand can omit the values of the discards held, replacing them with simple ‘x‘. This hierarchy only acts within the same color. Even the different colors (also called suit) have their own hierarchy, particularly important in the declarative phase, which, in descending order, is as follows: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs.

The Bridge is a game of catch (in French, levée): consisting of the set of four cards placed on the table, it is won by the player (and pair) who has dropped the highest value. Since each player has thirteen cards, there are thirteen catches in play for each hand. In fact, in the Bridge what matters is the number of catches that one pair makes compared to the other while it does not matter the quality and formation of the catches themselves or the moment in which they are made. The player who is first to play, obliges the others to answer with a card of the same suit. Only if a player does not have any card of that suit can play one of different suits, but cannot win the draw. Failure to respond to the suit if you have cards to fulfill the obligation is called renonce: because it is prohibited, it is penalized. The player who makes the take is the first to play in the next hand. At the end of the game, each pair will be assigned their own number of catches on the score.

A card is frank when the opponent does not have a higher card in the same suit. It is subjected when the opponent can overtake it with another of the same color. A card is considered to be frank even when the cards of higher value are in the hand of the partner. Some cards that are initially subjected, can become frank at a later time by giving one or more catches to the opponents. Since there are thirteen cards and four suits, it is certain that a hand contains at least one suit consisting of four cards. A suit is considered to be winning when it consists of all the cards (Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10) or when these can be franked without sacrifice (Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 2).

The stop (or hold) is made up of a card (usually an honor) that prevents, or can prevent, opponents from collecting all tricks of a suit. The ultimate catch, of course, is the Ace. Other safe stops are represented by the combinations K-Q, Q-J-10, J-10-9-8, while probable stops are situations K-J-x, Q-10-x, Q-J-x. They are, instead, considered possible the combination K-x, Q-x-x, J-x-x, since their chance of taking hold depends on the number of ‘protection’ discards or the dislocation of the other honors. This is why they are also called position stops. If the cards in the opponent’s suit guarantee more than one take, you have a double hold (A-K, K-Q-J, Q-J-10-9, but also K-Q-10, K-J-10-x, A-J-10, Q-J-9- 8, Q-10-9-8). Sometimes, an honor not sufficiently protected constitutes a hold thanks to the cooperation of the partner.

The game of Bridge is developed in two phases: the declaration and the card game. With the declaration (also called bid or auction), players exchange verbal information about their cards and, according to these, they can assume a certain number of catches that they will then have to achieve through the game of cards.
• the first declaration is made by the dealer and proceeds in a clockwise direction;
• the first bid, other than the pass declaration, is called ‘opening’;
• if all players pass, another hand is made;
• the declaration is concluded when the last bidding is followed by three passes;
• The final declaration is called contract;
• Each declaration must exceed the previous one or by rank of suit or by number of catches.
Six catches are mandatory and must be added to the declared ones. Since the total number of catches is thirteen, the player’s commitment cannot be less than seven or more than thirteen. The game of the pair who won the auction (and was awarded the contract) is called in attack (or declarer’s game), while that of the opposing pair (who must try to prevent the realization of the contract) is called in defense (or counterplay). If the player keeps the commitment or makes more than the declared catches, the pair will score a point. If the player makes fewer catches than declared, they receive negative points that are assigned to the opposing pair. The declarative cycle does not necessarily involve all four players: in some cases, it is only one of the two pairs to declare; in others, the declarative competition ceases after the first round.

Each hand must be evaluated and classified based on strength and distribution.
Evaluation of the strength of a hand in honors points
In the Bridge, the high cards (honors) have a greater value; they have the following scores:
• Ace: 4 P.O. (i.e., honors points)
• King: 3 P.O.
• Queen: 2 P.O.
• Jack: 1 P.O.
The score of the various honors in a hand is added together to give the value of the hand. Adding your own points to those of the partner, you get the total strength of the line of a hand. The available points are 40 (10 for each suit). The following is a list of indicative minimum scores for the take declared in contracts to without atout (W.A.):
• 7 catches W.A.: 20/22 points;
• 8 catches W.A.: 23/24 points;
• 9 catches W.A.: 25/27 points;
• 12 catches W.A.: 32/33 points;
• 13 catches W.A.: 37 points.
For contracts with the atout, the same number of catches can be achieved even with a slightly lower score.
Evaluation of a hand based on the distribution.
Starting from the number of cards of the same suit, the hand can be defined as:
•balanced – this is done with only a fourth suit, or with two quarter-seeds (4+3+3+3 or 4+4+3+2);
• Semi-balanced – this is done with a fifth seed and no other fourth (5+3+3+2);
• Unbalanced – of three types:
1. monochrome: with at least one sixth seed and no other fourth (6+3+2+2);
2. two-tone: with at least one fifth and another at least one fourth (5+4+2+2; or 5+5+2+1; or 6+5+1+1; and so on);
3. tricolour: with at least three-quarter seeds (4+4+4+1 or 5+4+4+0).
Only if the hand is unbalanced, the following distribution points (P.D.) should be considered in its evaluation:
• chicane: 3 P.D.
• singleton: 2 P.D.
• doubleton: 1 P.D.
In the case of a single-flush hand, with concentrated honors, 1 point can be added from the sixth card. In the case of a two-tone hand (5+5, or 6+4), with concentrated honors, you can add 1 point. In the case of exceptional two-tone, instead, the points will be 2.

Value of the catches
Only the declared catches (excluding the six mandatory ones) have a value according to the color range:
• each declared and made catch in Clubs or Squares: 20 points;
• each declared and made catch in Hearts or Spades: 30 points;
• the first declared and made catch W.A.: 40 points;
• the successive declared and made catch W.A.: 30 points.
All these values are doubled if they have been contracted; they are quadrupled if they have been overcontracted.

Various types of contracts
If a pair declares and makes 3 Clubs or Diamonds, it scores 60 points on the score. If it declares 3 Hearts or Spades, it scores 90 points. If, on the other hand, it declares 3 W.A. (40+30+30) it scores 100 points.
The rank of the color is important, especially because when the sum of the value of the declared tricks is less than 100 points the contract is considered partial, while when the sum of the declared draws is at least 100, the contract is defined as ‘di manche’ and gives right to a prize point supplementary.
An extra bonus is provided when you declare a contract that commits to make twelve catches (small slam), or even all catches (big slam).