After the deal, each player has 13 cards sorted by color and value. In bridge, the value of the cards, from highest to lowest, is as follows:

Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2

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Bridge is a game of tricks (we also say tricks): each of the 4 players plays a card in turn, and the one who played the strongest of the 4 cards wins the trick. He then picks up the played cards, and begins the next trick. On a trick, there are several simple rules to follow:

 

• The player who starts the trick can play the card of his choice (any color, any height). The color of this first card determines what is called the requested color.

• The next 3 players must then imperatively play a card of the requested color (if they have at least one).

• If a player has no more cards of the requested color, he can play any card of his choice (we say he discards).

• When the 4 players have played, the player who has played the strongest card of the requested color wins the trick. Cards of other suits cannot win the trick. The player who won then picks up the cards, and starts again as indicated in 1.

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The number of tricks to be won to win a deal is fixed at the time of the auction (see below) in the form of a contract to be fulfilled. There are 7 levels of contract. And for each level of contract corresponds a number of tricks to be carried out.

 

Number of exercises according to the level of the contract:

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The number of tricks is equal to the level + 6.

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We see above that the first contract (tier 1) consists of making at least 7 tricks (one more than the other team). And that the highest contract (tier 7) requires you to do all the tricks (13). Depending on the final result (contract fulfilled or not), points are awarded to one or the other of the two teams. The points earned accumulate from deal to deal. And the ultimate goal of the game, to win a game, is to reach a certain number of points.

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In bridge, you can play either no trumps or trumps. What is the asset? The trump suit is a suit stronger than the other three, fixed at the time of the auction (see below). The special rules for trumps are as follows:

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The trump game

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When a player has no more cards of the requested suit (and only in this case), he can play a trump card (we say he cuts) and thus win the trick, regardless of the height of the trick. his cutting card. For example, you can ruff an Ace with the 2 of trumps and win the trick.

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• No obligation to cut

There is no obligation to cut a trick. A player, who can no longer provide the color requested, always has the choice between cutting or discarding.

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• No overcut obligation

There is no obligation to overcut a trick. When a trick has already been cut, a player, who can no longer supply the color requested, can cut with a higher card (we say that he is overcutting) if he wants to win the trick. But he always has the choice between overcutting or discarding (or even cutting smaller if he wishes).

As soon as a trick has been cut by a trump, cards of other suits can no longer win the trick. The player who wins the trick is then the one who has placed the highest trump card.

 

The No Trump game

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In Sans Atout, there is no trump. No color is therefore stronger than the others. If a player cannot supply the requested suit, he discards and can never win the trick.

Auctions

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The dealer, after distributing the 52 cards one by one, begins the bidding. It is during bidding that players choose the trump suit, or decide to play No Trump. It is also during the auction that they set the level of the final contract.

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Each player can in turn declare a contract made up of a level (from 1 to 7), and a trump or no trump suit. It is always necessary to announce a contract higher than the previous contract, that is to say either at a higher level, or at the same level but with a more expensive color. The contract color hierarchy, from lowest to most expensive, is as follows:

Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, No Trumps

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Order of suits, from lowest (Club) to highest (SA).

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Players can thus outbid each in turn. For example, after 1♠ you can bid 2♦, whereupon you can bid 2♥, etc. There can be as many rounds as needed. As soon as a contract is followed by 3 Passes, the bidding is over. The last contract to be declared becomes the final contract, and card play can begin.

 

DO your contract or FALL

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The team that announced the final contract had the advantage of fixing the trump suit (or choosing No Trump). But she also has a contract to fulfill. It must make at least the number of tricks indicated by the level of the contract. If she succeeds, she makes her contract and earns points accordingly. If it fails, it is said to fall, and then the other team scores points.

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The player who first named the color of the final contract is called the declarer. It is the player seated to his left who leads (who plays the first card). Once this first card has been played (and not before), declarer's partner spreads his hand on the table. His name is Death. He no longer plays his cards himself, but plays the cards indicated to him by declarer.

When Dummy plays, declarer calls the card of his choice, and Dummy plays it without intervening. If Dummy wins the trick and therefore takes the hand, declarer must call a card from Dummy to begin the next trick. Note that Dummy's cards are visible to the other three players, which strongly influences the tactics to be adopted