1.2.4 Total Points

The sum of high card points (HCP) and one of the shape points (long suit or short suit point) is called total points (TP). 
When you are opening a bid or bidding a new suit you must evaluate your hand with HCP & long suit points. So, 

TOTAL POINTS= HIGHCARD POINTS + LONG SUIT POINTS ...... (1.1)

Plese see Chapter 10 for practicing point count..

Once your partner opens, and if you are going to raise your partner's suit you must reevaluate your hand with short suit points. So, in raising partner's suit you must use below equation.

TOTAL POINTS= HIGHCARD POINTS + SHORT SUIT POINTS ..... (1.2)

Don't forget that, if you are opener, and raising the responder's suit you must also use equation (1.2).

• Never cumulate long suit (length) and short suit (dummy) points; use them separately.

• If you are evaluating your hand (either as opener or responder) for a no trump contract don't use total points; use only high card points.

Here are some examples for counting points:

Click on the buttons:

      

1.3 Ranks

The ranks are imoprtant in the auction. The suit ranks  from highest to lowest are shown below:

Suit Group	Suit Rank
No  suit	No trump	Balanced hands are suitable for notrump contracts.
Major suits	spade heart	Majors are higher ranking suits. Always seek for 8-card major fit with your partner as: 4-4, 5-3, 6-2....
Minor suits	diamond club	Minors are lower ranking suits. If you don't have 8-card major suit fit with your partner, you canmake a contract either in one of minor suits or notrump..

At the begining of the auction the lowest suit is 1 . After auction started, the nearest suit to the bidded suit is the cheapest..
Example;
If the latest bid is : 1 ,
2 expensive suit,
1 cheapest suit.
or,
If the bid is :1 ,
3 expensive suit.
2  is cheapest.

1.3.3 Suit Length

Long suit = A, R, 7, 6, 5, 3
Short suit = D, 3

1.3.4  Suit Strength

Strong suit = A, R, D, 10, 8,
Weak suit = D, 10, 8, 5, 4,

1.4 Contract

In the auction you can bid one of the below contracts or call pass, double, redouble...

A contract at the 1-level,  for example1NT, needs 7 tricks.

A contract at the 2-level, for example 2, needs 8 tricks..

A contract at the 3-level, for example 3NT,  needs 9 tricks.

A contract at the 4-level, for example 4, needs 10 tricks.

A contract at the 5-level, for example 5, needs 11  tricks.

A contract at the 6-level, for example 6, needs 12  tricks.

A contract at the 7-level, for example 7, needs 13  tricks.

1.5 Contract Levels

Your aim is to make a contract to play in game (like 3NT,  4  etc.). You win at least 100 point if you play in game. If you don't have enough points for game level, you can bid a contract for part score.  If your opponents bid a contract at a higher level than you, your aim is to prevent them making the contract. You can practice contract levels at the Section-10 of this site..

COLETA  (Yalcin Pekiner's COntract LEvels TAble)
TRUMP CONTRACTS			NOTRUMP CONTRACTS
Combined   Total Points HCP+Shape Points	Possible Trump Contract with at least 8-card fit		Combined   Total Points HCP	Possible NoTrump Contract
16-18	1 of a suit	PART-GAME	16-18	-	PART-GAME
19-21	2  of a suit		19-21	1NT
22-24	3  of a suit		22-24	2NT
25-27	4  of a suit	GAME	25-27	3NT	GAME
28-30	5  of a suit		28-30	4NT
31-33	6  of a suit  with stoppers	SLAM	31-33	5NT
34-36	7  of a suit with stoppers	GRAND SLAM	34-36	6NT	SLAM
37-40	GRAND SLAM

A contract whose trick score is less then 100 is called part-game or partscore contract.

Any contract whose trick score is higher then 100 is called game contract. Slam and grandslam contracts are also game contracts.

1.6.1 Symbols

Please find below the symbols of the high cards;

Honor	English Symbol
Ace	A
King	K
Queen	Q
Jack	J
10	10
Double	x
Redouble	xx
1) Sometimes letter "T" is used for ten. 2) Low ranking cards are denoted as (x). Letter x is also used in describing doubled hands.

1.6.2 Scoring

The scoring depends on the type of bridge you are playing. There are three types of bridge:

1. Rubber Bridge: The partnership which wins two games (with 100 points) wins the rubber. Rubber bridge  mainly played in clubs for money.
2. Chicago Bridge :Also known as Four-Deal Bridge. In this type of bridge, player who gets the highest score wins the game. Chicago bridge mainly played among friends.
3- Dublicate Bridge: In this type of bridge, players at the different tables play the same deals. Dublicate bridge is mainly played in clubs, tournaments and matches.

The scoring is almost same in all three types of bridges, but the bonuses change considerably:

Note: Go to Duplicate Bridge" section for practicing the scoring

Duplicate bridge is mainly played in clubs, tournaments and matches. In Duplicate Bridge players at the different tables play the same deals. Then the results of the tables are compared. In this way the  factor of luck is eliminated.

Add 300 points for nonvulnerable game contracts.

Add 500 points for  vulnerable game contracts.

Example:

Non-vulnerable four spades contract:
Score   4 x 30  = 120
Award              =300

---

Total                = 420

 

You can practice duplicate bridge scoring with the help of a program in Section 15 (15.Duplicate Bridge)...

Table 1:  Trick Score You get these scores for each trick.
Trump	Trick Score	Doubled Trick Score	Redoubled Trick Score
Spade	30	60	120
Heart	30	60	120
Diamond	20	40	80
Club	20	40	80
Notrump	first trick 40, thereafter 30	first trick 80, thereafter 60	first trick 160 thereafter 120

 

Table 2: Overtrick Score Any extra trick after your contract is subject to bonus. If your contract is  three spades and if you make 5 spades then you have two extra trick.
Vulnerability	Trick Score	Doubled Trick Score	Redoubled Trick Score
Non-vulnerable	20 in minors, 30 major or notrumpcontracts	100	200
Vulnerable	20 in minors, 30 major or notrumpcontracts	200	400

 

Table 3: Undertrick Score Defending side scores below points for each undertrick if you fail to take the tricks you contracted to take. For example, you are two down  if your contract is five diamonds and you can make only three tricks.
Contract	Vulnerability	First Undertrick Score	Subsequent  Undertrick Scores
Normal	Non-vulnerable	50	50
	Vulnerable	100	100
Doubled	Non-vulnerable	100	200 **
	Vulnerable	200	400
Redoubled	Non-vulnerable	200	400
	Vulnerable	400	600

 ** After 3 down,  the penalty for each subsequent undertrick becomes 300.

Table 4: Slam Bonuses Slam or Grand slam contracts are subject to extra bonuses.
Bonus type	Score
Slam  (if you bid and make a slam contract)	Non-vulnerable	500
	Vulnerable	750
Grand Slam  (if you bid and make a gran slam contract)	Non-vulnerable	1000
	Vulnerable	1500

Table 5: Other Bonuses
Bonus Type	Description	Score
Making a partscore contract	If you succeed in making a partscore contract	50
Making a doubled contract	If you succeed in making a doubled contract you get bonus.	50
Making a redoubled contract	If you succeed in making a redoubled contract you get bonus.	100

1.6.4 Programming Language

Universal notation for bridge games is called  PBN (Portable Bridge Notation). Files with .pbn extensions  can be viewed by many computer programs. Most bridge hands played in tournaments are  written in pbn format.

The programs in Bridge7 ( Go to Section-10) are written in Java Script and Visual Basic. Visual Basic programs can be downloaded..

In order to explain bridge play in computer programs, each player represented by a direction: South, West, North and East. In computer programs South is declarer. Please find below a sample hand diagram:

Contract =3 NT Op. lead   =K	A K Q 8 7 5 Q J 10 9  K J 10
8 7 6 5 2  4 3 2 A K 5 7 6 --		J 10 K J 9 3 Q 8 6 5 4 3 2
	9 3 4 A Q 10 6 8 4 2 A 9 7