Bridge glossary: A complete reference of Bridge terminology, from basic terms every beginner should know to advanced vocabulary used by competitive players.

How to Use This Glossary

This glossary covers the most important bridge terms you will encounter as a player, whether you are a complete beginner or an advancing intermediate. Terms are arranged alphabetically for easy reference.

A

Above the line — In rubber bridge scoring, points scored for overtricks, penalties, and bonuses are written above the horizontal line on the score sheet. These points do not count toward making game.

Auction — The bidding phase of a bridge hand, during which all four players make calls. The auction determines the contract, declarer, and trump suit.

Alert — A notification to the opponents that partner’s bid has a special or conventional meaning. Alerts ensure that opponents have access to the same information as the bidder’s partner.

B

Balanced hand — A hand with no void, no singleton, and at most one doubleton. The common balanced distributions are 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2, and 5-3-3-2.

Below the line — In rubber bridge, trick points scored from fulfilled contracts are written below the line. Points below the line count toward making game.

Bid — A call during the auction naming a number (1–7) and a strain (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, or no trump). The number represents tricks above the book of six.

Blackwood — A conventional bid of 4NT used to ask partner how many aces they hold. Used to investigate slam possibilities.

Board — In duplicate bridge, a tray that holds the four pre-dealt hands. Also used to refer to a single deal.

Book — The first six tricks taken by a side. Tricks above book are what count for fulfilling the contract.

C

Call — Any action taken during the auction: a bid, pass, double, or redouble.

Contract — The final bid in the auction, which establishes the trump suit (or no trump) and the number of tricks the declaring side must win.

Convention — An artificial bid whose meaning is agreed between partners and differs from the natural meaning of the bid.

Crossruff — A play technique where declarer alternately trumps in both hands, gaining tricks by ruffing back and forth between their hand and dummy.

Cue bid — A bid of a suit that the bidder does not intend as a proposal for the final contract. Often used to show control (ace or void) when exploring slams.

D

Deal — The distribution of all 52 cards to the four players, 13 each. Also refers to the complete hand that results.

Declarer — The player who first bid the denomination (suit or no trump) of the final contract. The declarer plays both their own hand and the dummy.

Defender — A player on the side that did not win the auction. The defenders try to prevent declarer from making the contract.

Discard — Playing a card of a different suit (not trump) when unable to follow the suit led.

Distribution — The pattern of suits in a player’s hand, such as 5-4-3-1 or 4-4-4-1.

Double — A call that increases the scoring value of the last bid made by an opponent. Can be used for penalty (expecting to defeat the contract) or takeout (asking partner to bid).

Doubleton — A holding of exactly two cards in a suit.

Drawing trumps — Playing rounds of the trump suit to remove opponents’ trumps before running side-suit winners.

Duck — Deliberately playing a low card, conceding a trick you could win, usually to preserve entries or maintain communication.

Dummy — The declarer’s partner. After the opening lead, dummy’s cards are placed face up on the table and are played by the declarer.

E

Endplay — A technique where a defender is forced to win a trick and then make a lead that benefits the declarer.

Entry — A card that provides access to a particular hand (declarer’s or dummy’s).

F

Finesse — A play that attempts to win a trick with a lower card by taking advantage of the favorable position of an opponent’s higher card.

Fit — A combined holding of eight or more cards in a suit between a partnership. A fit in a major suit is especially valuable.

Follow suit — Playing a card of the same suit as the card led. This is mandatory when possible.

Forcing bid — A bid that requires partner to respond. Game-forcing means the partnership must keep bidding until game is reached.

G

Game — A contract that earns at least 100 trick points: 3NT, 4♥, 4♠, 5♣, or 5♦.

Grand slam — A contract at the seven level, requiring all 13 tricks.

Game try — A bid that invites partner to bid game if they have extra values.

H

Hand — The 13 cards dealt to a player. Also used to refer to the entire deal.

HCP (High-Card Points) — The standard point-count system: Ace = 4, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1. There are 40 HCP total in the deck.

Honor — The five highest cards in each suit: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten.

Honor tricks — An older valuation method, largely replaced by HCP, counting ace = 1, ace-king = 2, etc.

J

Jacoby transfer — A convention where responder bids the suit below their long major over a 1NT opening (2♦ to show hearts, 2♥ to show spades), asking opener to complete the transfer.

Jump bid — A bid that skips at least one level of bidding, often showing extra strength.

L

Lead — The first card played to a trick. The opening lead is made by the player to the left of declarer.

Limit bid — A bid that closely defines the strength and shape of the hand, such as a 1NT opening (15–17 HCP, balanced).

Long suit — A suit with five or more cards. Long suits are prime sources of tricks, especially in no trump.

M

Major suits — Hearts and spades. Major suits require only 10 tricks for game (4♥ or 4♠), making them the preferred trump suits.

Minor suits — Clubs and diamonds. Minor suit games require 11 tricks (5♣ or 5♦).

N

No trump (NT) — A contract played without a trump suit. The highest card of the suit led wins each trick.

Natural bid — A bid that means what it sounds like — bidding hearts shows hearts.

O

Opening bid — The first bid (not pass) made during the auction.

Opening lead — The first card played to the first trick, made by the defender to the left of declarer.

Overcall — A bid made after an opponent has opened the bidding.

Overtrick — A trick won by declarer beyond the number required by the contract.

P

Part score — A contract below game level (less than 100 trick points).

Passed out — A deal where all four players pass, ending the auction with no contract. The hand is not played.

Penalty — Points scored by the defending side when declarer fails to make the contract.

Preemptive bid — A high-level opening or overcall made with a weak hand but a long suit, designed to consume bidding space and obstruct opponents.

R

Redouble — A call that further increases the scoring after an opponent has doubled.

Respond — To make a bid after partner has opened the bidding.

Revoke — Failure to follow suit when able. A revoke incurs a penalty of one or two tricks.

Rubber — A format of play in social bridge. A rubber is won by the first side to win two games.

Ruff — To play a trump card on a trick led in a side suit. Also called trumping.

S

Set — To defeat the contract. “Down one” means set by one trick.

Singleton — A holding of exactly one card in a suit.

Slam — A contract at the six level (small slam, requiring 12 tricks) or seven level (grand slam, requiring all 13).

Stayman — A conventional 2♣ response to a 1NT opening, asking opener to bid a four-card major if they have one.

Stopper — A high card or combination that can win a trick in a suit, preventing opponents from running that suit.

Strain — The denomination of a bid: clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, or no trump.

T

Takeout double — A double that asks partner to bid rather than one intended for penalty. Typically used to show opening values with support for unbid suits.

Trick — A round of four cards, one from each player. There are 13 tricks per hand.

Trump — The suit named in the contract. A trump card beats any card of a non-trump suit.

U

Undertrick — A trick by which declarer falls short of the contract. Each undertrick results in penalty points for the defenders.

V

Void — Having no cards in a particular suit.

Vulnerability — A scoring condition affecting bonus and penalty values. In rubber bridge, a side becomes vulnerable after winning one game.

Learning More

This glossary covers the essential vocabulary. For a deeper dive into the rules, see the Complete Beginner’s Guide. For scoring specifics, visit the Bridge Scoring Guide.

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