Bridge is a 4-player partnership trick-taking card game widely considered the most strategically complex card game. Here is a complete guide to the rules, from setup to scoring, so you can start playing right away.

What Is Bridge?

Bridge is a trick-taking card game played by four people in two partnerships. Partners sit across from each other at the table, working together to win tricks and fulfill their contract. It is widely regarded as one of the most intellectually challenging and rewarding card games ever created.

Contract bridge, the modern form of the game, evolved from whist in the early 20th century. Today it is played by millions of people worldwide, from casual kitchen tables to elite international tournaments.

What You Need

  • Players: Exactly 4, in two partnerships
  • Deck: Standard 52-card deck (no jokers)
  • Card ranking: Ace (high), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (low)
  • Suit ranking for bidding: No Trump (highest), Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs (lowest)

Setting Up the Game

Choose partnerships by any agreed method — drawing cards is traditional. Partners sit opposite each other. One player is chosen as the first dealer.

The dealer shuffles the deck, the player to the right cuts, and the dealer distributes all 52 cards one at a time, clockwise, starting with the player to the left. Each player ends up with 13 cards.

The Two Phases of a Hand

Every bridge hand has two distinct phases: the auction (bidding) and the play.

Phase 1: The Auction (Bidding)

The auction determines the contract — how many tricks the declaring side promises to win and which suit (if any) will be trump.

Starting with the dealer, each player in turn may bid, pass, double, or redouble:

  • Bid: A number (1–7) plus a suit or “No Trump.” The number represents tricks above six. So “1 Heart” means you promise to win at least 7 tricks with hearts as trump.
  • Pass: Decline to bid.
  • Double: Challenge the last bid made by an opponent, increasing the stakes.
  • Redouble: After an opponent doubles, the declaring side can redouble to raise stakes further.

Each new bid must be higher than the previous one — either a higher number or the same number in a higher-ranking strain. The auction ends when three consecutive passes follow a bid.

The final bid becomes the contract. The player who first named the contract’s suit (or no trump) becomes the declarer. Their partner becomes the dummy.

Phase 2: The Play

The player to the left of the declarer makes the opening lead by playing any card face up. After the opening lead, the dummy’s hand is laid face up on the table for all to see. The declarer plays both their own hand and the dummy’s hand.

Play proceeds clockwise. Each player must follow suit if possible. If unable to follow suit, a player may play any card, including a trump. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick, unless a trump was played, in which case the highest trump wins.

The trick winner leads the next trick. Play continues until all 13 tricks are played.

Scoring Basics

The declaring side scores points if they make their contract (win at least the number of tricks bid plus six). They score bonus points for overtricks and game/slam bonuses.

If the declaring side fails to make their contract, the defending side scores penalty points for each trick the declarers fell short — called undertricks.

Key scoring thresholds:

  • Part score: A contract below game level
  • Game: Bidding and making enough for 100+ trick points (e.g., 3NT, 4♥, 4♠, 5♣, 5♦)
  • Small slam: Bidding and making 12 tricks (a 6-level contract)
  • Grand slam: Bidding and making all 13 tricks (a 7-level contract)

The full scoring system includes vulnerability, rubber bonuses, and honors. See our detailed Bridge Scoring Guide for complete tables and examples.

Key Bridge Concepts

Trump Suit

The suit named in the contract becomes trump. Trump cards beat any card of a non-trump suit. If the contract is No Trump, there is no trump suit and the highest card of the suit led always wins.

Dummy

After the opening lead, the dummy’s cards are placed face up on the table. The declarer chooses which cards to play from dummy. The dummy player takes no active part in the play.

Vulnerability

In rubber bridge, a side that has won one game becomes vulnerable. Vulnerable pairs face higher penalties for failing contracts but earn bigger bonuses for making slams and games.

Etiquette and Tips for New Players

  1. Sort your hand by suits immediately after dealing
  2. Count your high-card points (Ace = 4, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1) before bidding
  3. Listen to the bidding — it reveals information about every player’s hand
  4. Follow suit — a revoke (failure to follow suit when able) results in penalties
  5. Communicate through bids — your bids tell your partner about your hand

What to Learn Next

Bridge is a game of lifelong learning. Once you are comfortable with the basics, explore:

Bridge rewards patience, partnership, and practice. The more you play, the more you will discover the extraordinary depth hidden within those 52 cards.

Ready to play? Try Bridge for free on Rare Pike — no download needed.