Bridgette [Rules from 1991 Mayfair Edition] Bridgette is a card game for two players with many of the thrills of four-handed bridge but with a number of innovations. If you are already a bridge player, then learning Bridgette will be very easy. If you have never played bridge, these rules will explain the game thoroughly, and you will find Bridgette a fine introduction to the four-handed game. The game has been developed since the 1960s by Prince Joli Kansil, inventor of more than 20 card, word, and games. He was the assistant to Albert H. Morehead, former bridge editor of The New York Times. Through Morehead, Prince Joli Kansil was able to introduce Bridgette to bridge greats John Crawford, Alfred Sheinwold, Jeff Rubens, William Root, , Baron , and the inventor of , Harold S. Vanderbilt. In 1986, Games magazine's Hall of Fame accepted Bridgette as its fifteenth inductee, joining Monopoly, Scrabble, and other classics with this high honor. The basic rules introduce , card play, the simplified "Six-Deal" scoring system, and all of the other features you need to play the game. The advanced rules, which appear after the basic rules, present regular and "cue-bids," special bids that enable a player to find out what cards the opponent may hold! Non-bridge players should stick to the basic game until they feel experienced enough to move on.

Basic Rules picking the higher card deals first. If the cards are of equal rank, then the rank of suits decides. If you pick a colon, pick another card. The Pack The dealer shuffles the cards thoroughly (seven riffles are ideal), and the The Bridgette pack consists of 55 cards, the standard 52 cards (but with the opponent cuts. The dealer then completes the cut and deals thirteen cards to four suits in four different colors) plus three special "colons." There are two each player, one at a time, face down, beginning with the opponent. The of these packs included in the box, but only one is used per deal. dealer places the rest of the pack face down to one side and turns over the The suits rank: Spades ♠♥♦♣ (highest), , Diamonds , and Clubs top card, placing it beside the remainder of the pack. This card is called the (lowest). Within each suit, the cards rank: Ace (highest), King, Queen, Jack, 10, "upcard." 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (lowest). The players now pick up their cards. It is customary to arrange one's hand by The colons have no actual rank, but each matches with one of three groups of separating the cards into suits; a colon may be placed between any two suits cards in the pack: or at either end of one's hand. • 2. Exchange • Next, the players improve their original holdings by getting extra cards from • the pack. The receiver (opponent of the dealer) always receives two cards first, face down. The upcard determines the number of extra cards that the How To Win dealer receives: The winner is the player with the higher total score at the end of the match. A match consists of a series of deals, and each deal has five phases: 1. Deal: Distribute cards to both players. 2. Exchange: Both players improve their original hands by adding and then discarding several cards. 3. Bidding: Similar to an actual auction, the players bid orally. A bid consists of two words—a number and a suit. The number refers to how many tricks the bidder expects to win; the suit states what the The players sort the extra cards with each player's original thirteen cards, will be. A trump outranks any card in any other suit. then discard the same number of cards so that the players' hands are back to 4. Play: When each player plays a card, these two cards constitute a thirteen cards each before the bidding starts. Place the discards face down off trick, and as each player has thirteen cards, there are thirteen to the side. It is important that after the exchange, the players verify that tricks in each deal. When the final bid has named a suit as well as a their hands contain exactly thirteen cards. number of tricks, each card of that suit is trump. When a trump is played to a trick, it outranks any card of any of the other three 3. Bidding suits. The bidding phase of the game is just like an auction. The two players, in 5. Scoring: One of the players records the score on the Bridgette turn, make bids, and the player making the highest bid becomes the score pad. If the player makes at least the number of tricks called "declarer" and tries to fulfill the bid during the play of the cards. The for in the final bid, that player scores points. If the player fails to opponent is the "defender" and attempts to win enough tricks to defeat the fulfill the bid, then the opponent scores. bid. 1. Deal As mentioned already, a bid consists of two words: a number and a suit. The The players take turns dealing. To decide who will deal first, each player number refers to how many tricks the bidder expects to win; the suit states picks a card from a Bridgette pack spread face down on the table. The person what will be trump. When the bidding ends, the hand is played out and in the play, one of the players takes a card and puts it face up on the table, and the Example 1 Example 2 other player does likewise. These two cards constitute a trick. Since each Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver player has thirteen cards, there are a total of thirteen tricks in each deal. 0NT 1♠ 1♦ 2♥ When the final bid has named a suit as well as a number of tricks, each card 2♣ Pass Double 2NT of that suit is trump. A trump outranks any card of any of the other three 3♣ Pass Double Redouble suits. A bidder who does not wish to name a trump suit bids "No-trump," signifying that all suits are of equal rank during play. Pass In the first example, the dealer starts by bidding Zero No-trump. The receiver Throughout the bidding, if one player bids a suit or No-trump, the next bid elects to bid One Spade, but the dealer bids higher by saying "Two Clubs." must be higher than the previous bid. The suits rank: No-trump (highest), When the receiver passes, the dealer decides to bid more, saying "Three Spades ♠♥ , Hearts , Diamonds ♦♣ , Clubs (lowest). Thus, a bid of One Clubs," a bid to take nine tricks with clubs as trump. According to the bidding Heart is higher than a bid of One Diamond, but lower than a bid of One No- requirements, the dealer must have no suits for the bid in No-trump and trump or Two Clubs. at least two cards in clubs for the bids in that suit. The receiver, in bidding The number mentioned in the bid indicates how many tricks the player spades, must have at least two cards in spades. expects to win in excess of six. For example, a bid of One Spade is a contract In the second example, the dealer opens at One Diamond, and the receiver, to win one trick more than six, that is, seven tricks out of the thirteen in all, who could have bid One Heart, decides to make a jump bid of Two Hearts. The with spades as trump. This rule of bridge and Bridgette may seem strange, dealer, thinking that the receiver will not be able to fulfill this contract, but the idea is to bid for more tricks than your opponent; thus, a player who doubles. The bidding continues, and the receiver now bids Two No-trump. The bids is contracting for more than half of the thirteen tricks. The highest dealer, confident that the opponent will not fulfill this bid either, again possible bid, by the way, is Seven No-trump, a contract to take all thirteen doubles. The receiver, equally sure that the bid will be made, redoubles. The tricks! final contract is Two No-trump Redoubled. From the bidding, we know that the A player may name more than one suit during the course of the bidding, but receiver must have at least four hearts to jump bid in that suit. only the final bid settles which suit (if any) is to be trump. When a player 4. Play does not wish to bid, he says "Pass." Once bidding ends, the declarer makes the by playing any card, Two other bids you may make are "Double" and "Re-double." When a player and the defender then plays a card. The winner of the trick leads to the next doubts that his opponent can make the bid, that player may say "Double," trick, and play continues until all thirteen tricks have been played. which increases the scoring values for that hand. When a player doubles, any subsequent bid by the other player cancels the double, and the bidding Generally, a player may lead any card. When the opponent has led a card, the continues. There is nothing to keep you from doubling again if your double is other player must play a card of the same suit, if possible. Whoever plays the canceled this way: it is possible for a player to double more than once while higher card wins the trick. A player who cannot follow suit may play any card. bidding. After a double, the other player may say "Redouble," which further When the final bid is in a suit, that suit is trump, and so, when a player cannot increases the scoring for the hand. follow suit, the player may play any trump and win the trick. If the player plays any other card, the player loses the trick. Note that you do not have to The turn to bid alternates. The dealer bids first and may not pass on the first play a card that will win the trick when you are able to legally play a lower bid. card. The dealer's lowest possible bid is Zero No-trump, a contract to take six For example, suppose the bid is Four Spades by your opponent. For the tricks; it ranks just below a bid of One Club and is the only exception to opening lead, he plays the Queen of hearts. To win the trick, you may play bidding for fewer than half the tricks. the ace or king of hearts because both the king and ace outrank the queen. If You may continue to bid even if your opponent passes, for the auction you have no hearts, then you may play any spade, even the lowly deuce, and proceeds until there are two consecutive passes. The bidding ends win the trick. If you have no hearts and do not choose to play a trump (any immediately, however if a Pass or Redouble follows a Double. spade in this case), you may discard a club or a diamond and let the opponent win the trick. If all you have in hearts is a card lower than the queen, you In Bridgette, you must have: must play it and lose the trick. • At least two cards in any suit that you bid Collecting Tricks • At least four cards in any suit for a jump bid (a bid higher than necessary to raise the previous bid, such as bidding Three To make play of the hand go quicker, the cards to each trick are not played to Diamonds after your opponent bids One Club) the middle of the table. Instead, the players play the cards in front of • No void suits to bid No-trump; that is, you must have at least one themselves (either holding the card or placing it on the table), and a card that card in every suit wins a trick is placed face down to the player's left, and one that loses is placed face down to the player's right. Another advantage of this method is that both players' hands can be reassembled after the play for discussion or to see if any bidding requirements or other rules were violated. The Colons The three colons act mainly as defensive cards and add a very important

2 element of skill to the game. As mentioned before, each of the three colons 5. Scoring matches with a certain group of cards: Traditional bridge scoring for Bridgette is explained in detail in the advanced ) and picture cards (JQK), rules. Six-Deal Scoring Instead of following suit, a player may play the matching colon; that is, the Because beginners often find regular bridge scoring rather strange, basic colon from the same group as the card that was led. Played this way, the Bridgette uses a simpler scoring system that novices and casual players colon loses the trick, but it bars the opponent from leading the same suit on might prefer. It is also popular for experienced players who wish to play a the next trick. On the next trick only, the opponent must lead a different suit quick match when time is limited or who wish to play a lively game for a (or one of the two other colons). If he only has cards belonging to the same stake. suit, the colon play has no effect. Use the Six-Deal score pad, writing the players' names in the areas below To illustrate, you may discard the Grand Colon on the lead of the ace of SCORER and OPPONENT. After each deal, one of the players will earn points, hearts, whether or not you have any hearts. For the next trick only, the other and the scorer writes the correct score in that player's column. There is even player may not lead a heart. If he has only hearts left, however, then the ample space if the scorer wishes to write down the final bid and result, such colon play has no effect. A player may discard one of the two non-matching as "2NT -1," which means the bid was Two No-trump and the bidder was set colons only when the player has no cards in the suit led, and the play has no one trick (that is, he failed to make his bid by one trick). effect on the lead to the next trick. For example, if you lead with the queen of clubs and the other player discards either the non-matching Little Colon or After playing six hands, add up the scores and record the totals. If the match Grand Colon, you may continue leading clubs. is tied, the player who dealt the first hand deals a tiebreaker seventh hand, and the score for this deal is recorded in the area well above where it reads Although a colon played to a lead always loses the trick, a colon can win the TOTAL. trick when it is led. When a player leads a colon, the opponent may play any card. If the card played is from the same group as the colon led (a matching Offensive Score card) or is any trump, the colon loses the trick; if the player plays any non- matching card, including either of the other two colons, the colon wins. A good The Six-Deal scorecard shows the score earned by the declarer for making the time to lead a colon is on the last trick. If, for example, a player leads the bid, and the amount varies with how high the declarer has bid, from Zero No- Little Colon at Trick 13, and the opponent's last card is an ace or king, the trump, which as a "bit-score" earns 100 points, to Seven No-trump, which is a Little Colon wins. "slam" that earns 2,500 points. If the bid is doubled and made, the declarer scores 400 additional points, and a redoubled bid made earns 1,000 extra points. For example, a bid made of Three Spades Doubled would score 600; a bid made of Four Clubs Redoubled would score 1,200. If the declarer makes tricks in excess of the bid, these are "overtricks" and score an extra 100 points, regardless of how many overtricks are made. The bonus for any number of doubled overtricks is 200, and any redoubled overtricks score 500. To illustrate, a bid of Six No-trump Redoubled with an overtrick would score 3,500 points. Defensive Score When defeating the bid, the defender's score is determined by how many tricks the bid was set (that is, by how badly the declarer failed to make his bid) and whether the contract was undoubled, doubled, or redoubled. For example, setting any doubled bid three tricks would score 900 points. If a bid is set more than six tricks, use the line "6+" at the bottom of the scorecard. Hawaii Scoring In this wild optional variation, the declarer tries not only to make the bid, but also to fulfill it "on the button" (no overtricks) to score 200 extra for an "Exacto!" Another option is for the declarer to attempt to win four or more overtricks, which will earn him 500 extra points for a "Surplus!" See the scorecard for details.

3 Advanced Rules Game Hands Bridge Scoring You win a "game" whenever you score 100 points below the line, either in a single deal or by adding two or more "part-scores" together. You can score While players at all levels of skill can use the easy Six-Deal scoring, bridge game on a single hand by bidding and making Five Clubs or Five Diamonds, scoring is more complex and is for use only by experienced Bridgette players × 20 = 100); or Four Hearts or Four Spades, or by those who have a knowledge of bridge. which is game in a (5 which is game in a (4 × 30 = 120); or Three No-trump (10 + [3 × Bridge scoring for Bridgette is the same as scoring for four-handed bridge, 30] = 100). The bonus for winning a rubber is 700 points if your opponent with the following exceptions: has not won a game or 500 points if he has won one game. A rubber may last • Zero No-trump bid and made scores 10 points below the line with only two hands, or it may go on for several hands. When it does end, score 30 above for each overtrick. (1NT is still 40: 10+30) the rubber bonus of 500 or 700 above the line and add up the scores that each player has accumulated. The winner is the player with the higher total • No points are awarded for holding honors score, and the difference between the two totals is the margin of victory. A • The bonus for making a doubled contract is 100 and for making a player who has scored one game toward rubber is said to be "vulnerable." redoubled contract 200 The penalties for failing to make one's contract are more severe than when • 5NT bid and made scores a "sub slam" bonus of 1,000; 6NT scores not vulnerable. Vulnerability applies only to the player scoring a game, not to 1,300; 7NT scores 1,600; a small slam in a suit scores 900; a grand the other player. When both players have won a game, both are vulnerable. slam in a suit scores 1,500 Part-scores Bridge players may skip over the next section, which is for beginners, and proceed to Capturing. If you score less than 100 points below the line, it is a part-score, and you can add to it by scoring below the line on a later hand, provided your Score Sheet opponent does not complete a game in the meantime. Scoring a game wipes The Bridgette scorecard for bridge scoring has two long columns. Either out the opponent's part-score, and both players make a fresh start toward player may keep score. If you are the scorekeeper, write all of your scores in the next game. All part-scores are still counted, however, when the scores the left-hand column and all of your opponent's scores in the right-hand are eventually added up. column. You can write each player's name under "Scorer" and "Opponent." Slam Bonuses The horizontal line that runs somewhat below the middle serves the purpose of separating score "below the line" from score "above the line." Only when When a contract of Five No-trump or higher is bid and made, the declarer you are declarer and succeed in making the number of tricks that you have receives additional points, a slam bonus, as noted on the scorecard. contracted for do you score below the line. All other scores are recorded Undertrick Penalties above the line. Use the handy Bridgette scorecard for bridge scoring in following along with the explanations below. When the declarer fails to make the contract, the defender scores points above the line, as a penalty. When your bid goes down, your opponent scores Trick Score 50 points for each trick you are short of your contract or 100 points for each Whenever, as declarer, you fulfill your bid, your "trick score" is written undertrick if you are vulnerable. The penalty for failing to make your bid is below the line. If the contract is some number of clubs or diamonds ("minor" much higher if you are doubled: 100 for the first trick and 200 for each suits), you score 20 points per trick "bid and made." If you make overtricks additional trick if not vulnerable or 200 for the first trick and 300 for each (tricks in excess of those named in your contract), you score points for these additional trick if you are vulnerable. Simply multiply these penalties by two extra tricks above the line. The same procedure governs hearts or spades if the contract is redoubled. ("major" suits), but as the scorecard indicates, you score 30 points per trick Capturing bid and made below the line. In No-trump, you score 10 points for six tricks bid and made, and then 30 for each trick over six bid and made. Thus, Either player may capture the upcard by replacing it with the matching colon whereas a bid of Two Clubs scores 40, a bid of Two Hearts scores 60, and Two if that colon has been dealt to the player. For example, to capture the Ace of No-trump scores 70. Remember that if you, as declarer, fail to make your bid, Hearts, one would put the Grand Colon face up near the pack and take the Ace you score nothing at all below the line, even if you have won more tricks than of Hearts, into one's hand. A colon turned up as the upcard cannot be the defender. If you fall short of making your contract, you get nothing, and captured, and the option of capturing one ends when you pick up exchange your opponent scores points above the line for setting you. If you take extra cards. tricks in excess of what you bid, these are overtricks and are scored above Cue-Bids the line. In Bridgette, between 14 and 22 cards are left unseen in the pack after the Premium Score exchange is over. With a good hand, how does a player know whether or not All of the rest of the scoring is above the line and is called "premium score." his opponent has a good hand too? If your opponent does have fine cards, The objective of each player is to score as many points as possible. One way then you, ideally, will want to stop at a lower contract to avoid getting to try to do this is to earn the bonus for winning the "rubber." You do this by doubled. On the other hand, if your opponent's hand is weak, perhaps you winning two games out of three. can bid a game or even a slam. By making cue-bids, you can find out information about whether certain suits of your opponent's hand are short or

4 long or whether he has certain high cards, such as key aces or kings. By using Example 4 Example 5 Example 6 cue-bids, a player with a good hand can decide how high to bid for a final Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver contract and which suit (if any) to make trump. Skillful use of cue-bids can 0NT Pass 1♦ 2♣ 1♠ 2!-ace♠ mean the difference between an average score or loss on a hand and a big 1NT!-short 2♥ 3♣ !-null 42NT♣ bonus for making a slam. In Example Four, the dealer cue-bids by saying "One No-trump-short," and There is a price for inquiring about information from the opponent, however, the receiver answers with a short suit in hearts (a suit of 0, 1, or 2 cards for making cue-bids forces up the bidding quickly, and a careless player can only). The receiver cannot be short in clubs or diamonds, as one must make easily overbid. the lowest possible response. In Example Five, the receiver answers with a null suit in clubs; as it is the highest possible response, the receiver does not Types of Cue-bids have any other null suit. In Example Six, the dealer's 2NT response shows no The player may try to find out about the opponent's short suits, null suits, aces. aces, kings, queens, or jacks. A short-suit cue-bid asks the opponent to bid a After the responder answers a cue-bid, the cue-bidder may not pass or suit containing fewer than three cards (a suit of 0, 1, or 2 cards only). A null- double or leave the opponent "hanging;" the cue-bidder must bid again. suit cue-bid asks the opponent to bid a suit that contains no high cards, that is, no aces, kings, queens, or jacks; the suit may be of any length from a void The responder can evade a cue-bid, and not answer by giving the information suit to a long suit headed by, say, a ten or a nine. asked, in two ways: by making a jump bid, or by cue-bidding. To jump-bid, the responder bids higher by at least one more level than necessary. To evade How to Cue-bid with a cue-bid, the responder must have a point-count of 10 or more. To cue-bid, the player raises the bidding by exactly one full level and then Example 7 Example 8 Example 9 adds a keyword to indicate what kind of information the player is seeking. If Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver the player wishes to inquire about the opponent's short suits (by far the most 0NT Pass 1♣ 2♦ 1♠ 2!-ace♠ common type of cue-bid), the keyword added is "short." To cue-bid for a null suit, the player adds the keyword "null"; to cue-bid for an ace, king, queen, 1NT!-short 3♥ 2♦ !-short 3♦ !-short 3♠ !-null or jack, the keyword added is "ace," "king," "queen," or "jack." In Example Seven, the receiver evades the dealer's cue-bid by jumping to Three Hearts. The receiver must have at least four cards in hearts for the Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 jump bid. The bidding now continues normally. In Example Eight, the receiver Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver evades with a counter-cue-bid, and now the dealer must either answer or 0NT 1♠ 1♦ 2♦ !-ace 1NT Pass evade. In Example Nine, the dealer evades the receiver's ace cue-bid with a 2♠ !-short 2NT!-null null cue-bid. Note that in Examples Eight and Nine, both players have a point- In these bidding examples, the exclamation point indicates a cue-bid. The count of at least 10. keyword appears after the exclamation point. In each of these examples, the Recue-bids player cue-bids by raising the last bid suit one level and adding the appropriate word. In the third example, the keyword is "null" to ask for When the responder answers a short-suit cue-bid, the cue-bidder may ask for opponent's suit that has no high cards (no aces, kings, queens, or jacks). a second short suit by doubling. The responder then answers with a second short suit and may not evade. If the responder has two more short suits, the A player cannot open the bidding with a Cue-bid, but, rather, must make a lower possible response must be chosen; with no other short suits, the natural bid. responder bids No-trump. A second null suit, second ace, and so forth is asked Cue-bidding Requirement for in the same manner: by doubling immediately after the responder's initial answer. For cue-bids, ignore the bidding requirements of having at least two cards for a suit bid and no voids for a No-trump bid. Instead, the player must have at Example 10 Example 11 Example 12 least a "point-count" of 10 or more. The point-count is computed by adding 4 Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver Dealer Receiver for each ace, 3 for each king, 2 for each queen, and 1 for each jack. No points 0NT Pass 1♣ 1♦ 1♠ 2♠ !-short are added for long or short suits or colons. It is not important what exact 1NT!-short 2♥ 2♦ !-short 2♥ 3!-king♠ 4♣ point-count the player has, only that the player has 10 or more. In Example Double! 2NT Double! 3♣ Double! 4♠ One above, then, the dealer could have any number of spades, or none at all, In Example Ten, the dealer doubles for a second short suit, and the receiver for the cue-bid of "Two Spades-short," and in Example Two, the receiver answers 2NT to indicate no other short suits. In Example Eleven, the receiver could have any number of diamonds for the Two Diamonds cue-bid. shows short suits in hearts and clubs. In the last example, the receiver shows Responding to a Cue-bid the king of clubs and the king of spades. The responder may not pass a cue-bid, but must either answer or evade. To A player may not double again to ask for a third short suit, third null suit, answer a cue-bid for a short suit, the responder simply bids the short suit; third ace, and so on. with more than one short suit, the responder makes the lowest possible Subsequent Cue-bids short-suit response; with no short suits, the responder bids No-trump. A cue- bid for a null suit, ace, king, queen, or jack is answered similarly. Once the responder answers a cue-bid or recue-bid, the cue-bidder may ask for other information by making a subsequent cue-bid in the usual manner by

5 raising the bidding one level or by making the next higher bid and adding the possible bid and adding the appropriate keyword. In the first case, the cue- appropriate keyword (ace, null, and so on). For example, if the opponent bidder bids Two No-trump-queen over the response of Two Spades, and later answers a short-suit cue-bid by responding Two Hearts, the player can make cue-bidder bids Four Diamonds-ace over the response of Four Clubs. a subsequent cue-bid to seek information about kings, by bidding Two Spades-king as Two Spades is the next higher possible bid. By making Transferring subsequent cue-bids in this manner, the player saves bidding space and finds There is one more option open to the cue-bidder after the responder answers out more information without getting the bidding up too high. a cue-bid. In addition to recue-bidding, making a subsequent cue-bid, or The responder either answers or evades a subsequent cue-bid, as already making a regular bid, a player may say "Transfer" to convert the responder's described. Note that in a bidding sequence, a player can ask about short answer to the cue-bidder's own bid. The requirement for transferring is the suits, null suits, aces, and so forth in any order desired. To illustrate, in the same as for a jump bid: the player must have at least four cards in the suit following sequence, a cue-bidder is able to find out information about his named by the responder, or no void suits if transferring in No-trump. After a opponent's short suits, queens, and aces before proceeding to slam. transfer, the bidding continues, and the responder may pass, double, or make any bid; if the responder passes, the bidding ends. Cue-bidder Responder Cue-bidder Responder 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass 2!-short♣ 2♠ 2!-short♦ 3♣ 2NT!-queen 3♦ Double! 3NT Double! 4♣ 4!-ace♣ 5♣ 4-ace♦ 4NT Transfer Pass 6♣ Pass In this example, the responder is short in clubs and has no other short suits. Pass The cue-bidder asks for aces, and the responder's Five Clubs bid indicates the In this example, the cue-bidder finds the responder short in spades, having ace of clubs. The cue-bidder is not pleased with this news and decides to queens in diamonds and clubs, and having no aces. With this information, the transfer. By saying "Transfer," cue-bidder converts the responder's bid of cue-bidder confidently bids Six Clubs. Note that both of the cue-bidder's Five Clubs into the cue-bidder' s own bid! When the responder passes, this subsequent cue-bids have been made by simply bidding the next higher becomes the final bid.

Strategies in Bridgette Stacking Your Hand in the Exchange by Oswald Jacoby In looking over the additional cards you draw in the exchange, consider Bridgette was only one of the games that Oswald Jacoby excelled in prior to whether to hold an attacking hand or a defensive hand. Aces and kings are his death in 1984. He was an expert in gin rummy, poker, Canasta, still the best cards, but you find that the higher your spot cards are, the backgammon and bridge, and he wrote books about all of these games. His better your hand. In stacking your hand for a possible bid in No-trump, syndicated bridge column appeared in more than 100 newspapers, and he ideally you should have at least three of the four suits stopped and either the would be on anyone's list as one of the ten greatest bridge players of all Royal or Little Colon to halt your opponent's leads in your fourth suit. time. The Bidding The Power of the Colons Even with many cards left in the pack, you will be surprised how accurately In Bridgette strategy, the first step is to learn how to use the colons. At first you can judge your hand—and your opponent's as well. Remember, each they appear to be rather unimportant cards, since they usually always lose time your opponent bids, you gain information. If a suit is bid, you know tricks. But there is nothing unimportant about the three colons at all, for they there are at least two cards of that suit in the opponent's hand; if No-trump is have tremendous defensive value. bid, then your opponent has no voids. Often, bidding a suit of only two cards early in the bidding is a good technique, not so much for deceptive purposes, In play, the Grand Colon is very valuable when led. Your opponent can take it but to hold off on bidding, say, a five-card suit—who knows, maybe your with the ace or a trump, but only with an ace or a trump. At times, the Grand opponent will bid your five-card suit first, and then you can double! Colon is also useful when played on an opponent's lead of an ace. For a sound trump suit, generally, you need a solid five-card suit or a good The Royal Colon is used primarily for defense, as it can be effectively six-card suit. Occasionally you can play a final contract in a four-card suit if discarded on your opponent's picture card lead. When you do this, you you are sure your opponent is short in this suit. preserve your holding in the suit led and also prevent the opponent from leading the same suit again. Zero No-trump is a versatile bid. You can bid it as the dealer when you have to open the bidding with a weak hand, or you can bid it deceptively with a The Little Colon is most effective on defense, particularly in stopping an strong holding; the only information you reveal is that you have no void suit. opponent's long suit from being run, and it can sometimes win when led to A game bid of Three No-trump can often be bid with a long runnable minor the last trick. suit and a little outside strength. Inexperienced players seem not to bid No- trump enough; actually a No-trump contract has a bigger payoff in points

6 (Three No-trump scores a lot more than Three Clubs), and you do not need colon, save it for the thirteenth trick—your opponent may not save a card of four super suits. Since the declarer has the opening lead, this is a great the matching group. The Little Colon wins many a trick this way! advantage in No-trump, where you can attempt to set up your long suit before your opponent makes damaging leads. Advanced Strategy—Cue-bidding There are plenty of games and slams in Bridgette, but part-scores should not My first bit of advice is not to play cue-bids until you are thoroughly familiar be underestimated. In deciding whether to stop at a part-score or to gamble with the basic game. Walk before you run! Cue-bidding has to be handled on a game bid, consider whose deal is coming up next. If you will be the next carefully; it is nice to get information about your opponent's short suits and dealer, you can bid more conservatively, since you will be exchanging more so forth, but keep in mind that reckless cue-bidding can get you to cards than your opponent. dangerously high bidding levels. If you get an unfavorable response (that is, if your opponent is short in a suit that you are short in too), do not persevere; Remember, too, that you can continue to bid even after your opponent the opponent may have your long suit stacked and a killing defense with it. passes. Thus, do not rush the bidding; if you bid up slowly, there may be lively, competitive bidding that will give you important information about When you have found your opponent to be short in your suit, you need less your opponent's hand. strength in trumps. Often it is a good idea to say "Transfer" to convert the other player's response to your own bid with only four of the suit, rather The Play of the Hand than bidding on in a new suit, which could prove to be quite risky. Usually, you should lead your long suits, not your short ones, and you should As the responder, even if you lack a strong hand, try to cramp the cue-bidder lead from sequence or near-sequence whenever you can. As the defender, try by making a defensive bid, preferably at the two-level or higher, leaving the to attack the suit that the declarer will trump, for in this manner you drain cue-bidder without much room to ask for information. With a powerful hand, the declarer's trumps and force a lead in a side suit that may be beneficial to you can evade by cue-bidding yourself. you. Tend to lead high, especially if you are sure your opponent is short in As a dealer with a weak hand, try opening the bidding at the two-level or the suit. You can lead low when you are quite certain that your opponent has higher to make it difficult for receiver to cue-bid. If, as dealer, you are a few cards of the suit and will likely be leading it to you later. strong, start the bidding low so there will be plenty of room to employ Generally, you should win the trick when you can, except when you wish to subsequent cue-bids for additional information. If the bidding gets to a high play the matching colon, either to preserve your holding in the suit led or to level quickly because of evading jump bids or cue-bids, try cue-bidding for a force your opponent to shift. Another time you can the trick is toward null suit; you might strike pay dirt and find your opponent null in a long suit the end, where you might be end-played if you win the lead right away. of yours that has broken strength, say, six hearts to the king-nine-seven. As the declarer, keep control of trumps. Do not play trumps if you think you Cue-bidding for aces, kings, queens, and jacks is usually directed toward slam might run out of them. Better to use your trumps for ruffing defender's leads. hands. If you use them for part-scores or game-scores, you are If you are going for a slam, run your longest suit to force your opponent to squirrels with an elephant gun. discard in the dark and perhaps misguess. If you need to win a trick with a

7 Six-Deal Scorecard Bridge Scoring Offensive Score (Earned by the declarer for Trick Score (Scored Below the Line) making the bid) Bid Score Bid Score Bid Score Description Score 0NT 10 Bit-Score (0NT, 1,♣♦♥♠ 1, 1, 1) 100 1,♣♦ 1 201,♥♠ 1 30 1NT 40 Part-Score (1NT, 2,♣♦♥♠ 2, 2, 2, 2NT, 3, ♣♦♥♠ 3, 3, 3, 2,♣♦ 2 402,♥♠ 2 60 2NT 70 200 4,♣♦ 4) 3,♣♦ 3 603♥♠ , 3 90 3NT 100 Game-Score (3NT, 4,♥♠ 4, 4NT, 5, ♣♦♥♠ 5, 5, 5) 700 4,♣♦ 4 804♥♠ , 4 120 4NT 130 Slam-Score: 5,♣♦ 5 1005♥♠ , 5 150 5NT 160 Small Slam (6♣♦♥♠ , 6 , 6 , 6 ) 1,400 6,♣♦ 6 1206♥♠ , 6 180 6NT 190 Grand Slam (7♣♦♥♠ , 7 , 7 , 7 ) 2,100 7,♣♦ 7 1407♥♠ , 7 210 7NT 220 No-trump Slams: If bid is Doubled, multiply score by 2 If bid is Redoubled, multiply score by 4 Sub Slam (5NT) 1,500 Premium Score (Scored Above the Line) Giant Slam (6NT) 2,000 Super Slam (7NT) 2,500 Each Overtrick Bonus for making any Doubled bid 400 Doubled, Not Doubled, Trump Suit Undoubled Bonus for making any Redoubled bid 1,000 Vulnerable Vulnerable Bonus for making any Overtricks: ♣ ♦ 20 100 200 Undoubled 100 ♥ ♠ NT 30 100 200 Doubled 200 Redoubled overtricks: Multiply doubled overtricks by 2 Redoubled 500 Other Bonuses Hawaii Scoring—For this six-deal option, the Overtricks section above Description Score does not apply. Instead: Bonus for making any Doubled bid 100 Exacto: Making the bid exactly 200 Bonus for making any Redoubled bid 250 Surplus: 4 or more overtricks (Exacto bonus does not apply to 500 Rubber Bonuses: any 7-bid) Defensive Score (Earned by the defender for Bonus of opponent has won no game 700 Bonus if opponent has won one game 500 setting the bid) Unfinished rubber—one game won 300 Down Undoubled Doubled Redoubled Unfinished rubber—part score 50 1 100 300 400 Slam Bonuses: 2 200 600 800 6 of any suit 900 3 300 900 1,200 7 of any suit 1,500 4 400 1,200 1,600 5NT 1,000 5 500 1,500 2,000 6NT 1,300 6+ 1,000 3,000 4,000 7NT 1,600 Undertrick Penalties Not Vulnerable Vulnerable Down Undoubled Doubled Undoubled Doubled 1 50 100 100 200 2 100 300 200 500 3 150 500 300 800 4 200 700 400 1,100 5 250 900 500 1,400 6 300 1,100 600 1,700 7 350 1,300 700 2,000 ...13 650 2,500 1,300 3,800 If Redoubled, multiply Doubled penalty by 2

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