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This page should list all the terms used in the game of contract bridge, sorted in alphabetical order. All terms which are too short for an article should be redirected here. No internal links outside this page (except redirects) should point to this page.

In this article, italic terms are internal cross-references.

Symbols[]

/[]

Short for pass. Used on bidding sheets and hand records.

Numbers[]

0314[]

A variant of Roman key card Blackwood, in which the first step shows 0 or 3 key cards and the second step shows 1 or 4 key cards.

1430[]

A variant of Roman key card Blackwood, in which the first step shows 1 or 4 key cards and the second step shows 3 or 0 key cards.

4333[]

A hand with 4 cards in a suit and 3 cards in all other suits. Same as flat.

A[]

A[]

The ace card.

above the line[]

In rubber bridge, points which do not count towards games.

ACBL[]

The zonal bridge organisation of North America.

accept[]

  1. The act of making the intended bid after a transfer bid.
  2. of an invitational call, e.g. game or slam bid.

ace[]

The highest card in a suit.

action[]

A call other than a pass.

active[]

(adj) a style of play which aims to establish winners as soon as possible.

advance[]

  1. (n, v) bidding after the overcaller doubles/bids.
  2. (adj) A bid which is made before the normal situation appears which it is made. For example, an advance cue-bid is one before agreeing trumps; an advance sacrifice is one before the opponents bid game.

adversary[]

(old-fashioned) A player on the other side during the auction (opponent) or a defender during the play.

alert[]

A method to inform the opponents that a call may have an unexpected meaning.

announcement[]

A method to inform the opponents the meaning of a call which is generally treated differently by different people.

arrow[]

An arrow is used to show the direction of North in a duplicate bridge event.

artificial[]

An artificial call is a call which is not natural. For example, Stayman 2, Blackwood 4NT and relays are all artificial calls.

An artificial system is a call which contains many artificial calls, e.g. relay systems.

asking bid[]

An asking bid is one which requires partner to respond with one of several bids to give more information. Typically the captain makes the asking bids. Stayman and Jacoby 2NT are both common asking bids.

auction bridge[]

The predecessor to royal auction bridge, with different scoring methods.

B[]

balance[]

(v) To make an action at the balancing seat. Same as reopen.

balanced[]

4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 and 5-3-3-2 shape. See also flat.

balancing[]

(adj) The seat after an action and two consecutive passes. See also pass out (3).

below the line[]

In rubber bridge, points that count towards a game.

bid[]

A bid is a call which constitutes a level and a denomination.

blank[]

same as void

bidding sheet[]

A piece of paper which allows players to place calls by writing on it.

book[]

  1. (n) The initial six tricks by the declarer, which is not bid but assumed, and do not count towards the score.
  2. (n) The tricks by the defenders just before setting the contract. For example, the defenders' book in 3 is 4 tricks.
  3. (v, slang, usually passive) The declarer is said to be "booked" if he has lost the maximum number of tricks just before getting set.

boss suit[]

(slang) The suit. See also: royal.

bottom[]

A board that is played the worst in the field. If MP scoring is used, the term is equivalent in meaning as zero.

bust[]

A bust is a very weak hand with a long suit. In particular, when partner opens notrump, the contract is undesirable. A bust hand therefore runs to the long suit where it is safer. This is particularly common with minor suits.

C[]

call[]

A bid, pass, double or redouble.

canapé[]

A bidding style that bids short suits before long suits.

claim[]

(n, v) announcing that a number of tricks are won by our side. Opposite: concession

captain[]

Once a player has limited her hand, she becomes the private and her partner becomes the captain. The captain's job is to ask for any more information she needs to determine where the best contract will be, and then to sign off in that bid. She therefore forces the private until she has enough information. Once the captain has made a non-forcing bid, the private should no longer make any free bids.

centre hand opponent[]

A humorous term to mean the partner

club[]

  • The suit.
  • A club in everyday usage.

concession[]

(n) announcing that a number of tricks are lost by our side. Opposite: claim

contract[]

A bid with an optional double or redouble which specifies the level, the denomination and the stakes.

contract bridge[]

Contract bridge is a form of trick-taking card game played by two pairs which the aim is to get the highest score by either bidding a contract and making it, or defeating the opponent's contract.

convention[]

An artificial call in a natural system to communicate specific information. Contrast: treatment

convert[]

To convert a call means to change the meaning of a call. For example, a penalty pass converts a takeout double to penalty.

cross-ruff[]

To cross-ruff means to ruff repetitively (usually to play a card from the declarer to the dummy's void, then to play a card from the dummy to the declarer's void, and so on), in order to gain more tricks. For example, when s are trumps:

643
942


875
Q
KT

After drawing trumps, the hand can be claimed to take all remaining tricks by cross-ruffing.

D[]

dbl[]

Short for double.

dealer[]

The player who deals the cards. In duplicate bridge, the dealer does not actually deals the cards, but instead is marked on the board.

declaration[]

(old-fashioned) contract

denomination[]

A denomination is one of the four suits, or notrump (NT). The ascending order of the denomination is , , , , and NT.

DEPO[]

Short for double even pass odd, used after interference of Blackwood.

diamond[]

The suit.

direct[]

The direct seat is the seat directly after the right-hand opponent has bid. An immediate overcall is therefore called a direct overcall, and a number of other terms also inherit this name. The opposite term is balancing.

discard[]

(verb) To play a card other than trumps when unable to follow suit.

DONT[]

Short for disturbing opponent's no trump, a method for interfering over a 1NT opening.

DOPI[]

Short for double zero pass one, used after interference of Blackwood.

double[]

A call which can only be made when the last action is a bid by the opponents. Its natural meaning is to increase the stakes.

double-dummy[]

The term double-dummy refers to the situation when all four hands are known. It is because when there are two dummies lying on the tables, all four hands are known. See also double-dummy solver.

double-dummy solver[]

A program which finds the optimal line of play when all four hands are known.

doubleton[]

A suit which contains exactly two cards. Compare void and singleton.

draw[]

To draw trumps means to remove the opponents' trumps.

dummy[]

  1. Partner of the declarer whose card is played by the declarer.
  2. The cards lie down on the table by the dummy.

E[]

escape[]

To escape from a contract means that the contract is bad, and a better one is chosen.

establish[]

To establish a card means to set it up as a winner. For example, the K and Q are said to be established if the A is played when one holds KQ72 in s.

F[]

flat[]

The term flat, as an adjective can have two meanings:

  1. A board which nearly everyone scores the same.
  2. A hand with no shape, i.e. 4-3-3-3 distribution. Same as shapeless.

feature[]

An outside A, K, or Q is typically called a feature. This is used, for instance, in rebids after a 2NT response to a weak two bid.

fert[]

(slang) Short for fertiliser, an opening used for very weak hands in strong pass systems.

field[]

The field is the set of contestants playing the same board. This term only applies to pair duplicate events.

fit[]

A fit is typically 8 cards in one suit between a partnership. Common shapes for fits are 5-3, 4-4, 5-4, 6-2, etc.

A 7-card fit is called a Moyesian fit.

four triple three[]

Same as flat i.e. 4-3-3-3 shape.

free bid[]

A free bid is a bid when not forced. Usually the term is describe in the situation when partner makes a forcing bid and RHO overcalls, hence frees the forcing bid.

G[]

gadget[]

(slang) Either a treatment or convention designed to cover a specific situation without integral effect on the whole system.

green[]

(slang) Non-vulnerable.

H[]

heart[]

The suit.

HCP[]

High card point.

high card point[]

High card points (HCPs) are used in hand evaluation. An ace is 4 points, king is 3 points, queen is 2 points, jacks is 1 point. There are 40 HCPs in a deck.

honour[]

An ace, king, queen, jack or ten.

HKCBA[]

The regional bridge organisation of Hong Kong.

I[]

IMP[]

International Match Point, a form of scoring in duplicate bridge.

invitational[]

An invitational call is a call which tells the partner to bid game if he holds a non-minimum hand, or a good-fitting hand. For example, 1-3 is normally played as invitational, which tells the opener to bid 4 if holding a non-minimum.

J[]

jump[]

To bid at a level higher than necessary.

K[]

K[]

king

king[]

The second highest card.

L[]

level[]

The term level has two related meaning:

  • The level of a bid. If used in this way, a number is attached to it. For example, 1 to 1NT are called 1-level bids.
  • A measure of the bidding space. For example, a bid 3 after 1 consumes two levels.

lily[]

the old name of royal

M[]

major suit[]

or , which worth 30 points per odd trick

masterpoint[]

A system used for ranking the performance of players in the long run.

matchpoint[]

A form of scoring in duplicate bridge.

minor suit[]

or , which worth 20 points per odd trick

MP[]

  1. Short for matchpoint, a form of scoring in duplicate bridge.
  2. Short for masterpoint, a system used for ranking players.

N[]

natural[]

A natural call is a call which specifies its literal meaning.

  • A natural bid indicates willingness to play in the denomination named.
  • A natural double or redouble means to increase the score of the contract.
  • A natural pass means not willing to make any other call.

A natural system is a system which is mainly composed of natural calls.

The opposite is artificial.

negative[]

  1. A negative score means a score lost by us.
  2. A negative bid is a bid which shows a very weak hand, to remove expectation from a strong partner, or a bid which means absence of the feature queried by the asking bid.

notrump[]

Notrump, or no trump, means its literal meaning, i.e. without trump suit.

nullo[]

Nullo is a denomination in some variant of bridge (but not in contract bridge proper), which is to lose tricks instead of to win tricks. Nullo ranks lower than notrump, but higher than spades, and scores as the same as notrump. For example, a 1 nullo contract promises to lose at least 7 tricks, while a 7 nullo contract promises to lose all 13 tricks.

Nullo was developed at the time of auction bridge, but was dropped because it is hard to bid.

O[]

odd trick[]

The tricks which are taken beyond the book, and are counted towards the score.

ODR[]

Short for offence to defence ratio, a method of hand evaluation useful in competitive auction.

off[]

A convention is said to be off if it can't be activated at that point of the auction. Otherwise, it is said to be on. For example, if Stayman is off when a 1NT opening is interfered by a double, a 2 bid by the responder is a natural sign off.

on[]

A convention is said to be on if it can be activated at that point of the auction. Otherwise, it is said to be off. For example, if Stayman is on when a 1NT opening is interfered by a double, a 2 bid by the responder is Stayman.

opening[]

An opening, or an opening bid, is the first bid in an auction. To open an auction means to place the first bid in an auction.

If all four players pass without placing an opening bid, the deal is passed out.

over[]

(slang) A card is over another card means the higher card is on the left side of the other lower card. (See under)

overruff[]

To overruff means to play a higher trump card when unable to follow suit, when a trump card is already in the trick.

P[]

P[]

Short for pass.

pair[]

Two players as partnership, one sitting opposite to the other.

A pair event is an event which is entered by pairs. See duplicate bridge for details.

pass[]

A pass is a call whose natural meaning is unwillingness to take an action. The auction ends with an action followed by three consecutive passes, or four consecutive passes without an opening.

pass out[]

  1. (v) To make the fourth consecutive pass when the bidding is not opened. The deal is said to be passed out after such an action and is abandoned.
    • In rubber bridge, the deal is abandoned and the next dealer gets the turn to deal.
    • In Chicago bridge, the deal does not count in the 4 deals played and is reshuffled by the same dealer.
    • In duplicate bridge, a score of 0 is entered.
  1. (v) To make the third consecutive pass after an action. The contract is then fixed and the play begins.
  2. (adj) A position which pass ends the auction

pass or correct[]

A pass-or-correct bid is a kind of 2-suited sign off which shows no further interest. It requires the partner to pass or correct to the other suit.

penalty[]

  • The score awarded to the opponents when the contract is set.
  • A score given to the non-offending side when someone violates rules.

plain suit[]

i.e. side suit

point[]

  • A number used in scoring, which is to be maximised.
  • A number used in hand evaluation, determining the strength of a hand.

preempt[]

To bid at a high level in order to take away the bidding space.

prerequisite[]

Some conventions only make sense if other conventions are in play. These are called prerequisites.

psych[]

A call which delibrately misstates one's hand.

pull[]

(Slang) To pull a double or redouble means to remove it by bidding over it.

puppet[]

A puppet is an artificial call which unconditionally requires the partner to make a specific bid, usually the lowest one, after which the player placing the puppet can have further action.

A puppet is different from a relay that a relay bid itself shows nothing, but asks the partner to respond something; a puppet show something, but requests the partner to return, showing nothing.

push[]

(slang) Board which perform the same as others. Same as flat. e.g. This board was a push.

Q[]

quack[]

(slang) Queens and Jacks. They are useful when supported but usually useless when unsupported.

R[]

rdbl[]

Short for redouble.

red[]

(slang) vulnerable.

redbl[]

Short for redouble.

redouble[]

A call which can only be made when the last action is a double by the opponents. Its natural meaning is to further increase the stakes.

relay[]

A bid, generally the cheapest available bid, which asks partner information.

reopen[]

(v) Same as balance.

reopening[]

(adj) Same as balancing.

rescue[]

To bid over partner's bad contract.

royal[]

A denomination in auction bridge that are trumps and each odd trick is worth 9 points. See also: boss suit.

ruff[]

To ruff means to play a trump card when unable to follow suit. It wins the trick when not overruffed.

run[]

To repetitively take tricks by playing winners in a suit.

S[]

sac[]

Slang for sacrifice

sacrifice[]

To deliberately bid a contract that cannot be made, hoping that the penalty will be less than the value of the making contract by the opponents.

self-raise[]

A self-raise is a raise of a suit previously bid by the same player. It usually shows a longer suit than before, Such a bid is almost always limiting.

sequence[]

A sequence is formed by consecutive cards. For example, AKQJ is a 4-card sequence.

shape[]

The shape of a hand is defined as the number of cards in each suit. If a quantifier is used along the word shape, it refers to the difference in length between the longest and shortest suits. i.e. 4-3-3-3 is no shape, 4-4-3-2 is little shape, 6-2-3-2 is a lot of shape, and 8-4-1-0 is an extreme shape.

shapeless[]

A hand with exactly 4-3-3-3 distribution. Same as flat.

shapely[]

A hand which the difference in length between the longest and shortest suits is large, such as 7-4-2-0 shape.

side[]

A side is either North-South or East-West.

side suit[]

A suit other than the trump suit in a suit contract.

sign off[]

A sign off is a bid indicating that partner should pass. Typically, game bids are sign offs. Other instances is when it becomes clear that there is no possibility for game.

singleton[]

A suit which contains exactly one card. Compare void and doubleton.

slam[]

A small slam is a 6-level contract; a grand slam is a 7-level contract. As the bonuses for slam is very large, conventions are developed for accurate bidding.

The bonuses for slam:

Non-vulnerable Vulnerable
Small slam 500 750
Grand slam 1000 1500

solid[]

A suit is considered solid if it contains an unbroken line of honors from the A. Typically, A-K-Q is required to call a suit solid, but this can be generalized to more (i.e. "five solid" would mean A-K-Q-J-T, and so on).

It is useful to show solid suits to confirm a maximum weak two bid.

A suit is nearly solid if it is missing a single low honor from being solid. Thus, A-K-J is nearly solid.

space[]

The bidding space has 7 levels and 35 steps. Making a bid always take up some space, but making other calls doesn't.

spade[]

The suit.

stop[]

  1. The stop card in the bidding box.
  2. (verb) To stop a suit means to prevent it from running.

step[]

Bidding space is measured in levels and steps. The space between a bid and the immediate next bid is called a step. For example, 1-1 is 3 steps, 1-7NT is 34 steps.

A level is equivalent to 5 steps.

stopper[]

A card which can stop a suit running.

strain[]

denomination

sufficient bid[]

A sufficient bid is a bid which is higher in level than the previous bid, or at the same level but with a higher denomination than the previous bid.

suit[]

There are 4 suits in the deck: (club), (diamond), (heart), (spade). and are called the minor suits and and are called the major suits. A major suit scores 30 per odd trick, a minor suit scores 20 per odd tricks.

As major suit games need one less trick to make, it is generally preferable to place contracts in majors instead of minors.

The boss suit is the spade suit, since it is the highest suit, thus having the ability to take up the whole level and wins competitive biddings.

swing[]

(slang) A large difference in score. For example, a game swing is the difference between a game and a partscore, while a double game swing is the difference between making games of two sides.

T[]

T[]

Ten. Used when each card has to be represented by exactly one character.

take-out[]

same as rescue

team[]

Some tournament are played in teams. A team is formed by 4 to 6 players, with 4 of them playing, the remaining spare. When team A and B compete, the N-S pair of team A plays with the E-W pair of team B, the E-W pair of team A plays with the N-S pair of team B, and the team result is compared by subtracting the opponents score from the other table, sitting at the same position (or equivalently add the points of the teammates from the other table together). (See also duplicate bridge)

tenace[]

A tenace is a combination of two honours with one missing between them, since as A-Q or K-J. Such combinations are useful for finessing underneath the missing honour held by LHO. Holding high tenaces in the dummy prevents either opponent from leading the missing honour and can therefore shut down the honour even if held by RHO.

top[]

A board that is played the best in the field. If MP scoring is used, the board gets all available MPs.

transfer[]

A call which asks the partner to bid a specified suit.

treatment[]

A natural call to communicate specific information. Contrast: convention

trick[]

Trick

a trick

A trick is formed by all four players playing a card into it in turn.

trump[]

A trump suit is a suit, which can be played to a trick when unable to follow suit, to win a trick. The act of playing a trump when unable to follow trump is called ruffing or trumping.

In contract bridge, the trump suit is decided by the auction.

U[]

under[]

(slang) A card is under another card means the card is on the right side of the other card. (See over)

underlead[]

To underlead an honour means to lead a card from the suit with the honour.

V[]

void[]

A missing suit. Compare doubleton and singleton.

VP[]

Victory point, a form of scoring in duplicate bridge.

vulnerable[]

A vulnerable pair scores more then a non-vulnerable pair if a contract makes, but is also penalised more if it goes down.

W[]

waiting[]

A waiting bid is a relay bid which is used when there are no other descriptive bids available. In contrast to a negative bid, a waiting bid does not deny values.

weak or strong[]

A call is called weak or strong if it denotes strength of two distinct ranges (weak or strong). It is not used by strength between the two ranges.

winner[]

A card which can win a trick when played.

X[]

x[]

A small card. Used in hand diagrams.

X[]

Abbreviation of double. Same as dbl.

XX[]

Abbreviation of redouble. Same as redbl or rdbl.

Y[]

yarborough[]

A hand with no honours.

Z[]

zero[]

At MP scoring, a board that gets zero matchpoints. Same as bottom.

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