Bridge for Beginners

A rubber bridge score sheet is divided into two columns: We and They. There is a line across the middle of the score sheet, and points are scored both above and below this line.

Only points for tricks ‘bid and made’ are scored below the line. All other points are scored above the line.

You can score points in three ways:

• By making the contract your side has bid

• By defeating the contract the enemy have bid

• By earning a bonus score.

If you make a contract, the number of points you score depends on the denomination of the contract. For each trick above six, you receive:

20 points if the contract was in a minor suit ( or )

30 points if the contract was in a major suit ( or )

40 points for the first trick at no trumps

30 points for each trick after the first at no trumps.

Remember, only points for tricks bid and made are scored below the line. So, for making a contract of three hearts, you score 90 below the line. For making five diamonds, you score 100. For making six no trumps, you score 190.

A score of 100 points or more below the line is a game. You can achieve a game with a single contract (3NT, four of a major, five of a minor) or by making two or more partscore contracts which add up to 100 points or more. When one side makes a game, a line is drawn underneath the game score and any partscores already achieved by the other side no longer count towards game. A side which has made a game is said to be vulnerable, a side which has not yet made a game is not vulnerable. The first side to win two games wins the rubber and is given a bonus for so doing.

If you make more tricks than your contract, you score points for the extra tricks, but they are scored above the line. So, if you play in three hearts but make 11 tricks, you score 90 below the line and 60 above it. You have not made game – you do not have 100 points below the line.

If you defeat the enemy contract, the points you score depend on whether the enemy are vulnerable and whether the contract was doubled or redoubled. If the contract was not doubled, you receive:

50 points for each undertrick if the enemy are not vulnerable.

100 points for each undertrick if the enemy are vulnerable.

So, if the enemy play in four hearts and make eight tricks, you score 100 points if they are not vulnerable and 200 points if they are. These points are then scored above the line.

If the contract was doubled, the scoring is:

Number of undertricks	Not vulnerable	Vulnerable
1 2 3 4 5 6	100 300 500 800 1100 1400	200 500 800 1100 1400 1700

and each extra undertrick scores a further 300 points. If the contract was redoubled, the score is twice the score for a doubled contract.

If you are doubled and make the contract, the score for tricks bid and made is doubled (and if this brings the total above 100, you make game – so two hearts doubled is a game contract because it would score 120 if made). If you make overtricks, you score 100 points per trick if not vulnerable and 200 points per trick if vulnerable regardless of the denomination. You also score a bonus of 50 points for making a doubled contract and 100 points for making a redoubled contract. So, if you played in two no trumps doubled and made ten tricks not vulnerable, you would score 140 below the line (70x2) and 250 above the line (100 for each overtrick plus the 50 bonus).

You can earn bonus scores for bidding and making a slam contract as follows:

	Not vulnerable	Vulnerable
Small slam Grand slam	500 1000	750 1500

The side that wins the rubber also scores a bonus of 700 points if the enemy has not made a game, or 500 points if the enemy has made a game.

Finally, you can score a bonus for holding what are called honours. If you hold in your hand alone four of the five highest cards in the trump suit – four of the A, K, Q, J and 10 – you score 100 for honours. If you hold all five, you score 150 for honours. If you hold all four aces at no trumps, you score 150 for honours. Declarer, dummy or either defender may score for honours. If you are declarer, you may claim your honours at any time, but if you are a defender you must wait till the end of the hand!