If you happen to page through various articles on bridge games here are some basics of the game laid down by the famous bridge player and author Eddie Kantor, that will help in your understanding of the game.
Kantor divides the playing of bridge the game, into 4 PHASES.
The 1st 4 Phases of Playing the Game of Bridge
1. Dealing the Bridge Cards and Selecting the Dealer
Each player selects a card; the highest card designates the dealer. He then shuffles the cards and gives them to the player on the right whose job is to cut them. They return to the dealer who then deals them out clockwise one card at a time to each player, starting with the left-hand player and ending up at the dealer after all 52 cards are out. Each player, therefore, has 13 cards.
2. Bidding for Control of the Game
At this stage of the bridge game you need to think as though you are at an auction; each player bids for the number of tricks they calculate they can make. 13 tricks are up for grabs. The dealer opens the bidding and then the bidding moves to his left in a clockwise direction. Each bridge player gets a chance to bid; either bidding or passing. 7 tricks are the least you can bid and 13 the maximum. The winning bid is decided after three players one after the other pass.
3. Playing the bridge hand
The player who wins or buys the contract is then the declarer- he plays the hand. The player on the left of the declarer makes the opening lead by placing face down the first card. The play then rotates clockwise. The player sitting opposite the declarer is the dummy and he places his cards on the table face-up in four vertical rows; each row contains each of the suits. The dummy then plays no further part of the game; only three people then play the game.
After the lead the declarer plays any card of the same suit from dummy, the 3rd payer the same and then so does the declarer. 4 cards played – and whoever plays the highest card wins the trick. That person then leads any card of his choice for the next trick. The same process goes on until all 13 cards are played = 13 tricks.
The rule is to ensure each player follows suit – if they have a card in the suit; if they don’t they can discard any other card. Then after all 13 tricks have been played out the number of tricks are counted by each team. As an example declarer makes 8 the opponents then make 5.
4. Scoring
The number of tricks is counted by each team i.e. 8 by declarer who bid for 8 tricks as an example thus making the contract. The score is then registered and the next deal moves to the next player in a clockwise manner. Bridge, the game is arguably the greatest card game ever – but it is tricky!
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