Bridge Card Game — Play Bridge Online
The classic partnership card game: compete in the auction, win the contract and play both your hand and dummy against two computer opponents.
You (South) and Mike (North, your partner) vs. Emily and Sarah. 4 deals Chicago-style: the side with more points wins!
How to play Bridge
There are 4 players in two partnerships: you (South) play with your partner across the table (North). Everyone gets 13 cards. In the auction, each player calls in turn: pass, double, redouble, or a bid made of a number from 1 to 7 and a suit or NT (notrump). The number says how many tricks over 6 your side promises to take, and every bid has to outrank the last one (♣ < ♦ < ♥ < ♠ < NT). Three passes in a row end the auction.
The final bid becomes the contract, and whichever partner named that strain first is the declarer. The player to declarer’s left makes the opening lead, then declarer’s partner lays their cards face up on the table: that’s dummy. If you’re declarer, you play both your cards and dummy’s; if your partner is declarer, the computer plays for them. You must follow suit; if you can’t, you may ruff with a trump. The highest card of the suit led (or the highest trump) wins the trick.
If you make your contract, your side scores trick points (20 in ♣/♦, 30 in ♥/♠, 40 for the first NT trick and 30 for each after that) plus bonuses: 50 for a partscore, 300 for game (500 vulnerable) and slam bonuses. If you go down, the opponents get 50 per undertrick (100 vulnerable), and much more when doubled. A match is 4 deals and the side with more points wins.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chicago bridge, and why not rubber bridge?
In rubber bridge, partnerships play until one side wins two games, and partscores carry over from hand to hand, which can take a lot of deals. Chicago is always 4 deals with fixed vulnerability: nobody is vulnerable on the 1st, the dealer’s side is vulnerable on the 2nd and 3rd, and everyone is on the 4th. Here each deal is scored like duplicate bridge (partscore 50, game 300 or 500), which is easier to follow.
What bidding system does the computer use?
A simple natural system: it opens at the 1-level with 12 or more high-card points (Ace 4, King 3, Queen 2, Jack 1), opens a major (♥ or ♠) only with 5 cards, 1NT with 15 to 17 balanced and 2NT with 20 to 21. Responses show 4-card suits or support partner, and the partnership stops in game (3NT, 4♥, 4♠ or 5 of a minor) with about 25 points between them.
When should I double?
At a low level, a double right after an opponent opens is a takeout double: it shows about 12 points and shortness in their suit, and asks partner to bid their best suit. Against high contracts, the double is for penalties: you think the opponents will go down and you want to increase the penalty.