Play Bridge online for free
Bridge is a trick-taking card game for four players in two partnerships. First there is an auction, where the players bid for the right to choose trumps and promise to win a number of tricks. Then the cards are played, and the side that won the auction tries to make its contract. Here on Kitchen Table Cards you can play Bridge free in your browser, with a computer partner against two computer players. The cards are big, a Hint button explains every bid, and nobody hurries you.
How to play · Bidding · The play · Scoring · Tips · Questions
How to play Bridge
Bridge uses a standard 52-card deck, with Aces high. Partners sit across from each other: on this site you play with Walter against Rosa and June. Everyone is dealt 13 cards, and each hand has two parts:
- The auction (bidding). Players take turns to bid, pass or double. The last and highest bid becomes the contract.
- The play. The side that won the contract tries to win at least the number of tricks it promised. The other side tries to stop them.
Bidding
A bid is a number from 1 to 7 and a suit or No Trumps, such as "Two Hearts". The number is how many tricks above six you promise to win, so One Spade promises 7 tricks and Four Spades promises 10. Each bid must be higher than the one before: at the same level, the suits rank from Clubs (lowest) through Diamonds, Hearts and Spades to No Trumps. The auction ends when three players in a row pass after a bid.
To judge your hand, count high card points: Ace 4, King 3, Queen 2, Jack 1. You can usually open the bidding with 12 points or more. You and your partner together need about:
| Contract | Tricks needed | Points between you |
|---|---|---|
| Three No Trumps (a game) | 9 | about 25 |
| Four Hearts or Four Spades (a game) | 10 | about 25, with 8 trumps between you |
| Five Clubs or Five Diamonds (a game) | 11 | about 28 |
| A small slam (six of anything) | 12 | about 33 |
| A grand slam (seven of anything) | 13 | about 37 |
Double means you think the other side won't make its contract, and doubles the score. Redouble doubles it again. The player on the winning side who first named the trump suit (or No Trumps) becomes the declarer.
The play and the dummy
- The opening lead: the player on the declarer's left plays the first card.
- The dummy: the declarer's partner then lays their cards face up on the table. The declarer plays both hands.
- Following suit: each player must play a card of the suit that was led if they have one. If not, they may play any card.
- Winning a trick: the highest trump wins. If no trump was played, the highest card of the suit led wins. The winner leads the next trick.
On this site, when you or Walter win the contract you play both your hand and Walter's, whose cards are shown face up at the top. When Rosa or June declare, their partner's cards are shown face up at the side.
Scoring a rubber
This game uses rubber Bridge scoring. Only the tricks you bid and make count towards a game; they are written below the line. Everything else, such as overtricks, bonuses and penalties, goes above the line.
| What happened | Points |
|---|---|
| Each trick bid and made in Clubs or Diamonds | 20 below the line |
| Each trick bid and made in Hearts or Spades | 30 below the line |
| No Trumps | 40 for the first trick, 30 for each after it |
| A game: 100 or more below the line | A new line is drawn and both sides start again from 0 |
| Winning the rubber (two games) | 700, or 500 if the other side won a game |
| Small slam made | 500, or 750 vulnerable |
| Grand slam made | 1,000, or 1,500 vulnerable |
| Each trick short of the contract | 50 to the other side, or 100 vulnerable (more if doubled) |
| Four or five top trumps (honours) in one hand | 100 or 150 |
For example, bidding and making Four Spades scores 120 below the line, which is a game. Making Two Hearts scores 60: not yet a game, but another 40 later will complete one.
How to play Bridge on this site
| Bid | When it's your turn, the bidding box appears. Choose a level, then a suit or No Trumps. Pass, Double and Redouble are underneath. |
|---|---|
| The auction | Every bid so far is shown in the middle of the table. Point at a bid to see what it means. |
| Play a card | Click or tap it when it's your turn, or drag it up onto the table. Cards you can't play are shown darker. |
| Contract and tricks | The bar above the table shows the contract, the tricks each side has won and the score of the rubber. |
| Hint | Suggests a bid or a card, and explains why. |
| Pause | Stops the other players until you are ready to carry on. |
| Scores | Shows the score sheet for the rubber, above and below the line. |
| Settings | Choose how fast the other players play and the table colour. |
Tips for playing Bridge
- Look for a fit. Eight or more cards in one suit between you and your partner make a good trump suit.
- Bid games. With 25 points between you, try Three No Trumps or Four of a major suit: games win rubbers.
- Plan before the first trick. As declarer, count your sure winners and work out where the extra tricks will come from.
- Draw trumps. In a suit contract, play your trumps early so the other side can't trump your winners.
- Lead your partner's suit. As a defender, if Walter has bid a suit, lead it.
- Second hand low, third hand high. A classic rule for defenders that saves your high cards for the right moment.
Bridge questions and answers
Is this Bridge game free?
Yes. Bridge on Kitchen Table Cards is completely free to play in your browser. There is no download, no sign-up and nothing to buy.
Can I play Bridge online by myself?
Yes. Walter, a computer player, is your partner and sits opposite you. You play against Rosa and June, two more computer players. You never have to wait for three other people to join a table.
How do I bid on this site?
When it is your turn, a bidding box appears above your cards. Choose a level from 1 to 7, then a suit or No Trumps, or press Pass, Double or Redouble. Point at any bid in the auction to see what it tells you about that player’s hand.
How do I count my points?
Count 4 for each Ace, 3 for each King, 2 for each Queen and 1 for each Jack. There are 40 points in the deck. With 12 or more you can usually open the bidding, and you and your partner together need about 25 to bid a game.
What is the dummy in Bridge?
The partner of the player who won the contract is the dummy. After the first card is played, the dummy’s cards are laid face up on the table and the declarer plays them as well as their own. When you win the contract, you play Walter’s cards too.
What does vulnerable mean?
A side that has already won a game in the rubber is vulnerable. Bonuses for slams and the penalties for going down are bigger when you are vulnerable. On this site, the names of vulnerable players are edged in red.
How do you win a rubber of Bridge?
Points for contracts you bid and make go "below the line". Reaching 100 below the line wins a game, and the first side to win two games wins the rubber and a bonus of 500 or 700 points. The side with the most points in total is the winner.
What are No Trumps?
In a No Trumps contract there is no trump suit: the highest card of the suit led always wins the trick. Three No Trumps is a popular game contract because you only need nine tricks.
Which bidding system does the computer use?
Walter, Rosa and June use a simple, natural style of bidding: One No Trump shows 15 to 17 points and an even hand, a one-level suit opening shows about 12 to 21 points, and Two Clubs shows a very strong hand. Hint suggests a bid and explains it.
Can I play Bridge on a tablet or phone?
Yes. Tap a card to play it, or drag it up onto the table with your finger. Cards you are not allowed to play are shown darker, and the game tells you why if you tap one.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. The rubber is saved on your device after every bid and every card, so you can close the page and carry on later.
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