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Go To: The Deal - The Bidding - The Play

The Play

The player to declarer's left begins the play by choosing any card from his or her hand and placing it face up on the table. This card is known as the opening lead. Dummy then arranges his or her hand face up on the table, placing the trump suit (if any) on the left from declarer's point of view and the other suits in alternating color. In this example, hearts are trump:

Declarer chooses a card to play from dummy. Declarer's right-hand opponent then plays a card, followed by declarer. The first trick, or set of four cards, is now complete. In playing cards to a trick, players must follows these rules:

1. Players must play a card of the suit that was originally led, if they have one.

2. A player who does not have a card of the suit originally led may play any card from his or her hand. If that card is a trump, the player is said to "trump" or "ruff" the trick. If that card is from some other suit, it's called a "discard."

Unlike some card games, there are no requirements in bridge to play a higher card or a trump card when able to.

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The winner of a trick is the player who played the highest card of the suit led, unless one or more trumps were played during the trick. If any trumps were played, the trick is won by the highest trump. Aces are high, followed by kings, queens, jacks, tens, nines, etc.

The hand that wins a trick leads the first card of the next trick, and the other players follow in clockwise order. When leading, players are always free to choose any card in their hand. Declarer chooses which cards to play from both dummy's hand and his or her own hand.

Players keep track of the tricks won by each partnership. Results of the deal are scored at the end of the play.

Note: In rubber bridge, the four cards in each trick are collected into a packet and set aside. In duplicate and team of four bridge, in which the same deal will be replayed by other players, cards played to a trick are kept separate in front of their owners and are simply turned upside-down in place once the trick is complete.

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The Play
	The player to declarer's left begins the play by choosing any card from his or her hand and placing it face up on the table. This card is known as the opening lead. Dummy then arranges his or her hand face up on the table, placing the trump suit (if any) on the left from declarer's point of view and the other suits in alternating color. In this example, hearts are trump: Declarer chooses a card to play from dummy. Declarer's right-hand opponent then plays a card, followed by declarer. The first trick, or set of four cards, is now complete. In playing cards to a trick, players must follows these rules: 1. Players must play a card of the suit that was originally led, if they have one. 2. A player who does not have a card of the suit originally led may play any card from his or her hand. If that card is a trump, the player is said to "trump" or "ruff" the trick. If that card is from some other suit, it's called a "discard." Unlike some card games, there are no requirements in bridge to play a higher card or a trump card when able to. Back to Top The winner of a trick is the player who played the highest card of the suit led, unless one or more trumps were played during the trick. If any trumps were played, the trick is won by the highest trump. Aces are high, followed by kings, queens, jacks, tens, nines, etc. The hand that wins a trick leads the first card of the next trick, and the other players follow in clockwise order. When leading, players are always free to choose any card in their hand. Declarer chooses which cards to play from both dummy's hand and his or her own hand. Players keep track of the tricks won by each partnership. Results of the deal are scored at the end of the play. Note: In rubber bridge, the four cards in each trick are collected into a packet and set aside. In duplicate and team of four bridge, in which the same deal will be replayed by other players, cards played to a trick are kept separate in front of their owners and are simply turned upside-down in place once the trick is complete. Back to Top