Bridge is a complex game, and mastering scoring is an essential skill for players who want to track and analyze their performance. Understanding how points are counted and recorded allows you to better appreciate the subtleties of the game and become a more skilled player. This article will guide you step by step to learn bridge scoring in a simple and practical way.
1. Why learn scoring?
Scoring in bridge helps you record the progress of each game, which is essential for analyzing the strategies used, understanding your mistakes, and improving. Additionally, when playing in tournaments or competitions, it’s important to know how to mark and read results to track the score.
Key points to remember:
- Scoring allows you to keep track of contracts, tricks, and results.
- It is necessary to compare scores between teams during competitions.
2. Basic elements of scoring
To understand bridge scoring properly, you need to know the different elements that make it up. Here are the main terms you will encounter:
- The contract: This is the bid made by a player or team, for example, 3 No-Trump (3NT) or 4 Hearts (4♥).
- The tricks made: The number of tricks you won, compared to those announced in the contract.
- Vulnerability: This condition can multiply points won or lost. Being vulnerable means you take more risks but also gain more points if you fulfill the contract.
- Basic and bonus scores: These vary depending on whether you are vulnerable or not and the contract chosen.
3. How to score a bridge game?
Here are the steps to properly score a bridge game:
- Record the contract: The announced contract (e.g., 4♠) must be written down with the suit or No-Trump (NT). If the contract is doubled or redoubled, this must be specified.
- Record the tricks: Indicate whether the contract was fulfilled or not, and how many tricks were made compared to those required (9 tricks for 3NT, 10 for 4♥, etc.).
- Check vulnerability: Indicate whether the team was vulnerable or not. This affects the calculation of points.
- Calculate the score: Based on the tricks and vulnerability, calculate the total score for the team.
4. Example of scoring
Let’s take a simple example to illustrate the process:
- Contract: 4♠ non-vulnerable
- Tricks made: 10 tricks
- Score:
- The basic score for 4♠ is 120 points (30 points per trick above the first 6).
- If the contract is fulfilled, add the 50-point bonus for a total of 170 points.
If the contract had been made vulnerable, the bonus would have been 500 points.
5. What to do in case of a defeat?
If the contract is not fulfilled, you must record the missed tricks, called “defeats”. Points are awarded to the opponent based on the number of missed tricks and vulnerability.
Example:
- If you missed 2 tricks while non-vulnerable, the opponent will receive 50 points per missed trick, totaling 100 points.
- If you are vulnerable and miss 2 tricks, the opponent scores 100 points per trick, totaling 200 points.
6. Scoring overtricks and doubled contracts
If you make more tricks than expected in your contract (known as overtricks), these extra tricks are also scored.
- Each overtrick earns additional points, generally 30 points in No-Trump and 20 to 30 points in suit contracts.
- If a contract is doubled or redoubled, the points are multiplied. For example, if you win a doubled contract, the base points and overtricks are doubled.
| Element | Description | Points awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Successful contract (non-vulnerable) | Example: 4♠ (10 tricks) | 120 points + 50 bonus = 170 |
| Successful contract (vulnerable) | Example: 4♠ (10 tricks) | 120 points + 500 bonus = 620 |
| Defeat (non-vulnerable) | Missed 2 tricks | 50 points per trick for the opponent |
| Defeat (vulnerable) | Missed 2 tricks | 100 points per trick for the opponent |
| Overtrick | Trick beyond the contract | 20 to 30 points depending on the contract |
7. Tools for learning scoring
There are several resources and tools to learn bridge scoring:
- Scorecards: Use scorecards to practice recording your games. These are often available at bridge clubs.
- Bridge apps: Many apps allow you to learn scoring interactively while playing.
- Books and courses: There are specialized books and online courses that explain bridge scoring in detail.
Learning bridge scoring is an important step to improving your game and understanding scoring. With a little practice, you will be able to track your games and analyze the results to improve.
