SINGLE DUMMY BRIDGE

OBJECTIVE OF SINGLE DUMMY BRIDGE: The objective of Single Dummy Bridge is to reach a predetermined score first to win.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 Players

MATERIALS: One 52-card deck, a way to keep score, and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Trick-Taking Card Game

AUDIENCE: Adult

OVERVIEW OF SINGLE DUMMY BRIDGE

Single Dummy Bridge is a trick-taking card game for 2 players. The goal of the game is to reach a predetermined number of points to win. Players can do this by making bids and completing them to score points. This occurs over several rounds of play. The first person to reach the needed score wins.

Players should set the score before the game begins.

In this game there will be two dummy hands, one played by each player.

SETUP

A dealer is chosen randomly and then each round after will exchange between players. The dealer shuffles the 52-card deals 4 hands (1 to each player and a dummy hand opposite of each player) of 13 cards, a single card at a time, counterclockwise.

After hands are dealt a player may look at their actual hand but not at their dummy hand. One dummy hand is revealed, and a round of bidding takes place before the game begins.

Card Rankings and Trumps

In Single Dummy Bridge, the ranking of cards is traditional Ace (high), King, Queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 (low).

The suits also rank, but this is used only for bidding. No trumps (high), spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs (low).

BIDDING

After hands are dealt, a bidding round will occur. It starts with the dealer and continues with their opponent. Each player may either bid a number of tricks they think they can win this round and a trump suit, or they may pass. Bids are made with the knowledge that you must win at least 6 tricks, so when you bid you bid how many tricks over 6 you will win. 1 (aka 7 tricks) is the minimum bid and 7 (aka 13 tricks) is the max. Players will go back and forth outbidding each other until one player pass. A higher number of tricks always outbids the other player bid or a higher-ranked suit with the same number of tricks. 

A player may also call for a double or redouble instead of increasing the bid. When an opponent makes a bid you may on your turn then double it (meaning to double the score at the end) or if a double has been made on your bid you may redouble it. Once a new deal is made, however, the double and redouble disappear and must be remade. Once a player passes the other player has won the bid and must collect at least as many tricks as they bid with the trump suit they called to score.

GAMEPLAY

After the bidding has finished, the winner of the bid may decide if they would like to take the revealed dummy hand or the unrevealed one. After they choose which they will play with, both hands are revealed. Then the 13 tricks are played. The first player is the opponent of the winning bidder and may lead any card they wish. Following players must follow suit if able. A trick is won by the highest trump played to it or by the highest card of the suit led. The won tricks are kept by the winner and the winner of a trick leads the next.

A player will play both a card from their hidden hand on their turn but also a card from the revealed hand of their dummy on their turn. Turn order is clockwise.

After the final trick is won the scoring begins.

SCORING

After all, tricks have been played players will score their points.

A successful bid means the player will score for each trick over 6 they won. They score points based on the trump suit that was chosen. For spades and hearts, each won trick over 6 is worth 30 points. For diamonds and clubs, each trick over 6 wins is worth 20 points. Finally, if playing with no trumps, the first trick over 6 is worth 40 points, and all tricks after that are worth 30 points each.

If the bid was doubled, double the end score, and if it was redoubled quadruple the score.

END OF GAME

The game is won when a player reaches or exceeds the number of points predetermined before the game. This player to do this first wins.

Amber Crook
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