Minibridge
The easy way into bridge. Everyone states their points instead of bidding, the stronger side declares, and you choose the contract and play both your hand and North’s face-up dummy.
Also try Whist → Also try Spades →
How to play Minibridge
Points and declarer
Each player gets 13 cards and states their high-card points: ace 4, king 3, queen 2, jack 1. The side with more points declares; if both sides have 20, the cards are dealt again. When your side has more you always declare and North is the dummy. On West and East’s side the player with more points declares; on a tie, the one who stated first (the dealer, then clockwise).
Contract and play
Declarer sees the dummy and chooses the contract: a partscore (1 of a suit or 1NT, 7 tricks) or a game (3NT 9 tricks, 4♥ or 4♠ 10, 5♣ or 5♦ 11), with that suit as trumps or no trumps. The player on declarer’s left leads, then the dummy goes face up and declarer plays both hands. Follow suit if you can; the highest trump, or else the highest card of the suit led, wins the trick.
Scoring
Each trick over six scores 20 in clubs or diamonds, 30 in hearts or spades, and 40 for the first and 30 for each further one in no trumps. A made game adds 300 and a made partscore 50, so 4♥ with ten tricks scores 420. Each trick short gives the defenders 50. Nobody is vulnerable and there are no doubles. A session is 4 deals (6 on Expert) and the higher total wins.
Levels and tips
Beginner suggests a contract and explains it, and the computers play by simple rules. On Standard and Expert they think ahead from many possible layouts of the cards they can’t see. Tips: with 25 points together look for a game, prefer 8 cards together in hearts or spades, draw trumps first, and finesse towards an ace–queen. The Hint button names the technique. There is no Undo: taking a card back after seeing the next ones would give away hidden cards.
Questions
What is minibridge?
Minibridge is bridge without the auction, made for learning. Instead of bidding, every player states their high-card points, the side with more points declares, and declarer chooses the contract after seeing the dummy. The play of the cards and the scoring are the same as in bridge.
How do you count points in bridge?
Count 4 for each ace, 3 for each king, 2 for each queen and 1 for each jack. The pack holds 40 points, so an average hand has 10. With 25 or more points between you and your partner a game is usually a good bet; with fewer, play a partscore.
Which contract should I choose?
With 25 or more points together, play 4♥ or 4♠ when you have at least 8 cards together in that suit, otherwise 3NT; 5♣ or 5♦ needs about 28 points, 9 cards and a short suit. With less than 25, play 1 of a suit where you have 8 cards together, or else 1NT. The Beginner level marks this choice with a star.
How does scoring work in minibridge?
Each trick over six is worth 20 in clubs or diamonds, 30 in hearts or spades, and 40 then 30 in no trumps. Making a game adds 300 and making a partscore adds 50, so 3NT with nine tricks scores 400. If declarer falls short, the defenders score 50 for every missing trick.
Do the computer players cheat?
No. Each computer player decides from its own cards, the dummy once it is face up, the cards played so far and the points everyone stated. Opening leads follow standard rules; after that, Standard and Expert players deal out the unseen cards many ways that fit those facts and test each card they could play. Your daily game deals everyone the same cards against Standard players.