Better Bridge in Barry County May 28 2015 Part Two

Bids
		Rubber Bridge Scoring
	We			They			Vulnerable:  Won 1 game
							Not Vulnerable: No games won.
							Penalties for not making bid.
							Not Vul	50pts/trick
							Vulnerable 100pts/Trick
							Overtricks are scored above line.
							Extra tricks made above bid.
							Honors: A,K,Q,J,10
							4 Honors in Trump: 100 pts
							5 Honors in Trump 150 pts
							Honors in NT: 4 Aces 150 pts
							A Rubber is 2 out of 3 games.
							Rubber: 2 successive games=700
							2 games to 1 game=500
					The Line!
							Scoring
							Book	First 6 tricks
							C and D	20 pts/trick
							H and S	30 pts/trick
							NT	40 pts 1st trick; then 30pts/trick
							Game	Tricks Needed
							C and D	11	6+5	100
							H and S	10	6+4	120
							NT	9	6+3	100
							Bid and Made
							1C or D	20
							1 H or S		30
							1NT			40
							2 C or D	40
							2 H or S		60
							2NT			70
							3 C or D	60
							3 H or S		90
							3 NT	Game		100
							4 C or D	80
Total Points			Total Points				4 H or S	Game	120
							5 C or D Game:       100

Better Bridge in Barry County May 28 2015

Learning How to Score Rubber/Contract Bridge

By Gerald Stein

 

In today’s column, we will examine the third part of playing bridge: the scoring aspect. Too often some Contract/Rubber bridge players allow someone else to score the points for them. They are oblivious to the ways that bridge scoring is done. In all types of bridge playing, there are three parts: the bidding, the playing and defending the hand, and the scoring of the hand. In a two-part series, we will see how important it is to know all three parts of playing successful bridge. Knowing how to score is an important goal for every bridge player.

The object of bridge is to bid each hand and work together with your partner to gain 100 points or more to win a game. To earn those game points, certain values are assigned to the four suits and to no trump. Making a “game” results when your team has successfully earned 100 points or more by bidding, playing, and making the contract. The scoring will happen last after each hand.

In the convenient chart above, it is important to know certain terms that are used every time you are playing bridge. A “Vulnerable” status indicates that your team has won one game. Your team will be held to higher penalties as well as higher rewards because your side has won one game. A “Not Vulnerable” status indicates that your team has not yet won a game, and so the penalties and rewards are significantly lower. Getting set one trick when you are vulnerable will cost your team 100 points. Getting set one trick when you are not vulnerable will cost you 50 points.  Whether you are playing for pennies or M and M’s, it could make a difference!

Bridge is unique in that the first six tricks are called “the book.” Each time a player bids, the understanding is that the first six tricks are automatically included in the bid. Thus, a bid of 1C means that you are planning to take seven tricks: the “book” of six plus one, the bid that you have just made. You are communicating with your partner that you are interested in the club suit, and that you can make seven out of the 13 total tricks in each hand.

Tricks bid and won are counted as follows: the minor suits of clubs and diamonds are worth 20 points each. To reach a game of 100 or more, the goal for winning bridge games, in clubs or diamonds,  it will take you 11 tricks out of the 13 tricks possible for each hand, (“6 for book” and 5 tricks at 20 points each), a daunting task. Those points go below the line and are known as game points.

To reach a game of 100 or more in the major suits of hearts and spades, you need only four tricks plus “book of six” since major suits are worth 30 points each. (4 tricks at 30 points equals 120 points.) Those points also go below the line. Only ten tricks are needed for a game in a major instead of the more difficult 11 in clubs and diamonds, the minor suits.

To reach a game of 100 or more in no trump, you need only three tricks plus “book of six” since the first trick of no trump is worth 40 points. Each subsequent trick in no trump is worth 30 points. So 40 + 30 + 30 = 100. You can quickly see that experienced bridge players try for games in 3NT and 4♥ and 4♠ because of the lower number of tricks needed for game. Nine tricks in no trump is often easier than 11 tricks in clubs or diamonds.

Part scores happen often in Contract/Rubber Bridge, so learning to score and watching the scorecard is important. Part score hands may be played, scored and added until one side reaches the 100 or more points, the goal for each game. Bidding too high when your side has a part score on your side of the ledger and then going set is an aggravation to your partner. Learn to watch the score.

Contract/Rubber Bridge is based on winning the best of three games. Called a rubber, the team that wins the first two games is awarded bonus points for doing so. If your team wins the first two games without giving up a game to your opponents, happily take 700 bonus points above the line in addition to your game points below the line. If each team has won a game (vulnerable both), and your team wins the third game, then happily take a 500 point bonus. The rubber is over as soon as two games are won by either pair.

In addition, other bonus points include honors if you remember to claim them. Having 4 of the 5 top cards in a trump suit will give you a 100 bonus points above the line. Having 5 of the top 5 cards (A K Q J 10) will give you 150 bonus points. Having all four aces in one hand will also give you 150 bonus points if you are the declarer in no trump. Remember to claim them or you lose them.

Overtricks are tricks won above the contract; they are put above the line. Only tricks bid and made are counted towards the 100 point game goal. The extra tricks, counted as their given value, are put above the line and are counted as bonus points. Undertricks are tricks where the contract was not made. Those points go to your opponents for setting you. Those points also go above the line.

Finally, at the end of a rubber, the final steps are to count up the total points from the top part where the bonus points are stored as well as the game points. The team having the highest total number of points is declared the winner of the rubber.

Learning to score can be mastered with a little practice. Make sure you and your partner both know how to score and then teach someone how to score if they do not know how. This will make everyone a better bridge player!

 

Gerald Stein

May 20, 2015

Number of words: 1088

 

Bridge notes: Next time, Part Two of Scoring will look at scoring small slams, grand slams, and doubled and redoubled contracts. Until then, practice scoring on games and part scores, and see how much better you will be as a bridge player.