Bridge scoring


While a deal of bridge is always played following a unique set of rules, its scoring may vary depending on the type of event the deal is played on. There are two main categories of scoring: rubber and duplicate. Rubber scoring, and its popular variant Chicago, are mostly used in social play. Duplicate scoring is focused on tournament competition and has many variations that compare and rank the relative performance of partnerships and teams playing the same deals as their competitors.

Terminology

The following terms and concepts, defined in the glossary of contract bridge terms, are essential to understanding bridge scoring:
  • or Made
  • and grand slam
  • Undoubled, and
  • , and

    Scoring elements

Bridge scoring consists of six to eight elements, depending on the variant.
The method of accumulation of contract points toward a "game" varies, too. However, a "game" is always triggered when 100 contract points are reached, a "partial game" or "part-score" refers to 10 to 90 contract points, and once either side reaches a game, both sides' part-scores, while still valid to be counted as part of the final score of the entire match, are reset to 0 for the purpose of the next game or rubber bonus.
This is the list of the scoring elements:
  • If the is made, the score for each such deal consists of:
  • * Contract points, assigned to each bid and made
  • * Overtrick points, assigned for each trick taken over the contracted number of odd tricks
  • * A bonus for a small slam or contract bid and made
  • * A bonus, colloquially known as 'for insult', is received at the end of any deal in which a or contract is bid and made
  • If the contract is defeated, the defenders receive:
  • * Penalty points, assigned for every
  • In rubber bridge only:
  • * A is received at the end of a completed rubber by the side that is first to win two games. A rubber bonus is also awarded for some game and part-game scores at the end of an unfinished rubber
  • * An is received by any player at the end of any deal in which the player held particular honour cards.
  • In four-deal bridge only:
  • * A partial-game bonus is received at the end of the last deal for any partial game contract bid and made in the last deal
  • * A game bonus is received at the end of each deal for any game-finishing contract bid and made
  • * An honor bonus is received by any player at the end of any deal in which the player held particular honor cards.
  • In duplicate bridge only:
  • * A partial-game bonus is received at the end of each deal for any partial game contract bid and made
  • * A game bonus is received at the end of each deal for any game contract bid and made

    Contract points

Contract points are awarded for each odd trick bid and made. Their values depend on the suit and whether the contract is doubled or redoubled; they are not affected by vulnerability. Tricks won beyond that necessary to fulfill the contract are referred to as and [|their scoring points] are accounted for separately because their values are dependent upon declarer's vulnerability.
The contract points are doubled if the contract is doubled, and quadrupled if the contract is redoubled.

Overtrick points

When declarer makes overtricks, their score value depends upon the contract denomination, declarer's vulnerability and whether or not the contract is undoubled, doubled or redoubled. In an undoubled contract each overtrick earns the same as in contract points ; values increase significantly when the contract has been doubled or redoubled, especially when vulnerable.

Slam bonus

Bonuses are awarded for all contracts bid and made:
  • a small slam, or successful contract to win 12 of 13 tricks, earns a bonus of 500 points if not vulnerable and 750 points if vulnerable;
  • a grand slam, or successful contract to win all 13 tricks, earns a bonus of 1000 points if not vulnerable and 1500 points if vulnerable.

    Doubled or redoubled bonus

When a doubled or redoubled contract is made, a bonus is awarded to the declaring side. It is colloquially referred to as a bonus for "insult", meaning that the opponents have insulted the pair by suggesting that the declarer will not make the contract.
  • 50 points are awarded for a doubled contract made, and
  • 100 points are awarded for a redoubled contract made.
In scoring notation, a doubled contract is indicated by an 'X" after the contract ; a redoubled contract is indicated by "XX".

Penalty points

When a contract is defeated, penalty points are awarded to the defending side. The value of the penalty depends on the number of undertricks, whether the declaring side is vulnerable or not vulnerable and whether the contract was undoubled, doubled or redoubled.
Without a double or redouble, every undertrick has a fixed cost of 100 or 50 points. The scores for doubled undertricks are such that after the first vulnerable undertrick, n vulnerable undertricks cost the same as n+1 undertricks when not vulnerable; for example, four undertricks when doubled and not vulnerable cost 800 points, the same as three undertricks when doubled and vulnerable.

Rubber bonus

In rubber bridge only, a bonus is awarded at the conclusion of the rubber as follows:
  • for a completed rubber, the side which wins the rubber, i.e. is first to win two games, receives a rubber bonus:
  • * if the opponents have won no games, i.e. they are not vulnerable, the rubber bonus is 700 points; colloquially known as a 'fast rubber'
  • * if the opponents have won one game, i.e. they are vulnerable, the rubber bonus is 500 points; colloquially known as a 'slow rubber'
  • for unfinished rubbers:
  • * if but one side has won a game, it scores 300 points, and
  • * if but one side has a part-score, it scores 100 points.

    Honor bonus or honors

In rubber bridge only, a bonus is awarded for any one hand holding four or five of the, i.e. an ace, king, queen, jack or ten.
  • 100 points are awarded for any one hand holding any four of the five trump suit honors, and
  • 150 points are awarded for any one hand holding all five trump suit honors, or all four aces in a notrump contract.
Honors may be declared and scored at any time after the auction but for strategic reasons it is best to do so at the conclusion of play so as not to give the opponents information about the lay of the cards. Honors may be held by any of the four players, including dummy.

Game or part-game bonus

In duplicate bridge only, game and partial-game bonuses are awarded at the conclusion of each deal as follows:
  • any partial contract, i.e. one scoring less than 100 contract points, scores a bonus of 50 points, and
  • any game contract, i.e. one scoring 100 or more points, scores a game bonus of 300 if not vulnerable and 500 if vulnerable.

    Game or part-game bonus (Chicago)

In four-deal bridge only, contract points accumulate toward a game like in rubber bridge, but game bonuses are awarded like in duplicate bridge. A separate part-score bonus is available in the fourth deal only, without accumulation.
  • a partial contract bid and made in the last deal, which is not game-finishing, scores a bonus of 100 points, and
  • any game contract, i.e. one scoring 100 or more points, scores a game bonus of 300 if not vulnerable and 500 if vulnerable when completed.

    Rubber bridge

"The rubber"

A is a series of s. A game is won by the first team to score a 100 contract points. Two games won earns the. The objective is to win by scoring the most total points in the rubber. Usually the partnership to win the two games and the rubber bonus wins the rubber. However, occasionally the other pair accumulate enough penalty points to win.

The score sheet

Rubber scoring is tallied on a score sheet divided into four parts where each partnership accumulates points either or.
Only contract points are recorded below the line; all other points are recorded above the line. Any of the four players may be the recorder, his side being represented in the "We" column and the opponents in the "They" column. In the ensuing examples, South is the recorder.

An example rubber

The following table summarizes the results of a rubber consisting of six deals.
The following panels illustrate the progression of the scoring on the score sheet.
Deal 1Deal 2Deal 3Deal 4Deal 5Deal 6Rubber BonusTotal









Deal 1: South bids 2NT making 3. Only the contract points are scored below the line; the overtrick points are scored above the line.
Deal 2: West bids and makes 4. This scores 120 contract points below the line; since there are no overtricks, no points are scored above the line. The accumulation of 100 or more points below the line constitutes the end of the first game and is signified by the drawing of a horizontal line. Since no part-game or game bonus is awarded in rubber bridge, East-West do not receive an additional game bonus and North-South do not receive any part-game bonus. Furthermore, the part score of 70 by North-South is no longer available for accumulation towards a game by them; the 70 points are said to be "cut off" as signified by the drawing of the horizontal line. Having won a game, East-West are for all subsequent deals of the rubber meaning that they are now eligible for a larger rubber bonus if they win a second game before their opponents win one and they are susceptible to increased penalties if they are defeated in a contract.
Deal 3: West bids 5 and goes down 2, vulnerable, undoubled. This scores 200 penalty points for North-South above the line.
Deal 4: South bids 4 doubled, not vulnerable and makes 5. North-South score 240 contract tricks below the line, 100 overtrick points above the line and 50 points for 'insult' above the line. Accumulating 100 or more points below the line constitutes the end of the second game, signified by the drawing of a horizontal line. Having won a game, North-South are now also vulnerable for all subsequent deals of the rubber.
Deal 5: North bids 3 and makes 4 scoring 60 contract points below the line and 20 overtrick points above the line.
Deal 6: East bids and makes 6 - a small slam holding all five top honors. This scores a game of 120 contract points and earns a slam bonus of 750 points above the line. 150 honor points are scored above the line for holding all five honors. Having again accumulated 100 or more points below the line, East-West win a second game; a horizontal line is drawn to end the rubber.
Rubber Bonus: At the conclusion of the rubber, a rubber bonus is awarded. In this case, East-West have won a slow rubber and receive a 500-point rubber bonus above the line.
Total: The scores for each side are totalled and East-West win the rubber.