You don’t need to score to play: someone at the table always can. But knowing roughly what a contract is worth is what makes “should we bid game?” an answerable question.
1. Trick-points, the same in every form of the game
| Contract | Each trick bid and made (over six) |
|---|---|
| or | 20 |
| or | 30 |
| No-trumps | 40 for the first, 30 each after |
Game is 100 trick-points: 3NT (9 tricks, 100), 4 / 4 (10 tricks, 120), 5 / 5 (11 tricks, 100). A minor needs eleven tricks, which is why the bidding hunts for a major fit or 3NT first.
2. The bonuses, why you bid game
| You bid and make | Bonus |
|---|---|
| A part-score (below game) | 50 |
| Game, not vulnerable | 300 |
| Game, vulnerable | 500 |
| A small slam (12 tricks) | 500 / 750 vul, on top of game |
| A grand slam (13 tricks) | 1000 / 1500 vul, on top of game |
| A doubled contract | +50 “for the insult” (+100 redoubled) |
The game bonus is paid only if you bid the game. Nine tricks in 1NT scores 100 + 50 = 150; the same nine tricks in 3NT scores 100 + 300 = 400 (600 vulnerable). Same cards, three times the score: that is why 25 points is the number you’re always looking for.
Overtricks score their plain trick value: nice, never worth risking the contract for. Doubled, they jump to 100 each (200 vulnerable), so doubling a contract that makes is expensive.
3. Going down, the defenders’ score
| Each undertrick | Not vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| Undoubled | 50 | 100 |
| Doubled, first | 100 | 200 |
| Doubled, second and third | 200 each | 300 each |
| Doubled, fourth on | 300 each | 300 each |
Redoubled = double the doubled figures. Two down vulnerable is -200; one down doubled and vulnerable is -200 too.
4. What a contract is worth
| Making | Not vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| 2 (part-score) | 110 | 110 |
| 3NT | 400 | 600 |
| 4 | 420 | 620 |
| 5 | 400 | 600 |
| 6 (small slam) | 980 | 1430 |
| 7NT (grand slam) | 1520 | 2220 |
5. Vulnerability, who sets it
Duplicate (the club game): printed on each board, None, N-S, E-W or All, in a fixed cycle. Boards 1-4 run like this.
| Board | Dealer | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North | Neither side |
| 2 | East | North-South |
| 3 | South | East-West |
| 4 | West | Both sides |
Rubber bridge: you become vulnerable by winning a game. Chicago (the four-deal home game): neither side on deal 1, the dealer’s side on deals 2 and 3, both sides on deal 4.
Vulnerable means bigger bonuses and heavier penalties: bid game readily, overbid carefully.
6. Rubber and Chicago, the differences
Duplicate pays every game and slam on the spot; each board stands alone. Chicago uses the same figures over a four-deal cycle (a part-score still live after deal 4 scores 100). Rubber pays no instant game bonus: part-scores carry forward below the line, and you win the rubber for 700 (two games to none) or 500 (two to one). Rubber and Chicago also pay honours, 100 for four of the top five trumps in one hand, 150 for all five or for four aces at no-trumps.
This handout goes with the Beginner course, in ACOL or 5-card majors.
