Strategy
Bridge Strategy & Tips
A practical strategy guide for bridge: count points and shape, find your fit, plan the play as declarer, lead with a purpose on defence, and respect vulnerability.
Play Bridge OnlineThe core idea
Judge the hand, then bid it
Almost every strong bridge habit comes down to two ideas: know what your hand is worth before you call, and make a plan before you play. Most lost contracts were decided in the first ten seconds of the auction or the first ten seconds of the play.
- 01
Count points, then shape
Start with high-card points (Ace 4, King 3, Queen 2, Jack 1) — 12 or more is an opening hand. Then add shape: long suits and short suits change the value of a hand. A hand with 11 points and two long suits can open; a flat 12 with no good suit may only just qualify.
- 02
Find your fit before your game
Eight cards between the two hands in a suit is a fit. Look for one in a major first: a major-suit game needs about 25 combined points. If no major fit exists, 3NT with 25 points and stoppers in the opponents’ suits is usually easier than eleven tricks in a minor.
- 03
Bid what you have shown
Every bid tells your partner something. Bidding a suit you do not hold, or jumping without the points, sends the auction the wrong way. In this game the computer bids naturally, so a suit bid is a real suit and a raise is real support.
- 04
Plan the play as declarer
When the dummy comes down, stop. Count your sure winners, count the tricks you need, and find where the extra ones will come from: a long suit to set up, a finesse, or a ruff in the short trump hand. Draw trumps first unless you need them to ruff your losers.
- 05
Lead with a plan on defence
The opening lead matters. Lead the top of a solid sequence (K-Q-J), or fourth-highest from your longest suit against No Trump. Against a suit contract, a suit your partner bid is often the best lead. Avoid leading away from an unsupported Ace.
- 06
Second hand low, third hand high
A classic defensive guide: when a low card is led and you are second to play, play low. When you are third to play, play high to force out an honour or win the trick. It is a starting point rather than a law, but it rewards you far more often than it hurts.
- 07
Respect vulnerability
When you are vulnerable, a failed contract costs twice as much and a game bonus is worth 500. Take fewer chances when a set is expensive and press harder for game when you are vulnerable and the hands fit.
By phase of the deal
Where to focus
The habits above apply throughout. Here is how they show up in each phase — see the how-to-play guide for the rules behind them.
In the auction
Pass with a weak hand and no good suit. Open with about 12 points. Respond with 6 or more points, and support partner’s major with three cards. Pause before bidding higher than your hand supports.
As declarer
Count winners and losers before the first card is played from dummy. Keep entries to the hand with the long suit, and do not cash winners in a suit until you have thought about what you will need to keep.
On defence
Watch which suits the declarer and dummy bid, count the tricks you can take, and keep the cards you need. If partner leads a suit, return it unless your own plan is clearly better.
Ready to put it into practice? Read the full how-to-play guide or jump straight in.
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