Learning to score on the bridge makes it easier to understand the bridge bidding system. Once you know how to score, you will understand why it is better to play with hearts / spades / NTs than diamonds or clubs and why players will keep climbing to level 4, 5, 6 or even 7 instead of stopping at 3 or 4 . level.

Let’s start with the absolute basics.

• The first 6 tricks are not scored. A contract for 1 of a suit (or 1NT) means that you think you will make 7 tricks (6 + 1 offer). A contract for 4 of a suit means that you think you will make 10 tricks (offer of 6 + 4).
• High card points = point score for cards held. Four for each ace, three for each king, two or each queen, and one for each jack.
• A “game” contract is one that would score 100 points if achieved. If you achieve (or exceed) the contract you get, you have 300 bonus points.
• A partial scoring contract is one that would score less than 100 points if achieved. If you win the contract, you get 50 bonus points.
• If you bid a partial score but actually do enough tricks for the game, you will ONLY get the partial score bonus as that is what you bid for.

Points scored per trick (above 6) = 20 per suit / diamond, 30 per heart / spade. In a no-trump contract, score 40 on the FIRST trick and 30 on subsequent trick.

Number of tricks needed to “play” = 11 in clubs / diamonds, 10 in hearts / spades and 9 in No trumps

Minimum contract required to score the game = 5 clubs or diamonds, 4 hearts or spades and 3 no trumps

High card points needed for the game = 27 for a minor suit, 25 for a major suit contract or NT contract

If you do not fulfill the contract you bid for, your opponents will get 50 points for each trick you fail. Therefore, if you bid 3 of a suit (offer to make 9 tricks) and you only make 7 tricks, your opponents get 50 points for each of the two tricks you failed to take (100 points total).

Duplication

If you think your opponents are unlikely to win the contract they are bidding for, you can “double down.” This means that your side will get double points for each trick that opponents fall for, but it also means that they will get double points for each trick if they fulfill the contract. They will also get an extra bonus of 50 points for winning the contract.

If the opponents are sure that they will make their contract, they can “double down.” In this case, they will get 4 times the usual point value for each trick performed if they win the contract, plus an extra bonus of 100 points.

Vulnerability

To add a little more “flavor” to the score, or both sides become “vulnerable.” This rotates between neither vulnerable side, vulnerable EW, vulnerable NS, and both vulnerable sides. If your side is vulnerable and you can’t make a contract, your opponents get DOUBLE points for every trick you fail.

If your side is vulnerable and bids and wins the game, then your game bonus increases.

No increase for partial score – 50 points scored

Game Score: Bonus increased from 300 to 500 points if vulnerable

Slams

There are two types of slams. A small slam (12 tricks) and a grand slam (all 13 tricks). You only get an extra bonus for these if you make an offer to do them.

Therefore, if you bid on a 3-heart contract (to win 9 tricks) but actually win all thirteen tricks, you will only get the normal game bonus and you will not get the additional Grand Slam bonus. You will only get the small bonus or grand slam if you bid to win 12/13 tricks (6 or 7 of a suit).

If you bid and do a small slam, you will get an additional bonus of 500 points (or 750 if you are vulnerable)

If you bid and do a grand slam, you will get an additional bonus of 100 points (or 1500 if you are vulnerable)

Both are in addition to the regular game bonus.