Bridge scoring explained
In bridge you score for every trick you bid and make: 20 in clubs and diamonds, 30 in hearts and spades, and in no-trumps 40 for the first and 30 for each one after. On top comes a bonus for a part-score, game or slam. If you go down, the opponents score instead.
This is duplicate scoring (Law 77 of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge), and VosBridge scores every board this way. Vulnerability matters a lot: vulnerable, the bonuses are bigger, but going down costs more too.
Trick points
| Suit | Per trick |
|---|---|
| Clubs ♣ and diamonds ♦ | 20 |
| Hearts ♥ and spades ♠ | 30 |
| No-trumps (NT) | 40 for the first trick, 30 for each one after |
Doubled, each trick bid counts twice; redoubled, four times. If the trick points come to 100 or more, it is a game. So 3NT is a game (40 + 30 + 30 = 100), and 4♣ is not (80).
Bonuses
| Bonus | Not vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| Part-score (under 100 trick points) | 50 | 50 |
| Game (100 trick points or more) | 300 | 500 |
| Small slam (12 tricks) | 500 | 750 |
| Grand slam (13 tricks) | 1,000 | 1,500 |
| Doubled contract made | 50 | 50 |
| Redoubled contract made | 100 | 100 |
| Each overtrick | Trick value; doubled 100, redoubled 200 | Trick value; doubled 200, redoubled 400 |
Undertricks
| Down | Not vulnerable | Vulnerable | Doubled, not vulnerable | Doubled, vulnerable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 | 100 | 100 | 200 |
| 2 | 100 | 200 | 300 | 500 |
| 3 | 150 | 300 | 500 | 800 |
| 4 | 200 | 400 | 800 | 1,100 |
| 5 | 250 | 500 | 1,100 | 1,400 |
Redoubled, it is twice the doubled figure.
Common scores
| Contract | Not vulnerable | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| 1NT | 90 | 90 |
| 2♠ | 110 | 110 |
| 3NT | 400 | 600 |
| 4♥ or 4♠ | 420 | 620 |
| 5♣ or 5♦ | 400 | 600 |
| 6♠ | 980 | 1,430 |
| 6NT | 990 | 1,440 |
| 7NT | 1,520 | 2,220 |
| 2♥ doubled | 470 | 670 |
Examples
Example 1: game or part-score
- ♠ K 9 4
- ♥ Q 10 7
- ♦ A 8 5 2
- ♣ K J 3
Partner opens a weak 1NT (12–14). With 13 points you bid 3NT. Making 9 tricks not vulnerable scores 400. Had you stopped in 2NT, the same 9 tricks would score only 150: the game bonus makes the difference.
Example 2: going down can be cheaper
- ♠ 8
- ♥ K J 9 7 6 4
- ♦ Q 10 8 5
- ♣ 7 3
The opponents bid 4♠ and are vulnerable; you are not. If they make it, they score 620. If you bid 5♥ and go two down doubled, they score 300. This is called a sacrifice. It only pays if their 4♠ really was making.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting that the first no-trump trick scores 40. That is why 3NT is already a game.
- Thinking 4♣ or 4♦ is a game. It is 80 trick points: a part-score. Game is 5♣ or 5♦.
- Underestimating a double. 2♥ doubled and made is 120 trick points: a game.
- Taking too many risks when vulnerable. Every undertrick costs twice as much.
VosBridge uses duplicate scoring, without honours (they belong to rubber bridge). See also: The IMP table · Counting points
Practise this soon
VosBridge works out the score after every board, and shows you what the other players scored. VosBridge is not open to everyone yet: a small group of testers already plays.
Tell me when VosBridge opens
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