Mini Bridge

Bridge for beginners: you sit South with Buffer as your partner, against Zip and Skip. There is no auction here: the points are announced, the stronger pair declares and the declarer picks the contract. Four deals, then the total.

Mini Bridge

Mini Bridge, the classic way to learn bridge: no auction. The points are announced, the stronger pair declares, dummy goes face up and the declarer picks the contract. Four deals with Buffer against Zip and Skip.

4 deals
Buffer is your partner

How to play

Points decide. Ace 4, King 3, Queen 2, Jack 1. The pair with more points declares; its stronger player is declarer and partner's hand goes face up as dummy.
The contract. The declarer picks trumps or no-trump: a partscore of 7 tricks, or game: 3NT is 9, 4♥ or 4♠ is 10, 5♣ or 5♦ is 11.
Tricks. The player on declarer's left leads. Follow suit if you can; the highest card of the suit led wins, unless a trump is played. Declarer plays dummy too.
Score. Tricks over six score 20 in ♣♦, 30 in ♥♠, 40 then 30 in NT, plus 50 for a partscore or 300 for game. Each trick short costs 50.

Quick tips

Opening too light. Most systems open with 12 or more high-card points. With less, pass and listen.
Bidding alone. Bridge is a conversation: your partner's bids tell you about their hand. Use them.
Playing before planning. As declarer, count your sure tricks before playing to the first trick.
Leaving trumps out. When you have the trumps, draw the opponents' trumps early so they can't ruff your winners.