How are dealer and vulnerability decided in bridge?
B · Beginner · The game · 2 of 5Each board is numbered, and the number sets who deals and which side is vulnerable. North deals boards 1, 5, 9 and 13, East 2, 6, 10 and 14, and so on round the table. Vulnerability runs in its own pattern across 16 boards, then repeats. Being vulnerable raises both the bonuses for making contracts and the penalties for failing.
How it works
- North deals: boards 1, 5, 9, 13.
- East deals: boards 2, 6, 10, 14.
- South deals: boards 3, 7, 11, 15.
- West deals: boards 4, 8, 12, 16.
- Neither vulnerable: boards 1, 8, 11, 14.
- North-South vulnerable: 2, 5, 12, 15; East-West: 3, 6, 9, 16; both: 4, 7, 10, 13.
- Cycle: repeats for boards 17 to 32 and onwards.
- Handling: players take their own hand from the board and return it after play.
The glossary has the board, the deal and dealer, the vulnerability, the rotation, the pack and rank and the fouled board.
Tricky cases
A board is marked wrongly. Which vulnerability applies?
The conditions marked on it, for that session.
Can a player look at another hand in the board?
No. Touching or handling another player's cards may bring a procedural penalty.
Who calls first in the auction?
The dealer named on the board.
What if cards are put in the wrong pocket?
It is a procedural offence and can lead to a fouled board.
Why the rule exists
Fixed rules on the board make every table play the deal under the same conditions. Varying vulnerability changes the risks, which tests judgement.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boards 1 to 16 | The set cycle | Law 2 |
| Wrongly marked board | Marked conditions apply | Law 2 |
| Rubber bridge | Vulnerability follows games won | C |
From the rule book
World Bridge Federation, The Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017, Laws 2, 7, 17B, 87 and 90B. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WBF Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017.