How does duplicate bridge work?
B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 5Four players form two partnerships, North-South and East-West. Each deal has an auction, in which the sides bid for the contract, then play, in which the declarer tries to make it. In duplicate bridge the same deals are kept in boards and replayed at every table, so each pair is compared with others who held exactly the same cards.
How it works
- Players: four at a table, in two partnerships facing each other.
- Pack: 52 cards; ace high, two low.
- Boards: each deal is kept in a board and passed on to the next table.
- Auction: players bid for the contract in turn.
- Contract: the last bid; the side that made it tries to win enough tricks.
- Play: 13 tricks, one card from each player per trick.
- Comparison: scores on a board are compared with other tables.
- Director: runs the game and rules on irregularities.
The glossary has the duplicate bridge, the contract bridge, the side and partnership, the board, the contract and the Director.
Tricky cases
Does a bad hand mean a bad score?
Not in duplicate. Every pair with that hand faces the same problem, and the comparison is with them.
Are bidding systems part of the laws?
No. Systems are partnership choices; the laws require them to be disclosed.
What is a trick?
Four cards, one from each player in turn, won by the highest trump or the highest card of the suit led.
Is rubber bridge covered here?
No. These are the laws of duplicate bridge; rubber bridge scores differently.
Why the rule exists
Replaying the same deals takes most of the luck of the cards out. A pair is rewarded for doing better than others with the same hand, not for being dealt good cards.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pairs events | Matchpoints | Law 78A |
| Teams events | IMPs | Law 78B |
| Rubber bridge | Different scoring, not covered | C |
From the rule book
World Bridge Federation, The Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017, Laws 1 to 4, 6, 7, 44 and 81. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WBF Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017.