How does bidding work in bridge?
B · Beginner · The game · 3 of 5Starting with the dealer, each player in turn passes, bids, doubles or redoubles. A bid names one to seven tricks above six and a denomination. Each bid must be higher than the last, by number or by rank: no trump, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. Three passes after a bid end the auction, and the last bid becomes the contract.
How it works
- Order: dealer first, then clockwise.
- Bid: a number of odd tricks (1 to 7) and a denomination.
- Rank: no trump, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs.
- Sufficient: higher number, or same number in a higher denomination.
- Double: only an opponent's last bid; redouble: only an opponent's double.
- End: three passes in turn after a bid.
- All pass: no play; each side scores zero.
- Declarer: the player of the side who first named the final denomination.
The glossary has the auction, the bid, the denomination, the double, the redouble and the end of the auction.
Tricky cases
Can a player double their partner's bid?
No. A double applies only to an opponent's last bid.
All four players pass. Is the hand redealt?
No. The cards go back in the board and each side scores zero.
A player says "double four hearts" when the bid was four spades. What counts?
The double of four spades, the bid as made.
Can a player ask what has been bid?
Yes, at their turn, a full review of the auction.
Why the rule exists
A rising ladder of bids lets partners describe their hands within strict limits. Ending on three passes gives every player a chance to compete.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Spoken calls | The form the laws describe | Law 18 |
| Bidding boxes or screens | Allowed by the regulating authority | Law 18F |
| Doubling with the bid misstated | Treated as a double of the bid made | Law 19A3 |
From the rule book
World Bridge Federation, The Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017, Laws 17 to 22. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WBF Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017.