How to Tally Your Trick Score in Bridge

You earn a certain number of points for each trick you take beyond the sixth one. The first six tricks, which are unspoken during the bidding, do not count in the scoring of any contract.

• When a major suit (hearts or spades) winds up as the trump suit, each trick taken after the first six is worth 30 points.
• When a minor suit (clubs or diamonds) winds up as the trump suit, each trick taken after the first six is worth 20 points.
• The first trick in notrump after the first six is worth 40 points, but each subsequent trick is worth 30 points.

This table will save you time figuring out scores for each contract. Because the first six tricks don’t count, the tricks taken below start with seven tricks. As an example, say your final contract was 2♥ and you took nine tricks; you made an overtrick (one trick more than you contracted for). Start on the left where you see Hearts and follow the row across until you come to the 9 column. You can see that you made 90 points.

Your goal on every hand is to make your contract; making overtricks is icing on the cake. They count, of course, but do not entitle you to any bonus points. If you don’t make your contract, you don’t have to worry about this table, because you don’t score any points — your opponents do!