Bridge For Dummies
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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.
Tricks Taken 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Notrump 40 70 100 130 160 190 220
Spades 30 60 90 120 150 180 210
Hearts 30 60 90 120 150 180 210
Diamonds 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Clubs 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
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!

About This Article

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About the book author:

Eddie Kantar is a Grand Master in the World Bridge Federation and a two-time world bridge champion. He wrote Complete Defensive Play, a book listed as a top ten all-time bridge favorite, and is the author of the first three editions of Bridge For Dummies.

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