Think of yourself at an auction for a painting.
The auctioneer announces he is opening
the bidding at $1,000, and somebody
bids $1,000. Then someone else bids
$1,100. Say a third guy bids $1150,
and a fourth person bids $1200.

Meanwhile, the auctioneer says, "Do I
hear $1300?" He looks at the first
bidder, but that party shakes his head, no.
He looks at the other two bidders, and they
also shake their heads, no. Then he says,
"Going, going, gone!" and the bidding for
that painting is over, sold for $1200.

A similar auction goes on in the bidding
part of a deal of bridge (which is also
called the "auction"), but instead of
bidding for an object like a painting or a
porcelain vase or a stamp collection,
we're bidding for the right to be the
"declarer" on that deal and to name
the trump suit (or no trump suit).

Excuse me.
What's a
"declarer"?

Good
question,
Sharon. I
don't think
I've
mentioned
this term
before.

The declarer is the person
to the right of the opening
leader. After the opening
lead is made, the person to
the left of the opening leader
(who is called the "dummy")
puts his hand face up on the
table for everyone to see.
(Those 13 cards on the
table are also called the
"dummy.")

In this example, Norm is
not allowed to speak or take
part in the play of the cards.
The declarer, Sharon, plays
the cards both for her partner
-- whose cards are on the
table -- and for herself.

We all know what dollars
mean when we're bidding
at an auction, but what do
the numbers and suits
mean in bridge bidding?

As we all know, there are 13 tricks in
each deal. The first six tricks don't
count in the bidding! These six tricks
compose what is called the "book."
Just like the auctioneer began the
bidding with $1000, the bidding at bridge
always opens with the six tricks of
"book" having been assumed.

Therefore, if you bid "one something,"
that means you are contracting to take
seven tricks in all -- the six tricks that
compose the "book" plus one, for a total
of seven. Let's try it, class, starting with
you, Sharon. You bid one club. Then you,
Wilma, bid one diamond, then Norm bids
one heart and Earl bids one spade. But
after you make your bid, tell me what
it means.

   

   

If I now bid
one notrump,
this means
I think I can
take seven
tricks, without
any trump
suit!

Good, now
let's do it
without
explaining
what the bids
mean - five
bids in a row,
starting with
you Sharon.

   

   

That was great!
Five bids and you're
still at the one level.

If anyone wants to bid
more, he'll have to
go to the two level.