1. The manner of deciding the trump suit.
2. Different values of tricks and honours according to the suit made trumps.
3. Licence to each party in turn to double and re-double the normal value of tricks.
4. The dealer playing two hands, his partner becoming a "dummy."
Before proceeding to the Laws in detail, it should be premised that Bridge, like ordinary Whist, is played by four persons, two against two, with the full pack of fifty-two cards (two such packs being
used alternately). The players cut for partners and for deal; the cards are shuffled, cut, and dealt in the usual way, thirteen to each player; but no card is turned up, the trump suit being named by the dealer, or by his partner, as hereafter explained.
Before perusing the following general remarks, the reader should study the Club code of Laws, which will be found at the end of this chapter, and which contains full particulars as to naming the trump suit, doubling and re-doubling, revoke penalty, mode of reckoning up points, &c.
The Score in Actual Practice.
This is usually kept upon a scoring block, ruled as shown upon the following page. Each column is intended to receive the score of one rubber. It will be observed that the column is divided midway by a horizontal line. The portion below this is for recording the value of the tricks won; the portion above for the scoring of honours and the other subsidiary elements affecting the ultimate value of the rubber.
A practical example will best illustrate the working of the plan. A and B, we will suppose, are playing against C and D. Diamonds have been declared to be trumps, and A and B have won in the first deal nine tricks. The value of each trick, when diamonds are trumps, being 6 points, A and B score in their own column, immediately below the central line, 18. They have also together held four honours, value in diamonds, 24. They accordingly mark 24 above the line.