SCORING. Apart from the game score, which is made entirely by tricks won on successful declarations, there are several additional scores that have no influence in winning or losing the game, although they may materially affect the ultimate value of the rubber. These are all entered under the head of “honour scores,” or “above the line.”
Honours are the five highest cards in the trump suit, A K Q J 10; when there is no trump, they are the four Aces. The partners holding three, four or five honours between them, or four honours in one hand, or four in one hand and the fifth in the partner’s, or all five in one hand, are entitled to claim and score them, according to the following table. It will be seen that their value varies according to the trump suit; and it must be remembered that this value cannot be increased by doubling.
TABLE OF HONOUR VALUES.
Royal spades are indicated by “R.”
| Declaration | ♠ | ♣ | ♢ | ♡ | R | No trump | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Each Trick Above 6 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| HONOURS { | 3 Honours | 4 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 30 |
| 4 Honours | 8 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 40 | |
| 4 Honours (All in 1 hand) | 16 | 48 | 56 | 64 | 72 | 100 | |
| 5 Honours | 10 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | ||
| 5 Honours (4 in 1 hand) | 18 | 54 | 63 | 72 | 81 | ||
| 5 Honours (All in 1 hand) | 20 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | ||
Rubber 250, Grand Slam 40, Little Slam 20.
When one side has nothing but the odd honour, three out of the five, it is called simple honours. The value of simple honours is always the same as two tricks.
Slams. Little Slam is made by taking twelve of the thirteen tricks; it counts 20 points. Grand Slam is made by taking the thirteen tricks, and it counts 40. Either score must be exclusive of revoke penalties.
PENALTIES. If the declarer succeeds in making his contract, he scores below the line for tricks and above the line for honours according to the table of values already given, and he scores for as many tricks as he wins, regardless of the smaller number he may have bid.
But if the declarer fails to make good on his contract he scores nothing but honours as actually held, while his adversaries score 50 points penalty in the honour column for every trick by which the declaration falls short, no matter what the declaration was, but they never score anything toward game, no matter how many tricks they win, because they are not the declarers. They may, however, score slams.