Bridge Rules: The Complete Laws of Contract Bridge
Bridge has a clear, fixed set of rules covering the deal, the auction and the play. This guide explains every rule you actually need — from how to deal correctly to what happens when someone makes a mistake.
Rules of the Deal
Every hand begins with a fair, random deal. One player shuffles the 52-card deck and the opponent to their right cuts it. Cards are then dealt one at a time, face down, clockwise, starting with the player to the dealer's left, until each of the four players holds exactly 13 cards. The right to deal passes clockwise after each hand.
If a card is exposed during the deal, or a player ends up with the wrong number of cards, it is a misdeal: the hand is thrown in and redealt. In duplicate bridge the cards are pre-dealt into boards, so the “deal” is simply taking your 13 cards from your slot in the board.
Rules of the Auction
The auction starts with the dealer and moves clockwise. On your turn you may pass, make a bid, or — in certain situations — double or redouble. Each bid names a level (1 to 7) and a denomination (a suit or no-trump), and must be higher than the previous bid. Denominations rank clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, no-trump from low to high.
What you may do on your turn
The auction ends when a bid is followed by three consecutive passes. That final bid — with any double or redouble — becomes the contract. If all four players pass at their first turn, the hand is “passed out” and redealt.
The Declarer and Dummy
On the side that won the contract, the player who first named the final denomination is the declarer; their partner is dummy. The defender to declarer's left makes the opening lead, playing one card face up. Only then does dummy spread all 13 cards face up on the table.
Declarer plays both their own and dummy's cards. Dummy takes no active part: they may not comment on the play, suggest cards, or draw attention to mistakes — though they may ask declarer whether they have revoked, and may try to prevent an obvious irregularity such as a lead from the wrong hand.
Rules of the Play
Play runs clockwise, one trick at a time. The basic rules are short but absolute.
✓ You must
- Follow suit if you can — play a card of the suit led.
- Play in turn, clockwise around the table.
- Leave played cards as they are once everyone has seen them.
✗ You must not
- Trump or discard while you still hold the suit led.
- Play out of turn — it may create a penalty card.
- Take back a card all four players have seen.
When you are void in the suit led — holding none of it — you may play anything: trump to try to win the trick, or discard a card from another suit. The highest card of the suit led wins, unless a trump is played, in which case the highest trump wins.
The Revoke — the Infraction That Matters Most
A revoke is failing to follow suit when you were able to. It often happens by accident when a card has slipped out of order in your hand. It is the infraction beginners meet most often, so it is worth understanding clearly.
Special Situations
- Lead out of turn. A card led when it is not your turn may have to be withdrawn, and the opponents may be able to demand or forbid a lead in that suit.
- Insufficient bid. A bid that does not outrank the previous one must be replaced; depending on how it is corrected, partner may be barred from the rest of the auction.
- Claim or concede. Declarer may claim the rest of the tricks by showing their hand and stating a line of play; if a defender disputes it, the director rules.
- Exposed card. A defender's card accidentally faced may become a penalty card that must be played at the first legal opportunity.
In a club or tournament, the polite and correct response to any irregularity is simply to call the director, who applies the relevant law without anyone losing face. At home, agree the fix and play on.
Key Takeaways
- Deal 13 cards each, clockwise; a misdeal is redealt.
- Bids must rise; the auction ends after a bid and three passes.
- The first to name the final strain on the winning side is declarer; partner is dummy.
- Follow suit whenever you can — failing to is a revoke and is penalised.
- For any irregularity in a club, call the director rather than arguing.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
The card may become a penalty card that must be played at the first legal opportunity, and the opponents may gain options. In a club or tournament, call the director, who applies the correct law.
No. You must follow suit if you hold the suit led. You may only trump when you are void in that suit. Trumping when you could follow is a revoke.
Once the revoke is established, the non-offending side is generally awarded one or two tricks in compensation, depending on the situation. Caught in time, it can be corrected instead.
No. Dummy's cards are played by declarer. Dummy may not comment, suggest cards or point out mistakes, though they may ask declarer about a possible revoke and try to stop an obvious irregularity.
When a bid is followed by three consecutive passes. That last bid becomes the contract. If everyone passes at their first turn, the hand is passed out and redealt.
The core rules of bidding and play are identical. The differences are in scoring and in how irregularities are handled — duplicate uses pre-dealt boards and a director. See duplicate bridge explained.