The official Laws of Bridge explained in plain English. Click any question to expand the answer. Use the search box to find any specific rule instantly.
Full Guide
The Laws of Bridge are maintained by the World Bridge Federation (WBF) and updated periodically. Our accordion guide presents the most important rules in everyday English, covering every situation that arises in normal social and competitive play.
Understanding the rules of bridge matters for two distinct reasons. First, it allows you to play correctly and avoid inadvertently breaking the laws. Second, knowing your rights when an opponent commits an irregularity prevents misunderstandings and ensures the game remains fair.
For online bridge players, most laws are enforced automatically by the platform software. You cannot make an insufficient bid — the software will not permit it. You cannot revoke — the platform will prompt you to follow suit. This makes online bridge particularly forgiving for new players.
The scoring system is one of the features that makes bridge uniquely strategic. Every bid carries a risk: bid too high and you face potentially large penalties; bid too conservatively and you leave valuable bonuses on the table.
Many new players find the doubling and redoubling rules confusing at first. A Double on an opponent's contract effectively says: 'I don't think you can make this.' If right, the defending side's score increases substantially.
The Laws are sometimes seen as intimidating, but in social bridge most of the complex situations rarely arise. The core rules — follow suit, lead in turn, bid in sequence — are simple and intuitive.