Bridge Strategy: Mastering the Game Online

Bridge is the world’s most commonly played trick-taking card game and has been played by millions of people. Whether you want to emulate the famous people who play Bridge, play competitively, or enjoy some casual games with friends doesn’t matter. Bridge can seem quite daunting for a new player, but can quickly deliver a lot of enjoyment if you learn how to master it online.

Whether you’re playing cards for the first time or learning Bridge after playing other trick-taking games like Spades, this guide will help you develop the strategy needed to win more frequently.

Understanding Basic Bridge Strategies

When building a Bridge strategy, you must first know that the game is played in pairs, so you will need to work with the person sitting opposite you. So, if playing in person, communication through body language can be very useful.

However, building a personal strategy is equally vital as you will probably team up with hundreds of different players over the course of your lifetime, particularly if you play Bridge online. Here are some simple strategic ideas that will help you get started;

• Try to declare: Of course, there are hands where you won’t want to declare, particularly if the auction sees bids get close to 7 (meaning 13 tricks need to be won). However, it is suggested that Defense brings an average result of 5-10% fewer points. So, statistics show you’ll be better off as the Declarer.
• Avoid breaking new suits: Again, there may be situations where breaking a new suit makes sense. Generally speaking, though, it’s better to stick with the suits that are already broken, especially when a trump suit has been called. Meanwhile, if both teams are leading with the same suit, one of them is making a mistake.
• Attack your best suit: It will often be your longest suit, but not always. When you focus on the suit that can get you the most winners, you’ll have the best shot at making the contract or stopping your opponents if defending.

Nonetheless, it is important to remember that there are no guarantees in Bridge. Even when you develop an advanced tactic, you should remember that you are simply working the odds in your favor. So, even the top tips are generally better rather than always better.

Essential Tricks for Winning at Bridge

Building a basic Bridge strategy enables you to enjoy the game, but adding a few tricks to your tactics will take the enjoyment to another level not least because you will be more confident about winning more frequently. Here are six simple tricks to point you in the right direction;

• Think about the hands of your opponents, and partner, in terms of shapes. If they have five Hearts, four Diamonds, and Three spades, you know that they only have one Club.
• Make note of how your opponents play. If you can see the patterns that they follow, you’ll be better positioned to predict whether they are likely to play their highest card in hopes of winning a trick or sacrificing a likely loser for later success.
• Take note of your opponent’s bids too. If they have bid, try to understand the reasoning for this, including their choice of trump suit. It can give you a better understanding of whether to pass, bid, double, or redouble.
• On a similar note, try to mix up your play. If you always lead or follow in the same way (focusing on trumps / playing high cards / etc.) the opponents will find it easier to read your game. Keep them second-guessing.
• During the bidding process, you should open with the major suit (Hearts or Spades) when you have two five-card suits. If you have two four-card suits, open with a minor suit (Diamonds or Clubs).
• When playing in person, try to communicate with your partner strategically to work out where your eight-card (or more) suit lies. This will help you in bidding for trump choices as well as your trick-playing strategy.

Finally, you must be adaptable and flexible. As already stated, there are no guarantees in Bridge. Being prepared to change your tactics as a game develops may be key.

Common Mistakes in Bridge to Avoid

Firstly, playing with passion is an important ingredient in the recipe for becoming a good Bridge player. So, if you’re starting out, it’s imperative that you play when your mind is relaxed and you are able to relax. You won’t develop your skills or learn anything if not engaged with the game.

When in the middle of a game, though, the common mistakes to avoid in Bridge are as follows;

• Wasting the dummy’s suited sequence. If the dummy has five cards in one suit, for example, strategic play guarantees that the last two cards can become winners. Frankly, losing these tricks would be a major faux pas.
• Throwing a losing card that could potentially turn into a trump card. It is far smarter to use a guaranteed losing card, thus holding the current loser that could become a winning trump later on.
• Playing high cards on both the dummy and lead suit. When you want to win tricks, winning with the Declarer hand is your aim. Still, you should retain the highest cards in the Dummy hand as it’ll be better to win with this hand later than let the Defense win.
• Breaking general Bridge etiquette. Bridge can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, so playing slowly with human players is ill-advised. Pointing out mistakes or lambasting your partner is also a major mistake.
• Always leading with your long suit. It is a very common tactic, but it should be avoided if your partner is likely to be responsible for the majority of your team’s defense during the hand. You may be better off with a shorter suit.
• Giving up when you have a bad hand. It may be disheartening to see that your hand is weak, but every truck can impact the outcome of the game. In fact, making the best of a bad situation may even give you a psychological edge over your opponent.

Finally, you must avoid the trap of thinking you’ve mastered the game after a few victories. Frequent play, particularly for a new player, is essential if you want to truly develop a strategy that lasts a lifetime. While you probably can’t play against friends daily, online Bridge ranging from standard decks to Christmas-themed decks, provides the perfect solution.

Advanced Bridge Techniques to Master

If you want to become a great Bridge player, it’s important to remember that even frequent players will take at least a year to achieve this goal. You will need to genuinely care and immerse yourself in the game by reading up on it, watching videos, playing frequently, and potentially hiring a tutor.

Still, after mastering some of the basic strategies above, the following advanced Bridge techniques can help elevate your game.

Value cards

Counting cards is very hard, but you can give cards a value of Aces 4, Kings 3, Queens 2, and Jacks 1. Add these numbers together and open bids if you have more than 12, which is a relatively basic strategy. When Declarer, though, you can add your value with your partner’s to work out how strong the opponent’s hands are. There are 40 points here. So, if your partnership has more than 20, you can be more aggressive with your play.

When You Have to Lose a Trick in Your Long Suit, Lose It Early

The reason for this is that it becomes a lot harder for your partner to lead a suit back to you later on in the hand if you don’t. Winning 1-2 tricks early in the hand only to give the advantage to your opponents by not thinking ahead will cost you dearly. When playing against strong opponents, it is likely that the hand will end with a sequence of tricks being won by one team. Make sure you are the team.

Promote Cards Where Possible

If you have the King, Queen, and Jack in a suit, for example, you can win at least two tricks in this suit. Playing your King will encourage the player with the Ace to play it, thus winning this trick. But you can then promote the Queen and Jack to the same strength as Ace and King from the start of the hand. As the hand progresses, it may be possible to promote cards like the 7s and 8s too, which is another reason for counting the value of cards.

Give Your Partner Clues

Particularly as a defender, this tip can make all the difference. If you are following a suit, play a high card in a suit that you want the partner to lead or play a low card in a suit you have no interest in. This gives them a clear indication, which can guide their moves and thus give you a better chance of working together as a team. Even if the opponents understand the tactic, using it is far better than working separately from your partner.

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