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Suit Contracts in Bridge

A trump suit is a way of winning a trick in Bridge and in other trick taking games. The trump suit can be either spades, hearts, diamonds or clubs and is decided by the bidding (also called ‘auction’). Typically, an entire suit is nominated as a trump suit these cards then outrank all cards of plain (non-trump) suits.

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What is a trump suit?

Trump Suits

In the auction (bidding) if the final or highest bid is in either clubs, diamonds hearts or spades, that suit becomes the trump suit for the duration of that game. The contract can then be referred to as a suit contract.

When the highest bid is not a suit

If the highest bid is  ‘No Trump’, then the contract is a No Trump contract, this is covered in the next lesson

When to ruff using a trump card

When you are playing to a card led by another player if your hand has cards in that suit, you must follow suit  (not doing so involves strict penalties in a Bridge Club). If you have no cards left in the suit led then you should, if you can, play a trump card which will win the trick unless a subsequent player plays a trump card of higher value. This means that, for the duration of the game (thirteen tricks) that playing any card in the trump suit when others have played cards from different suits will win the trick.

Playing against the 60SecondBridge computer

The 60SecondBridge game engine will not let you play a trump card if you still hold cards in the suit led to the current trick.

A trump suit…    is decided by the suit bid highest bid?   is decided by the Opening bid?    means that the highest card played in a trick always wins?    has a lower rank at the same level as a notrump contract?    means that a very low trump card cannot be over ruffed?

The 60SecondBridge website is divided into two sections, our ‘Public Lessons’ and our ‘Members Only’ section. The table below outlines the differences between the two areas.

MEMBERS AREA LESSONS AND BRIDGE GAMES

‘Members Area’ lessons include inline glossaries for bridge terms, ‘test your knowledge’ instant quizzes and multiple practice hands for each lesson (see video below).
Our members-only lessons are a much faster and more effective method of learning Bridge.

• 
  FREE ACCESS TO THE FIRST 2 BEGINNERS COURSES (no registration required)
• Quick Start – Learn By Playing Bridge (5 lessons)
• Bridge Hand Evaluation (14 lessons)
  
  MEMBERS-ONLY SUBSCRIPTION
• Standard American bidding System (28 lessons)
• Acol Bridge Lessons (26 lessons)
• On Defense – Bidding and Card Play (36 lessons)
• Bridge Conventions in Bridge (14 lessons)
• Declarer Card Play (16 lessons)
  
  Our members area also includes unlimited random practice hands to play online, daily Bridge competitions and a daily ‘Hand of the Day’ game with a guided commentary.