View source for Glossary of contract bridge terms

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These terms are used in [[contract bridge]],<ref>Baron, 1993.</ref><ref>Manley et al (2011).</ref> using [[Duplicate bridge|duplicate]] or [[Rubber bridge|rubber]] scoring. Some of them are also used in [[whist]], [[bid whist]], the obsolete game [[auction bridge]], and other [[trick-taking game]]s. This glossary supplements the [[Glossary of card game terms]].
: ''In the following entries,'' '''[[Emphasis (typography)#Font styles and variants|boldface links]]''' ''are external to the glossary and'' [[Emphasis (typography)#Font styles and variants|plain links]] ''reference other glossary entries.''
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==0–9==
;<span id="3014">3014 or 3014 RKCB</span>: A mnemonic for the original (Roman) response structure to the '''[[Blackwood convention#Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB)|Roman Key Card Blackwood]]''' convention. It represents "3 or 0" and "1 or 4", meaning that the lowest step response (5{{clubs}}) to the 4NT key card asking bid shows responder has three or zero [[#keycard|keycards]] and the next step (5{{diamonds}}) shows one or four.
;<span id="1430">1430 or 1430 RKCB</span>: A mnemonic for a variant response structure to the '''[[Blackwood convention#Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB)|Roman Key Card Blackwood]]''' convention. It represents "1 or 4" and "3 or 0", meaning that the lowest step response (5{{clubs}}) to the 4NT key card asking bid shows responder has one or four [[#keycard|keycards]] and the next step (5{{diamonds}}) shows three or zero.
;1RF: [[#oneroundforce|One round force]].
;2-under preempts: A 2 or 3-level conventional opening bid made two steps below the opener's suit: for example, 2{{diamonds}} to show a weak two bid in spades or 3{{clubs}} to show a three-level preempt in hearts. If 2{{clubs}} is a strong, artificial force, 2{{hearts}} is natural.
;4SF: [[#fourthsuitforcing|Fourth suit forcing]].
;8421: Counting points by way of ''8421'' means counting an ace for 8 points, a king for 4, a queen for 2, and a jack for 1 point. For example, when a bid is interpreted as ''"5- 8421 HCP in S"'', this means the bidder is expected to have 5 or fewer points in spades, counting an ace as 8 points, etc.

==A==

[[File:Rubber Bridge Scoring Blank Version 2.svg|thumb|Rubber Bridge Scoring]]
;<span id="abovetheline">Above the line</span>: In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], the location on the scorepad above the main horizontal line where extra points are entered; extra points are those awarded for holding honor cards in trumps, for bonuses for scoring game, small slam, grand slam or winning a rubber, for overtricks on the declaring side and for undertricks on the defending side and for fulfilling doubled or redoubled contracts. Points awarded for contract odd tricks bid and made are entered [[#belowtheline|below the line]]. See '''[[Bridge scoring]]'''.
;<span id="ACBL">ACBL</span>: '''[[American Contract Bridge League]]''', the '''[[sport governing body]]''' for bridge in North America – defined as Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, and the United States – and the [[#sponsor|sponsoring organization]] of '''[[North American Bridge Championships]]''' (NABC). Its members are players, grouped in regional districts and local units for some purposes. Contrast [[#USBF|USBF]].
;[[Acol]]: An [[#approach–forcing|approach–forcing]], [[#natural|natural]] bidding system, based on a weak NT and 4-card majors, popular in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
;<span id="active">Active</span>:
# An approach to defending a hand that emphasizes quickly setting up winners and taking tricks. Contrast [[#passive|Passive]].
# An approach to competitive bidding that emphasizes frequent interference with opponents' bidding sequences.
;<span id="adjustedscore">Adjusted score</span>: In [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]], a score awarded by the [[#director|Director]] (when empowered by the [[#Laws|Laws]]) in order to redress damage to a non-offending side and to take away any advantage gained by an offending side through an [[#infraction|infraction]]. It may be "assigned" (weighted to reflect the probabilities of a number of potential results) or "artificial" (otherwise). The scores awarded to the two sides need not balance.
;<span id="advcue">Advance cue bid</span>: The [[#cuebid|cue bid]] of a first round [[#control|control]] that occurs before a partnership has agreed on a [[#denomination|strain]].
;Advance sacrifice: A [[#sacrifice|sacrifice]] bid made before the opponents have had an opportunity to determine their optimum contract. For example: 1{{Diams}} – (1{{Spades}}) – Dbl – ('''5'''{{Spades}}).
;<span id="advancer">Advancer</span>: [[#overcaller|Overcaller]]'s partner, especially one who bids following the overcall.
;<span id="adversevulnerability">Adverse vulnerability</span>: Vulnerable against non-vulnerable opponents. Also called "unfavorable vulnerability".
;<span id="aggregatescoring">Aggregate scoring</span>: Deciding the outcome of a contest by totaling the raw points gained or lost on each deal. Also called "total point scoring".
;<span id="agree">Agree</span>: For a partnership to come to a decision, explicitly, conventionally or by implication, on the [[#denomination|denomination]] in which to play a hand.
;<span id="agreement">Agreement</span>: An understanding between partners as to the meaning of a particular call or defensive play. There are two types of call agreements: (1) when the call is [[#natural|natural]], the agreement is said to be a [[#treatment|treatment]], and (2) when the call is [[#artificial|artificial]], the agreement is said to be a [[#convention|convention]].
;Air, as "on air"
: {{BridgeSuitRight|{{hearts}}&thinsp;K&thinsp;Q&thinsp;5&thinsp;4|{{hearts}}&thinsp;A&thinsp;7&thinsp;6&thinsp;2|{{hearts}}&thinsp;J&thinsp;10&thinsp;9&thinsp;3|{{hearts}}&thinsp;8}}
: (Slang) To win a trick with a high card while capturing only small cards, commonly said of a defensive play. In the example at right, when South leads the {{hearts}}8, West must take the {{hearts}}A on air, or risk making no heart tricks. Nevertheless, best defense on a given hand may call either for ducking the winner or for playing it on air.
;[[Alcatraz coup]]: Declarer's intentional and unethical attempt to locate a finessable card by revoking. If the play is unintentional, it is nevertheless subject to [[#adjustedscore|score adjustment]].
;<span id="alert">Alert</span>: A method of informing the opponents that partner's [[#call|call]] carries a meaning they might not expect. [[#sponsor|Sponsoring organizations]] set rules on which calls must be alerted and how; any method of alerting may be authorized, such as saying "Alert", displaying an Alert card from a bidding box, or knocking on the table. Regardless whether a call is alerted, either opponent may ask its meaning, either at his/her turn or after the end of the auction. The player who made the call may contribute to its explanation only after the auction and only if he/she is declarer or dummy. Slightly different rules apply when [[#screen|screens]] are in use.
;<span id="announcement">Announcement</span>: A method of promptly informing the opponents that partner's [[#call|call]] has a particular meaning. The purposes of announcements and [[#alert|alert]]s are similar, but an announcement gives the meaning where an alert may prompt the opponents to ask the meaning. [[#sponsor|Sponsoring organization]]s set rules on which calls should be announced. The [[#ACBL|ACBL]] specifies announcements including "Transfer" for some [[#transfer|transfer]] replies to notrump bids, the point range such as "15 to 17" for an opening bid of one notrump, and "Forcing" or "Semi-forcing" for a 1NT response to a major suit opening bid.
;<span id="antipositional">Antipositional</span>: A call is antipositional if it tends to make the "wrong" partner the declarer. If [[West]] opens the bidding, it may be best for South to declare a North-South contract, so that West will have to play from his high cards on opening lead. This positioning may protect South's [[#tenace|tenace]]s. In that case, a call that will make North declarer is antipositional. See [[#wrongside|wrongside]].
;<span id="appeal">Appeal</span>: In tournaments, to ''appeal'' is to request that a committee review a ruling made by a director.
;<span id="approach–forcing">Approach–forcing</span>: A principle, first used in the [[#Culbertson|Culbertson system]], that has survived in modern bidding. The original idea was to abandon the indiscriminate notrump bids that characterized [[#auction|auction]] bridge in favor of a slower exchange of information via suit bidding.
;<span id="arrow">Arrow</span>: A marker, usually a large card with an arrow on it, that shows which direction is treated as North at a table in a duplicate event.
;<span id="arrowswitch">Arrow switch</span>: The action of changing the North direction during an event, typically for the last round of a [[#Mitchell|Mitchell movement]], so that the pairs who were North-South become East-West and vice versa. This allows a single winning pair to be determined.
;<span id="artificial">Artificial</span>:
# A call that is not [[#natural|natural]] which by [[#agreement|agreement]] carries a coded meaning not necessarily related to the call's (or to the prior call's) denomination.
# A [[#biddingsystem|bidding system]] that contains many such calls.
;<span id="askingbid">[[Asking bid]]</span>: A bid that, by prior agreement, requests information about a feature of partner's hand: for example, number of [[#control|control]]s, suit length, or control of a particular suit.
;<span id="attackinglead">Attacking lead</span>: A lead that instigates an [[#active|active]] defense; often, the lead of an honor from a sequence, or a [[#forcingdefense|forcing defense]].
;<span id="attitude">Attitude</span>: A defender's desire, or lack thereof, for his side to continue playing a suit. By means of [[#signals|signals]], defender encourages or discourages the continuation of the suit.
;<span id="auction">Auction</span>
# See [[#bidding|bidding]].
# '''[[Auction bridge]]''', an earlier form of bridge, differing from today's '''[[contract bridge]]''' chiefly in the scoring. Most notably, [[#overtrick|overtricks]] counted the same as tricks bid and made, so they were scored [[#belowtheline|below the line]] and any contract, no matter how low, could produce a [[#game|game]] or [[#slam|slam]] bonus.
; Austrian System :Another name for '''[[Vienna System]]'''.
[[Image:Autobridge.jpg|thumb|<span id="Autobridge">Autobridge</span>, a device for learning bridge]]
;<span id="autobridge">Autobridge</span>: A variant of contract bridge for play by one person; alternatively, a means for one to learn or practice the game alone. Information for each [[#deal|deal]] is pre-printed on one sheet of paper in a special layout. Such a "deal" is loaded in a mechanical template (see image at right) which the operator-player manipulates selectively and sequentially to reveal some of the information. Paper deals are distributed in numbered sets  of "Autobridge Refills".
;[[Squeeze play (bridge)|<span id="automaticsqueeze">Automatic squeeze</span>]]: A [[#squeeze|squeeze]] position that succeeds against either opponent. Compare with [[#positionalsqueeze|Positional squeeze]].
;<span id="average">Average</span>
# In [[#matchpoint|matchpoint]] scoring, one-half the matchpoints available on a given deal.
# An ''average score'' is sometimes awarded to one or both pairs when for some reason they cannot play the board. If neither pair is at fault or both pairs are at fault, the director may decide to award an average to each side. Law 12.C.2 of the [[Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge]] states that if one pair is at fault, it receives an ''average-minus'' (at most, 40% of the available matchpoints on the board). A pair not at all at fault receives ''average-plus'': 60% of the available matchpoints on the board, or, if greater, the average of the matchpoints the pair earned on other boards played during the session or of the matchpoints earned against their current opponents. The assigned scores need not sum to the total available matchpoints.
# In IMP [[#butler|(Butler)]] pairs, "average" refers to the "datum" used in scoring.
;<span id="avoidanceplay">[[Avoidance play]]</span>: A play designed to keep a particular defender off lead, often to prevent the lead of a suit through a [[#tenace|tenace]] position in either declarer's hand or dummy.

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==B==
;<span id="backin">Back in</span>: To make a partnership's first bid, having previously passed. For example, in 1{{Hearts}} – (P) – 1NT – (P); 2{{Clubs}} – (Dbl), the doubler has backed into the bidding.
;[[Finesse#Backward finesse|Backward finesse]]: A combination of two finesses in a suit such that the first finesse is "backward": that is, leading away from the hand containing the tenace.
;[[Balancing (bridge)|<span id="balance">Balance</span>]]: To keep the bidding open when it is about to be passed out at a low level. For example, if the bidding goes 1{{Hearts}} – (P) – P – (1NT), the 1NT bid is a balancing action. The balancing bid is often made with a hand of substandard strength in order to prevent the opponents from securing a low-level contract.
;<span id="balanced">Balanced distribution</span>
# Narrowly, a ''balanced [[#distribution|distribution]]'' of a hand is 4–3–3–3, 4–4–3–2 or 5–3–3–2. Equivalently, there are no voids, no singletons, and at most one doubleton.
# ''Balanced'' is sometimes used in a broad sense that includes ''[[#semi-balancedhand|semi-balanced]]''. Broadly, balanced distribution permits no void, singleton, or 7-card suit.
;<span id="balancedhand">[[Balanced hand]]</span>: A hand with ''balanced distribution'' in the narrow or wide sense just above. On the first round of bidding, [[#natural|natural]] notrump bids generally denote balanced hands.
;<span id="BAM">BAM</span>: [[#board-a-match|Board-a-match]], one method of scoring a [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]] session or tournament.
;<span id="bar">Bar</span>: To prevent a player from making a [[#bid|bid]], either by a [[#penalty|penalty]] caused by an [[#irregularity|irregularity]], or because partnership agreement requires a pass in a given situation. In either case, the player is said to be "barred."
;<span id="barbid">Bar bid</span>: A bid which by partnership agreement requires partner to'' pass at future turns to call in the current auction.'' Raises of partner's [[#weaktwobid|weak two opening bid]] are one common example. The raise might be extending the preempt, to make, or to push the opponents a level too high. If the opponents bid over a'' bar bid raise,'' the partner who made the bar bid may intend to pass, double for penalty, preempt, or raise again to push the opponents. Hence, the reason that partner is barred. The partner who made the'' bar bid'' may be ″operating.” None of the other three players can know the intent of the player who made the'' bar bid.'' Thus, the partner must pass, and the opponents must guess.
;<span id="barometerscoring">Barometer scoring</span>: In a duplicate event, the posting of contestants' running scores after each round. Knowledge of the current standings often adds excitement to the contest, and can affect the strategies adopted by those in a position to win the event.
;[[Bath coup]]: A [[#holdup|holdup]] by declarer, to prevent an opponent from continuing a suit. In the classic position, declarer holds {{Spades}}AJ2 and West, on declarer's left, leads {{Spades}}K from {{Spades}}KQ1098. By playing the 2 on West's K, South makes it impossible for West to continue spades without giving South a free [[#finesse|finesse]].
;[[Beer card]]: The {{Diamonds}}7.
;<span id="belowtheline">Below the line</span>: In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], the place on the score pad (below the main horizontal line) where trick points scored for making a contract, i.e. tricks bid for and taken exclusive of overtricks, are recorded. These are the points counted towards [[#game|game]]. See [[#abovetheline|Above the line]] and [[Bridge scoring]].
;<span id="Benjaminised Acol">Benjaminised Acol</span> or "Benji": A variant of Acol where 2{{Clubs}} and 2{{Diamonds}} are strong bids of different strengths, and 2{{Hearts}} and 2{{Spades}} are [[weak twos]]. Invented by Scottish international player [[Albert Benjamin]].
;<span id="Betterminor">Better minor</span>: A commonly used term for the choice of minor suit opening bid with less than four cards, typically in [[#five-card major|five card major]] systems.  In [[Standard American Yellow Card]], it is normal to bid the longer suit with 3 cards in one and two in the other, and 1 {{Clubs}} with 3–3. In this sense the term is a misnomer as a poor club suit (e.g. Jxx) may be opener instead of a stronger diamond suit (e.g. KQx). "Prepared minor" would be more precise terminology. See [[#prepared bid|prepared bid]].
;[[Bermuda Bowl|<span id="BermudaBowl">Bermuda Bowl</span>]]: The trophy awarded to the winner of the World Zonal Open Team Championship, the most prestigious in bridge. More commonly the term refers to the competition itself, a biennial two-week tournament among open teams that have qualified in their geographic [[#zone|zone]]s.
;<span id="bid">Bid</span>:
# A specification of both [[#level|level]] and [[#denomination|denomination]] or [[#strain|strain]], such as ''three notrump'' or ''four hearts''. While any legal bid constitutes a potential [[#contract|contract]], some bids carry special coded meanings when used by the partnership as a [[#convention|conventional bid]] and as such are not normally intended as a potential contract.
# An obsolete term meaning "contract" (noun).
;<span id="bidoutofturn">Bid out of turn</span>: A bid erroneously made when it was another player's turn to bid. Subject to [[#penalty|penalty]].
;<span id="biddable">Biddable suit</span>: A suit that a partnership regards as long and strong enough to be bid naturally. Partnerships often employ different standards of length and strength for suits named in [[#openingbid|opening bids]], in [[#response|responses]], in [[#rebid|rebids]] and in [[#overcall|overcalls]].
;<span id="bidding">Bidding</span>: The first stage of a [[#deal|deal]], when players jointly determine the final [[#contract|contract]]. Having examined their own cards, they make a series of [[#call|calls]] in rotation, which is called the auction or the bidding.
;[[Bidding box|<span id="bidbox">Bidding box</span>]]: A box placed on the table (one box for each player) that contains cards with [[#call|calls]] printed on them, as well as other cards such as "alert". By selecting and displaying a card, a player can make a call without speaking. Silent bidding removes one source of [[#unauth|unauthorized information]] from the game.
;<span id="biddingspace">Bidding space</span>: The number of steps available in an auction, or the number of steps consumed by a bid. The sequence 1{{Clubs}} – 1{{Diams}} consumes only one step, whereas 1{{Diams}} – 2{{Clubs}} consumes four steps. Because alternative bids are skipped, it often happens that the more steps a bid takes up, the more specific meaning it carries. See '''[[Useful Space Principle]]'''.
;[[Bidding system|<span id="biddingsystem">Bidding system</span>]]: The complete set of [[#agreement|agreements]] and understandings assigned to [[#call|calls]] and sequences of calls used by a [[#partnership|partnership]], including a full description of the meaning of each [[#treatment|treatment]] and [[#convention|convention]].
;<span id="biltcliffecoup">Biltcliffe coup</span>: (British slang) A sarcastic term applied to a poor result as a consequence of four steps: (1) the opponents are about to play in a part score, when you [[#balance|bid in pass-out seat]], (2) the opponents then bid game, (3) you double for penalties, and (4) they make the contract. In some circles, the [[#coup|coup]] is not recognized unless the contract makes through misdefense.<ref>Cochemé, Simon (February 2012). "The Coups of Bridge II". [http://view.pagetiger.com/dfjsadlfiu3dd9r5q09458wekfjdlksamcz-dwfwjfjwdfjwdlfjwerfsdfdfsd4325452rew2ewrr243535cmsdlrj093495345/2012Feb/page19.htm ''English Bridge'', no. 239] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819102913/http://view.pagetiger.com/dfjsadlfiu3dd9r5q09458wekfjdlksamcz-dwfwjfjwdfjwdlfjwerfsdfdfsd4325452rew2ewrr243535cmsdlrj093495345/2012Feb/page19.htm |date=2014-08-19 }}, p. 19.</ref>
;<span id="bit">BIT</span>: Break in tempo. See [[#tempo|Tempo]] def 2.
;[[Blackwood convention|<span id="Blackwood">Blackwood convention</span>]]: Popular bidding convention in contract bridge, used to determine number of partner's aces/kings to evaluate for slam bids.
;<span id="blank">Blank</span>
# (Adjective) Unprotected by other, usually lower cards in the same suit: "I held the blank king of spades."{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
# (Verb) To discard in such a way as to leave a card unprotected: "She blanked the king of spades."{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
;<span id="blitz">Blitz</span>: (Slang) A win by a sufficiently wide margin in [[#IMP|IMPs]] to earn the maximum possible number (or difference) of [[#victory|victory points]].
;<span id="blocked">Blocked</span>: (Adjective) If a suit is divided between partners in such a way that the hand with the shorter holding has only high cards, the suit cannot be run without an '''[[entry (cards)|entry]]''' to the longer holding in another suit; it is then said to be ''blocked''. If North holds {{Diams}}AK and South holds {{Diams}}QJ10, South cannot cash a third diamond trick without an entry in another suit. The diamonds are ''blocked'' until North is able to [[#unblock|unblock]] by playing the ace and king.
;<span id="board">[[Board (bridge)|Board]]</span>:
# One particular allocation of 52 cards to the four players including the [[#bid|bid]]ding, the [[#play|play]] of the cards and the [[#score|scoring]] based on those cards. Also called [[#deal|deal]] or [[#hand|hand]].
# A [[Board (bridge)|device]] that keeps each player's cards separate for [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]].
# The dummy's hand. For example, "You're on the board" means "The lead is in the dummy".
;<span id="board-a-match">Board-a-match (BAM)</span>: A form of scoring for [[#team|teams]], analogous to [[#matchpoint|matchpoint]] scoring for [[#pair|pairs]]. A team earns 1 point if its pairs score higher than the opposing pairs (with the same cards at the other table), 1/2 for equal scores, and 0 for lower scores. Board-a-match scoring is now less common than [[#IMP|IMP]] scoring, or IMPs [[#victory|victory points]] in a [[#swiss|Swiss teams]] tournament.
;<span id="body">Body</span>: Intermediate cards such as the 9, 8 and 7, that contribute to a suit's trick-taking potential.
;<span id="bonus">Bonus</span>: In bridge [[#score|scoring]], beyond points for bid [[#trick|trick]]s taken, which are awarded for making a [[#contract|contract]], the additional points awarded for making a doubled contract, or for making doubled or redoubled [[#overtrick|overtrick]]s. There are different bonus amounts at the [[#partscore|partscore]], [[#game|game]], [[#smallslam|small slam]], and [[#grandslam|grand slam]] levels. The size of most bonuses depends on the [[#vulnerability|vulnerability]]. Bonus amounts are different in [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]] and [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]]. See '''[[Bridge scoring]]'''.
;<span id="book">Book</span>
# (Noun) The basic six [[#trick|trick]]s that must be taken by the [[#declarer|declaring]] side. The first six "book" tricks are always assumed and are not taken into account in [[#bid|bid]]ding or [[#score|scoring]]. Thus, a [[#contract|contract]] at the 1-[[#level|level]] commits [[#declarer|declarer]] to take at least 7 (that is, 6 + 1) tricks, and provides trick points only for the trick above book. The term apparently originated from the [[#whist|whist]] practice of arranging the first six tricks into a stack called a "book."
# (Noun) The number of tricks that the defensive side must take so as to hold declarer to his contract. If the contract is 4{{Spades}}, defenders' book is 3.
# (Verb, usually passive) Slang. As declarer, to have lost the maximum number of tricks without being set. At 4{{Spades}}, declarer is "booked" when he has lost three tricks.
;<span id="bottom">Bottom</span>: At matchpoint scoring, a result no better than any other by a pair playing the same cards, resulting in an award of minimum matchpoints; either jointly (a shared bottom), or alone (a cold bottom, or [[#zero|zero]]).
;<span id="boxed">Boxed</span>: (British slang) Adjective applied to a card found to be face-up during dealing, and by extension to the whole pack. Also used for a card found to be face-up in a hand extracted from a duplicate board, or for the hand itself.
;<span id="bracket">Bracket</span>: A group of entries in a tournament that will eventually have one winner. The grouping is often done on the basis of masterpoints.
;<span id="break">Break</span>
# (Noun) The distribution of cards in a suit between the two opponents' (often unseen) hands: "I got a 4–1 spade break." An ''even break'' occurs when the cards are distributed evenly or nearly so, such as 3–3 or 3–2. A ''bad break'', connoting a distribution that is difficult to handle, suggests an unexpectedly uneven distribution, such as 5–1 or 6–0. See [[#distribution|distribution]].
# (Verb) To be divided between two hands. "The spades broke 3–2."
# (Verb) To lead a particular suit for the first time during a particular deal.
# (Verb) Slang. To play for and find a particular distribution, usually the most favorable. "I broke the spades."
;[[Bridge maxims]]: A <span id="maxim">compilation</span> of short "laws", "rules" and rules-of-thumb advice; often, not always, valid.
;<span id=TBW>''The Bridge World'' (TBW)</span>: A monthly magazine based in New York City, '''''[[The Bridge World]]''''' is the oldest continuously published periodical concerning contract bridge, and the game's most prestigious technical journal.
;<span id="broken">Broken sequence</span>: A sequence of [[#honor|honor]] cards, one or more of which is missing, for example AQJ.
;Bullet: (Slang) An ace.
;<span id="bump">Bump</span>:
# (Slang) A single raise of partner. Used as a noun or a verb.
# In duplicate bridge, an adaptation of the Mitchell movement to accommodate a half table.  The extra pair moves around the room, substituting themselves in for a particular other pair, bumping out the pair for one round.<ref>Manley et al (2011), p. 153.</ref>
;<span id="businessdouble">Business double</span>: A [[#penaltydouble|penalty double]], in contrast to various competitive and [[#informatory|informatory]] doubles including [[#takeoutdouble|takeout doubles]] and [[#negativedouble|negative doubles]].
;<span id="bust">Bust</span>: (Slang) A very weak hand. Sometimes paired with the name of a long suit: for example, "club bust" to denote a hand with long clubs and very little high card strength. See also [[#Yarborough|Yarborough]].
;<span id="busy">Busy</span>: 
# A card that is needed for some purpose is said to be ''busy''. For example, cards that a defender is trying to preserve while declarer executes a [[#squeeze|squeeze]] are "busy". Contrast [[#idle|Idle]].
# A busy defense is an alternative term for an [[#active|active]] defense.
;<span id="butler">Butler, or Butler scoring</span>: A method of scoring in [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]] [[#pairs|pairs]] events. Each pair's result on a [[#board|board]] is compared against a "datum" score which is the arithmetic mean of all the results (usually after exclusion of one or more of the top and bottom results), and the difference converted to [[#IMPs|IMPs]]. Sometimes, the median is used instead of the mean.
;<span id="bye">Bye</span>
# A round of an event during which a team or pair is not scheduled to play.
# A location ("bye-stand") such as a chair or table, where boards are kept when not in use during an event. Typically used in a Mitchell movement with an even number of pairs when there is a "share and relay".
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==C==
;<span id="Caddy">[[Caddy (bridge)|Caddy]]</span>: An assistant to the [[#Director|director]], or Head Director, primarily responsible for moving boards between tables and collecting [[#pickupslip|score slips]].
;<span id="Calcutta">Calcutta</span>
# [[#ximp|Cross-IMP scoring]].
# A tournament in which bettors bid on participating pairs or [[#team|team]]s. The proceeds from the auction are distributed partly as prizes to the top finishers, partly to the bettors who successfully bid on them. A pair or team can typically buy an interest in itself.
;<span id="call">Call</span>: Any [[#bid|bid]], [[#pass|pass]], [[#double|double]], or [[#redouble|redouble]] in the [[#bid|bid]]ding stage.
;<span id="canape">[[canapé (bridge)|Canapé]]</span>: An approach to bidding in which a player bids his shorter suit prior to his longer suit. A feature of the Blue Team Club and the Roman Club.
{{anchor|npc}}
;<span id="captain">Captain</span>
# In a [[#team|teams]] competition, one person called the ''captain'' must represent a team in stipulated official settings and make stipulated official decisions for a team. A playing captain (''pc'') is eligible to participate as a player at the table; a non-playing captain (''npc'') may not play. Many team competitions including [[#WBF|WBF]] world championships limit teams to six players, thus to seven members depending on the kind of captain. Other team officials such as a coach are not team members and are not covered in the rules of bridge.{{clarify|date=January 2015|reason=what are rules vs. Laws?}}
# The partner who makes the decision for a partnership in certain bidding situations, such as ace-asking sequences.
;<span id="cardreading">Card reading</span>: The act of determining the [[#distribution|distribution]] of cards in unseen hands, and the location of high cards therein, by analyzing the bidding, play and other clues.
;<span id="carding">Carding</span>: The defensive [[#signals|signaling]] used by a partnership.
;<span id="carryover">Carryover, or carry-over</span>: In a complex event, some participants begin a later stage with scores that depend on performance in an earlier stage. Simple accumulation of scores from stage to stage is full carryover but the term is commonly used only when carryover is less than full.
:Some [[#team|team]] events have a later knockout stage with carryover equal to some fraction of any margin of victory from an early-stage match between the same teams.
:Many tournaments for teams, pairs, or individuals have stages that progressively reduce the field, such as by cutting the bottom half at the end of each day. Sometimes the ''qualifiers'' continue with a fraction of their qualifying margins as carryover, which effectively gives weight less than one to points scored in the earlier, larger, lower-quality field. Sometimes there is no carryover; comfortable and borderline qualification are equivalent in the next stage.
;<span id="cash">Cash</span>: To take a trick with a card that is currently the highest in the suit, thought likely to succeed, or to take all available winners in a suit.
;<span id="Cavendish">Cavendish variation</span>: A version of [[#Chicago|Chicago]], with dealer's side ''not'' vulnerable on the second and third hands, as in the standard version.
;CBF: '''[[Canadian Bridge Federation]]'''.
;<span id="changeofsuit">Change of suit</span>: A bid in a new suit, as 1{{Spades}} in the sequence 1{{Diams}} – 1{{Hearts}}; 1{{Spades}}.
;<span id="checkbackstayman">[[Checkback Stayman]]</span>: A common conventional agreement following a 1NT rebid, searching for an unbid major suit or a preference to responder's major.
;<span id="Chicago">[[Chicago (bridge card game)|Chicago]]</span>: A variant of rubber bridge in which a [[#rubber|rubber]] consists of four deals with [[#vulnerability|vulnerability]] predetermined for each deal.
;<span id="Chicane">Chicane</span>: A hand without any trumps.
;<span id="CHO">CHO</span>: (Slang) Centre-hand opponent, a derogatory or facetious term for one's partner, or partners generally. Compare [[#LHO|LHO]] and [[#RHO|RHO]], left- and right-hand opponents.
;<span id="chuck">Chuck</span>: (Slang) An error in bidding or play, which was or might have been costly. Also used as a verb.
;<span id="chunky">Chunky</span>: A suit with enough honor strength to play well unaided by partner's cards (but not solid) is ''chunky''. Normally said of four-card suits. AQJ10 is a chunky suit; AQ96 is not chunky.
;<span id="claim">Claim</span>: A statement by declarer about how the remaining unplayed tricks will be won or lost. Normally the claiming player exposes his hand and describes the sequence of play for the remaining tricks (but such plays as finesses, unless already proven, are disallowed). A claim is best made only when the play of the rest of the hand is obvious. Claims are often inadvisable: apart from the possibility of a mistaken analysis, it can take longer to explain the line of play than to play it. See also [[#concession|Concession]].
;<span id="clearasuit">Clear a suit</span>: Knock out an opponent's high-card control of a suit, or unblock one's own high cards.
;<span id="closedhand">Closed hand</span>: Declarer's hand (as distinct from the dummy, which is [[#face|face]]d or open).
;<span id="closedroom">Closed room</span>: In a [[#team|team]] match, a room where two of the pairs compete, and in which spectators are not allowed.
;<span id="coffeehousing">Coffeehousing</span>: Making improper remarks to mislead the opponents, or asking improper questions designed to suggest a defensive play.
;<span id="cold">Cold</span>: A [[#contract|contract]] that a player cannot fail to make, even against the best defense on any lie of the cards, is ''cold''.
;<span id="colors_first">Colors first</span>: A bidding approach where players indicate suits (denominations) before showing high card strength. For example, natural suit overcalls and natural one-level suit opening bids are usually "colors first". Natural notrump opening bids and natural notrump overcalls usually show strength rather than suits. A [[Michaels cuebid|Michaels cue bid]] is usually "colors first", but a [[#takeoutdouble|takeout double]] is usually more "values first".
;<span id="combination">Combination</span>
# [[#suitcombination|Suit combination]].
# A combination finesse is one of several tactics in play of the cards that includes multiple [[#finesse|finesse]]s in one suit or combines another technique with a finesse.
;<span id="complay">Combination play</span>: A line of play that offers more than one chance to take additional tricks: for example, playing to drop an honor in a longer suit and then finessing for an honor in a shorter suit.
;<span id="come-on">Come-on</span>: A defensive signal that encourages partner to continue a suit, usually by means of the rank of the card used to follow suit.
;[[Gardener 1NT|<span id="comicno">Comic notrump</span>]]: A notrump overcall that shows a weak hand with a long suit, to which the [[#overcaller|overcaller]] can escape if doubled. Also known as Gardener 1NT.
;<span id="communication">Communication</span>:
# The placement of the [[#lead|lead]] in one or the other of the two partnership [[#hand|hand]]s, so as to make a subsequent lead from the more advantageous hand, specifically the ability to place the lead in such hand.
# The means of conveying a message to partner via the [[#bid|bid]]ding and by the card played to a trick. The only legal means of communication is through the calls and plays themselves, rather than through mannerisms such as tone of voice and hesitations. Often generalized as ''communications'' in both senses.
;<span id="comparativescoring">Comparative scoring</span>: The method of scoring used in matchpoint or Board-a-Match events. The metric used is not the number of points earned on a particular deal, as it is when using [[#quantitative|quantitative scoring]], but the number of pairs that have been out-scored.
;<span id="competitiveauction">Competitive auction</span>: A bidding sequence which involves both partnerships. Also, ''competitive bidding''.
;<span id="concession">Concession</span>: A statement by a player as to the number of remaining tricks that he must lose. See also [[#claim|Claim]].
;Condone: To act after an opponent's [[#irregularity|irregularity]] without arranging for the penalty specified in the Laws to be applied.
;<span id="congratulatoryjack">Congratulatory jack</span>: The unnecessary play (by follow-suit or by discard) of a jack following partner's exceptionally successful action. More often used by the defense, but possible as a play from dummy.
;<span id="congress">Congress</span>: (Mainly British) A nationally or locally organised [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]] competition held at a single location and usually involving both [[#pairs|pairs]] and [[#team|teams]] events, typically lasting one or two days but sometimes as many as ten. The more usual North American term is [[#tournament|tournament]].
;<span id="constructive">Constructive</span>
# Bidding that is aimed at reaching a side's optimum contract, as distinct from calls intended to interfere with the opponents' bidding.
# Constructive raise: by partnership agreement, a single raise of a major suit opening that shows more strength than usual.
;<span id="contract">Contract</span>
# The statement of the [[#pair|pair]] who has won the [[#bid|bid]]ding, that they will take at least the stated number of [[#trick|trick]]s. The contract consists of two components: the [[#level|level]], stating the number of tricks to be taken (in addition to the ''[[#book|book]]'' tricks), and the [[#denomination|denomination]], denoting the trump suit (or its absence in a notrump bid). The last [[#bid|bid]] in the bidding phase denotes the final contract.
# Short for '''[[contract bridge]]''' in contrast to '''[[auction bridge]]''' (auction) and other card games in the family.
;<span id="control">Control</span>
# A feature of a [[#hand|hand]] which prevents the defenders from taking sufficient immediate [[#trick|trick]]s in a specific suit so as to set the contract or make the setting of the contract unavoidable. Aces are termed "first-round" controls and kings are termed "second-round" controls. In [[#trump|trump]] [[#contract|contract]]s, [[#void|void]]s are also considered first-round controls and [[#singleton|singleton]]s second-round controls. See also [[#stopper|Stopper]].
# (Said of trump contracts) Declarer's ability to manage the [[#trump|trump]] suit successfully. To ''lose control'' usually means being forced to shorten one's trumps so much that the opponents can subsequently control the play of the hand. See '''[[Forcing defense]]'''.
;<span id="control-bid">Control-bid</span>: A bid that shows [[#control|control]] of a particular suit. Often a [[#cuebid|cue bid]], but not all [[cue bid]]s are control-bids.
;<span id="Convenientclub">Convenient club</span>: See [[#shortclub|Short club]].
;[[Bridge convention|<span id="convention">Convention</span>]]
# An [[#agreement|agreement]] between partners on an artificial meaning of a [[#call|call]] or sequence of calls, which is not necessarily related to the length and strength of bid suits or of willingness to play in notrump. Many bidding conventions are [[#artificial|artificial]]; see, for example, '''[[Slam-seeking conventions]]'''.
# An agreement that a particular defensive play has a special meaning. Compare with [[#treatment|Treatment]].
;[[Convention card|<span id="conventioncard">Convention card</span>]]: A form filled out by a [[#partnership|partnership]] and available to their opponents, that shows the bidding and play conventions they are using. Normally used during tournaments, their format may be prescribed by the governing bridge organization.
;<span id="convert">Convert</span>:
# To change the effect of a call. For example, passing partner's overcall of 2{{Diams}} when playing '''[[Michaels cuebid|Michaels cue bid]]s''' converts the overcall from a request to bid a major suit to a contract of 2{{Diams}}. There are many other applications: for example, to pass partner's '''[[takeout double]]''' is to ''convert'' it to a [[#penaltydouble|penalty double]].
# In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]] and [[#Chicago|Chicago]], a [[#partscore|part score]] is converted into [[#game|game]] when a further score brings the total [[#belowtheline|below the line]] to 100 or more points.
;<span id="correct">Correct</span>: In the bidding, to choose (usually) partner's first bid suit; in that case, a correction is equivalent to a [[#preference|preference]].
;<span id="COS">COS</span>: Acronym or initialism for Choice of Slams. An artificial or natural bid made to ask partner to select a strain from several choices where the [[#slam|slam]] might be played.
;<span id="count">Count</span>
# (Noun) The number of cards held in a suit or suits, usually said of an opponent's hand.
# (Verb) To determine, by inference or by follow-suit, the number of cards held in a suit by an opponent.
# (Noun) In '''[[squeeze play (bridge)|squeeze]]''' play, the number of tricks that declarer must lose before the squeeze can function.  See [[#rectifythecount|rectify the count]].
;<span id="countsignal">Count signal</span>: A defensive card play that shows whether the player has an even or odd number of cards in a suit.
;[[Coup (bridge)|<span id="coup">Coup</span>]]
# Any extremely skillful play.
# Any of several specific play techniques, such as the '''[[Scissors coup]]''', '''[[Trump coup]]''', '''[[Devil's coup]]''' or '''[[Vienna coup]]'''.
;''[[Coup en passant]]'': The lead of a [[#sidesuit|side suit]] in which both [[#secondhand|second]] and [[#thirdhand|third hand]]s are [[#void|void]], second hand holding a high [[#trump|trump]], in such a way that third hand cannot be prevented from taking a trick with a low trump. It is a form of [[#elope|elopement]].
;Coup without a name: See '''[[Scissors coup]]'''. "Coup without a name" is an earlier term for the coup, conferred by '''[[Ely Culbertson]]'''.
;<span id="covercard">Cover card</span>: A card ([[#honor|honor]] or extra [[#trump|trump]]) which is known to compensate one of partner's [[#loser|loser]]s; for example, a king in trumps covers partner's trump loser.
;<span id="crack">Crack</span>: (Slang, verb). To make a [[#penaltydouble|penalty double]]. Also, "cracked", a doubled contract, regardless of the result; as in e.g. "The contract was 2{{spades}} cracked".
;<span id="CRASH">Crash</span>
# (Usually written CRASH or CRaSh) Acronym for Color, RAnk and SHape; a [[#convention|convention]] showing a 2-suited hand, as an [[#overcall|overcall]] at first opportunity after an opponent's strong [[#artificial|artificial]] 1{{clubs}}, 1{{diams}}, 2{{clubs}} or 2{{diams}} opening. The two suits share the same color (red or black), rank ([[#majorsuit|majors]], or [[#minorsuit|minors]]) or shape ([[#rounded|rounded]] or [[#pointed|pointed]]). The type of pairing is shown by the number of [[#step|steps]] above [[#RHO|RHO's]] bid which are taken up by the over call.
# (Uncapitalised) The play of two winners by a pair on a single trick: for example, the ace and king of trumps. This usually involves a declarer's use of a deceptive play to cause a defender to follow suit with one high card (for example, the king from Kx when the other defender holds the singleton ace).
;[[Crocodile coup]]: On defense, second hand's play of a higher card than apparently necessary, so as to obtain the lead. The play is intended to prevent fourth hand from being forced into the lead to make a return favorable to declarer. The name suggests a crocodile opening its maw to swallow up partner's winning card.
;<span id="cross">Cross</span>: To enter the opposite hand. Normally used of dummy or declarer's hand: "He crossed to dummy in diamonds."
;[[Crossruff]]: A playing technique in trump contracts, where extra tricks are gained by [[#ruff|ruff]]ing in both hands alternately.
;<span id="ximp">Cross-IMP scoring</span>: A form of [[#IMP|IMP scoring]] in pairs tournaments, where each pair's score is determined as an (averaged) sum of differences to all other scores (rather than to a single [[#datum|datum]] score). Also known as ''X-Imps'' or ''[[#Calcutta|Calcutta]]''.
;[[Cuebid|<span id="cuebid">Cuebid</span>]], cue bid, or cue-bid
# A bid of the opponents' [[#suit|suit]] in a competitive auction. Usually a conventional, forcing bid that shows strength or an unusual [[#hand|hand]], or a particular distribution.
# A bid that shows a [[#control|control]] in a suit (usually with an ace or king, sometimes with a void), but does not indicate length or strength in the suit otherwise. See [[#control|control bid]]. Partnership [[#agreement|agreement]]s indicate when in an uncontested auction a bid is considered a cuebid. Usually used in exploring for a [[#slam|slam]] contract (see '''[[Bridge conventions (slam seeking)]]'''), or for showing [[#stopper|stopper]]s needed for a notrump [[#game|game]].
; <span id=Culbertson45NT>[[Culbertson four-five notrump]]</span>
: A '''[[slam-seeking conventions|slam-seeking convention]]''' devised by '''[[Ely Culbertson]]''', in which a player bids 4NT or 5NT to show possession of defined numbers of keycards (aces, and kings in bid suits), and to which that player's partner responds in generally natural fashion. Since the 1950s, it has been almost entirely superseded by variants of the '''[[Blackwood convention]]'''.
;<span id="Culbertson">Culbertson system</span>: The earliest dominant [[#bid|bidding system]], developed by '''[[Ely Culbertson|Ely]]''' and Josephine Culbertson. Its principal features were an [[#approach–forcing|approach–forcing]] bidding style, [[#4majors|four-card majors]], [[#strong2|strong two-bid]]s and the use of an [[#honor|honor]] trick table to evaluate hand strength.
;[[Curse of Scotland]]: The {{Diams}}9. The origin of the term is uncertain.
; <span id="cutinout">Cut in and cut out</span>: In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], it is customary on completion of a [[#rubber|rubber]] to invite other players in the cardroom to play in the next one, often by a cry of "Table up". The players in the completed rubber draw cards to determine who will withdraw; the one or more who draw the lowest card or cards are said to cut out, and their replacements to cut in.
;<span id="ccutthroat">Cutthroat bridge</span>: A form of three-handed bridge.

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==D==
;DAB: An abbreviation of [[#dab|directional asking bid]].
;<span id="dangerhand">Danger hand</span>
#An opponent who, if he obtains the lead, can damage declarer's prospects.
#When defending, either declarer's or dummy's hand which, if it gains the lead, can damage the defenders' prospects.
;<span id="datum">Datum</span>: The mean or median of raw scores on a deal. The datum is used as a basis for calculating IMPs for the participating teams or pairs. The datum may be trimmed by removing extreme scores at either end of the distribution, a procedure whose effect on a mean or on a median depends on the degree of skewness in the raw scores.

;<span id="dawdling">Dawdling</span>: The practice of introducing an additional round (or rounds) to the bidding to show extra information. Example: On a 1NT – 3NT auction, responder has gone quickly to the final contract. When instead the auction goes 1NT –  2{{Diams}} ; 2{{Hearts}} – 3NT, responder has dawdled with the Jacoby Transfer to announce their 5-card heart suit before going to 3NT. Important distinction: Dawdling is part and parcel of the [[#fastarrival|fast arrival]] style of bidding, and refers to the bids that are not fast; not to be confused with the [[#slowarrival|slow arrival]] style of bidding.

;<span id="dead">Dead</span>
#A hand that has no card of entry, usually in reference to the dummy.
#A hand that has a suit consisting only of low cards of no significance. For example, two dead spades.
;<span id="deal">Deal</span>
#One particular allocation of 52 cards to the four players including the [[#bid|bid]]ding, the [[#play|play]] of the cards and the [[#score|scoring]] based on those cards. Also called [[#board|board]] or [[#hand|hand]].
#(Verb) To allocate the 52 cards to the four players or hands, 13 each.<!-- I thought I would say "in rotation" but realized that that is how humans deal whereas the dealer is now commonly a computer (virtual deal) or a machine that incorporates a computer (automatic deal to four hands or to a duplicate "board".-->

;<span id="dealer">Dealer</span>: The player who makes the first [[#call|call]] in the auction. In some versions of the game, this player also deals the cards. In [[rubber bridge]], the first dealer is usually decided by a cut for the highest card. In [[duplicate bridge]], cards are dealt only at the start of the session and the deal is preserved during the session by the use of [[#board|boards]]. The "dealer" who will make the first call is identified by a mark on the physical board, commonly the word "dealer".
;<span id="deck">Deck</span>: The 52 [[playing card|cards]] used in [[#bridge|bridge]].
;<span id="declaration">Declaration</span>: The [[#contract|contract]] in which a hand is played.
;Declarative–Interrogative: [[#D-I|D–I]].
;<span id="declarer">Declarer</span>: Of the partnership that makes the final bid in the [[#auction|auction]], declarer is the partner who first names the [[#denomination|denomination]] or [[#strain|strain]] of the final bid, thus the strain of the [[#contract|contract]]. During the play, declarer sits across from the [[#dummy|dummy]] and calls for cards from the dummy's hand, or "plays the dummy."
;<span id="declaring side">Declaring side</span>: The side that wins the auction.
;[[Finesse#Deep finesse|Deep finesse]]:
# A [[#finesse|finesse]] against two or more cards.
# The trade name of a commercially available computer program which performs [[#doubledummy|double dummy]] hand analysis.
;<span id="defeat">Defeat</span>: (Said of the contract). To prevent [[#declarer|declarer]] from taking the number of tricks called for by his [[#contract|contract]]. Also, [[#set|set]].
;<span id="defense">Defence</span>: [[#declarer|Declarer]]'s opponents or their line of play.
;<span id="defenders">Defenders</span>: The [[#pair|pair]] that tries to defeat the [[#contract|contract]].
;Defensive bidding
#A bid or sequence of bids designed to hinder the opponents' bidding, including [[#sacrifice|sacrifice]]s.
#All bidding by the partnership which does not [[#open|open]], which necessarily begins with a [[#double|double]] or [[#overcall|overcall]] (intervention).
;<span id="delayed">Delayed</span>: Postponed, as the jump preference in the auction 1{{Hearts}} – 1{{Spades}}; 2{{Diams}} – 3{{Hearts}}. Many bids have a different meaning depending on whether or not they are made at the first opportunity.
;<span id="denomination">Denomination (or strain)</span>: Component of a [[#bid|bid]] that denotes the proposed [[#trumpsuit|trump suit]] or [[#notrump|notrump]]. Thus, there are five denominations – notrump, spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. The [[#Laws|Laws of Contract Bridge]] (American edition)<ref>[http://web2.acbl.org/laws/rlaws/lawofcontractbridgecombined_2004.pdf ACBL Laws of Contract Bridge, 2003].  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229025059/http://web2.acbl.org/laws/rlaws/lawofcontractbridgecombined_2004.pdf |date=December 29, 2009 }}</ref> and [[Laws of Duplicate Bridge]] use the term ''denomination'' exclusively but "the modern term is strain" according to the sixth edition of ''[[The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge]]''.<ref>Francis et al, 2001, p. 114. This observation in the entry "Denomination" does not appear in the subsequent seventh ''Official Encyclopedia'' (Manley et al, 2011).</ref>
;<span id="DEPO">DEPO</span>: Acronym for '''D'''ouble '''E'''ven, '''P'''ass '''O'''dd. Conventional method for bidding over interference with [[#Blackwood|Blackwood]].
;[[Deschapelles coup]]: On defense, the lead of an unsupported honor in order to create an entry to partner's hand.
;<span id="deuce">Deuce</span>: The lowest [[#spot|spot card]], the 2. In [[Signal (bridge)|signaling]], it is the only unambiguous card.
;<span id="develop">Develop</span>: To establish tricks in a suit, usually by forcing out the opponents' [[#stopper|stopper]]s.
;[[Devil's coup]]: In the endgame, the play of a side suit through a defender to create an over ruff and a subsequent trump finesse.
;<span id="D-I">D–I</span>: (Abbreviation of Declarative-Interrogative.) 4NT as a general slam try that asks partner to show features. D–I is incorporated in several bidding systems, including Neapolitan, Blue Team Club and Kaplan–Sheinwold. Players distinguish the D–I and [[#Blackwood|Blackwood]] uses of 4NT by context.
;<span id="direction">Direction</span>: A player's position at the bridge table (North, East, South or West).
;Direct position: Usually said of a bid that is made immediately following [[#RHO|RHO]]'s bid. Contrast [[#balance|Balance]] (verb), on  balancing action in balancing position.
;<span id="dab">Directional asking bid</span>:
Often abbreviated as DAB. A [[#cuebid|cuebid]] of opponent's suit below 3NT, showing a partial stop in that suit and requesting partner to bid notrump with a holding such as Qx or Jxx. Common in the UK, less so elsewhere.
;<span id="director">Director</span>: Also [[tournament director]] (TD). The [[referee]] (in [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]]). The director enforces the rules, assigns penalties for violations, and oversees the progress of the game. The director may also be responsible for the final scoring. In a large tournament there may be several directors reporting to a Head Director. In [[#ACBL|ACBL]]-sponsored events, a director's ruling as to bridge fact may be appealed; a ruling as to discipline, so as to maintain an orderly event, may not.
;<span id="discard">Discard</span>
#(Verb) To play a card that is neither of the suit led, nor trump, and that therefore cannot win the trick.
#(Noun) The card so played.
;<span id="discouragingcard">Discouraging card</span>: A carding signal that discourages partner from leading a particular suit. Contrast [[#come-on|Come-on]].
;<span id="discovery">Discovery play</span>: A play, either by declarer or by the defense, intended to obtain information about the location of other cards.
;<span id="distribution">Distribution</span>
:#(''Suit distribution'') Of one suit on a [[#deal|deal]],  the numbers of cards or ''lengths'' in the four hands. Sometimes the length of a suit in one or two hands is known or presumed and its "distribution" covers only three or two hands, as "opposing distribution" said of the other pair from the perspective of one pair or player.
:#(''Hand distribution'', also ''shape'' or ''pattern'') Of one 13-card hand on a [[#deal|deal]], the numbers of cards or ''lengths'' in the four suits. Sometimes the length of one or two suits is known or presumed and "distribution" covers only three or two suits, as "distribution in the minors" said of one hand whose major-suit distribution is known.
:: '''General.''' The degree to which four suits in one hand, one suit in four hands, or all of the hands and suits are [[#deal|deal]]t in long and short holdings. Long and short holdings constitute "lots of distribution" and three-card holdings in particular constitute "no distribution".
:: '''Specific.''' Either way, four whole numbers that sum to 13 are commonly used to denote a distribution briefly, such as ''4333'' or ''4–3–3–3'' for a hand comprising one four-card suit and three three-card suits; or for a suit with one four-card holding and three three-card holdings in the four hands. Also ''22'' or ''2–2'' for the opposing distribution of spades when one pair holds nine of them; or for one hand's distribution in the minors when it holds nine in the Majors.
:: '''Fully specified.''' Conventionally neither ''4333'' nor ''4–3–3–3'' indicates which is the four-card suit in a hand while ''4=3=3=3'' means four spades, represented first, and three each in hearts, diamonds, and clubs. Thus ''4=6=2=1'' means 4 spades, 6 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 1 club.
;<span id="distributionpoint">Distribution points</span>: A measure of one hand's strength due to the length or shortness of suits. See '''[[Hand evaluation]]'''.
;[[DONT]]: Acronym for '''D'''isturb '''O'''pponents '''N'''o'''t'''rump. A conventional defense to notrump opening bids.
;DOPE: Acronym for '''D'''ouble '''O'''dd, '''P'''ass '''E'''ven.  A conventional method for bidding over interference with [[#Blackwood|Blackwood]].
;DOPI: A proxi-acronym for '''D'''ouble, '''O''' (the letter O standing for zero or none), '''P'''ass and '''I''' (the capital i standing for the numeral 1 or one). A conventional method for bidding over interference with [[#Blackwood|Blackwood]]. Pronounced "dopey."
;<span id="double">Double</span>:
:A [[#call|call]] that increases [[#penalty|penalties]] if the opponents fail to make their [[#contract|contract]], but consequently also increases the [[#bonus|bonus]]es if they make it. A player can double only a contract bid by the opposition. A natural double is referred to as penalty double. A double may have various alternative [[#convention|conventional]] meanings depending upon the bidding context.  See [[#Informatorydouble|Informatory double]], [[Takeout double]], [[Negative double]], [[#leaddirectingdouble|Lead-directing double]], [[#responsivedouble|Responsive double]] and [[Support double]].
;<span id="doubledummy">Double dummy</span>: (Adjective or adverb.) Said of a play or line of play that seems to be made with knowledge of all four hands, as if there were at least two [[#dummy|dummies]] visible. Contrast [[#singledummy|Single dummy]].
: When said of the [[#defenders|defenders]] jointly, "double dummy defense" suggests that that pair knows all four hands and agrees on both goals and tactics such as [[#falsecard|falsecards]], as if the cards were visible and they discussed those points.
;Double dummy problem: A bridge problem presented for entertainment or teaching, in which the solver is presented with all four hands and is asked to determine the course of play that will achieve or defeat a particular contract.
;[[Double-elimination tournament]], or double elimination:  [[#doubleknockout|Double knockout]].
;<span id="doublefinesse">Double finesse</span>: A finesse for two missing cards.
;<span id="doubleintogame">Double into game</span>: To double a [[#P|part score]] such that, if the contract is fulfilled, the total of the doubled trick scores will exceed 100 points.
;<span id="doubleknockout">Double knockout</span>: A form of [[#knockout|knockout]] competition in which teams are eliminated after losing two matches rather than after losing one. Commonly, teams with no losses face each other (undefeated teams) and teams with one loss face each other (one-loser teams), insofar as possible.
;<span id="doublenegative">Double negative</span>: An agreement regarding a second negative bid by a player who has already made one. Normally used regarding sequences that follow strong, forcing opening bids.
;<span id="doubleraise">Double raise</span>: A raise of two levels, such as 1{{Spades}} – 3{{Spades}}.
;[[Double squeeze]]: A [[#squeeze|squeeze]] in which each opponent must guard a different suit, and both opponents must guard a third suit.
;<span id="doubleton">Doubleton</span>: A holding of exactly two cards in a suit.
;<span id="down">Down</span>
#A contract that is defeated is said to be ''down''.
#(Followed by a number) The number of tricks by which a contract fails: for example, "Down two."
;<span id="downtheline">Down the line</span>: To bid the higher of two adjacent suits before the lower. For example, of two five-card majors, the spade suit is normally bid before the heart suit. Contrast [[#uptheline|Up the line]].
;<span id="draw">Draw</span>: To extract, usually trumps. To remove the opponents' trump cards is to "draw trumps."
;<span id="driveout">Drive out</span>: To force a stopper from an opponent's hand, usually by repeatedly leading the suit.
;<span id="drop">Drop</span>
#(Verb) To fall under a higher card: "The {{Spades}}Q dropped under the {{Spades}}K."
#(Noun) That occurrence itself: "He played for the drop instead of finessing."
;[[Duck (bridge)|<span id="duck">Duck</span>]]: A [[#play|play]] technique in which a player does not immediately play a card that might take a [[#trick|trick]], but plays a small card instead.
;<span id="dummy"></span>Dummy
#The partner of the [[#declarer|declarer]]. Dummy's cards are placed face up on the table and played by the declarer. Dummy has few rights and may not participate in choices concerning the play of the hand.
#The [[dummy hand|dummy's hand]] as exposed on the table.
;<span id="dummyplay">Dummy play</span>: The play of the hand by declarer. The apparent contradiction is due to the fact that declarer plays both declarer's cards ''and'' the dummy's.
;[[Dummy reversal]]: A playing technique in [[#trump|trump]] [[#contract|contract]]s that gains extra tricks by ruffing in the hand that began with the longer trumps so that that hand ends up with shorter trumps.
;<span id="dump">Dump</span>: To lose a match deliberately, usually so as to assist another team or pair in the event. A subject of considerable controversy in the 1990s and beyond.
;[[Duplicate bridge|<span id="duplicate">Duplicate</span> bridge]]: A form of bridge where every [[#deal|deal]] is played at several [[#table|table]]s, by several pairs, and their [[#score|score]]s on each deal are subsequently compared. A minimum of two tables (four [[#pairs|pairs]]) are required for a duplicate bridge event. Each entry might be a pair, or a team consisting of two or more pairs; the type of scoring varies accordingly. The hands of each deal are kept in metal or plastic containers called [[#board|boards]] that are passed between tables.
;<span id="dupvals">Duplication of values</span>: Possession of values in the same suit in both partners' hands so arranged that they do not pull their full weight. (1) High card values in one hand and a singleton or void in the other; e.g. {{spades}}KJ9 facing a void is much less useful than {{spades}}KJ9 facing {{spades}}Q4. (2) High cards in short suits in both hands, e.g. {{spades}}AJ facing {{spades}}KQ.
;<span id="dustbin">Dustbin Notrump</span>: A bidding response of 1NT to an opening bid that doesn't show a balanced hand but a weak hand (6–9 HCP), no support for partner and no higher ranking 4+ card suit to bid.  So the hand could be unbalanced.

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==E==
;<span id="Eastern">Eastern Scientific</span>: A bidding style that developed in the Eastern United States, particularly the New York region. It is characterized by five-card majors with a forcing one "notrump" response and limit raises, strong notrump with Jacoby transfers, and strong (but not game forcing) two-over-one responses.
;''Eau de cologne'': (Slang, chiefly British) A hand with 7–4–1–1 distribution, from the cologne brand [[4711]].
;<span id="EBL">EBL</span>: '''[[European Bridge League]]''', the [[sport governing body]] for contract bridge in Europe, and the [[#sponsor|sponsoring organisation]] for many bridge competitions there.
;<span id="EBU">EBU</span>: '''[[English Bridge Union]]''', the official organising body of bridge in England.
;<span id="echo">Echo</span>: The play of first the higher, then the lower of two cards of the same suit on separate tricks to encourage or, by prior agreement, to discourage (see [[#upside-down|upside-down signals]]) partner's continuation of a suit; or to signal possession of (normally) an even number of cards in the suit at the time the higher card is played.
;[[EHAA]]: Every Hand An Adventure, a bidding style that emphasizes very weak notrump opening bids (often 10–12 [[#HCP|HCP]]), four-card majors, and undisciplined weak-two bids.
;Eight ever, nine never: A [[#maxim|bridge maxim]] that advises players when to [[#finesse|finesse]] for a missing queen. With eight cards in the suit, always ("ever") finesse; but with nine cards, never finesse, rather play for the queen to [[#drop|drop]] under the play of the ace and king. Experienced players often ignore this advice in favor of considerations such as the [[#dangerhand|danger hand]], [[#complay|combination play]], and the known or inferred distribution of other suits.
;EKB: Exclusion Keycard Blackwood, a variant of [[#RKCB|Roman Keycard Blackwood]]. EKB uses a suit bid rather than a notrump bid to show a void in that suit and to exclude the named suit ace from the count of keycards.
;<span id="elimination">Elimination</span>: The removal, by playing a suit or suits, of safe [[#exitcard|exit card]]s from defenders' hands, normally in preparation for an '''[[endplay]]'''. The classic (but not the only) example is to leave an endplayed defender with the choice of conceding a '''[[ruff and discard]]''' or giving declarer a [[Finesse#Free finesse|free finesse]].
;<span id="elope">Elope, elopement</span>: To win a trick by ruffing with a trump lower in rank than an opponent's trump. The '''[[coup en passant]]''' is an example of an elopement.
;<span id="encrypted">Encrypted</span>: An agreement that the meaning of bids or card signals may change as more information about a deal becomes available. For example, when declarer shows out of a suit, the defenders can tell whether the rank of West's lowest remaining card in the suit is even or odd (and declarer probably does not have that information). The defenders might have agreed that if West's lowest remaining card is even, normal attitude signals will be in effect, but if it is odd, [[#upside-down|upside-down signals]] will be used. In such a case, the defenders' agreement is ''encrypted''.
;<span id="ending">Ending</span>: The layout of the cards when just a few tricks remain to be played. In a "four-card ending", each player has four cards left. Such positions can be of special interest because squeezes and other endplays tend to occur near the end of the play.
;<span id="endplay">[[Endplay]]</span>: A play which forces a particular opponent to win a trick, so that that opponent must then make a favorable lead. That player is said to be "endplayed". Normally, the player who is endplayed is a defender. Although the word implies that the play occurs toward the end of a hand, it often occurs earlier, and in exceptional cases the opening leader can be said to be "endplayed at trick one."
;<span id="enter">Enter</span>
# To win a trick in the opposite hand, thereby giving it the right to lead to the next trick.
# To make the first [[#call|call]] for a partnership after the opponents have bid.
# To join a bridge competition.
;[[Entry (cards)|Entry]]
# A card that allows a particular hand to win a trick that partner or an opponent has led to. Entries are vital to [[#communication|communication]].
# A seating assignment in a bridge competition. Entries designate the participants' initial table number, direction at that table, and (if applicable) section.
;[[Entry-shifting squeeze|<span id="entry-shiftingsqueeze">Entry-shifting squeeze</span>]]: A squeeze in which the declarer decides whether to overtake the squeeze card or to let it hold the trick, depending on the play of the intervening opponent.
;[[Entry squeeze]]: A [[#squeeze|squeeze]] that puts pressure on a holding that interferes with declarer's entries.
;<span id="equallevelconversion">Equal level conversion (ELC)</span>: An agreement concerning rebids after [[#takeout|take-out double]]s. Traditionally, the bid of a new suit by the player who has made a take-out double is considered forcing. Under the equal level conversion agreement, the bid of a new suit by the doubler is not forcing if it is at the same level as [[#advancer|advancer]]'s bid. So, equal level conversion means that in the sequence 1{{Spades}} – (Dbl) – P – (2{{Diams}}); P – (2{{Hearts}}), 2{{Hearts}} is considered non-forcing.
;<span id="equals">Equals</span>: Cards in one hand that are adjacent in rank and thus have equal trick-taking power.
;<span id="escapesuit">Escape suit</span>: A long suit to which a bidder can escape if necessary or desirable. The bidder of a [[#comicno|comic notrump]] might run to his long suit if doubled.
;<span id="establish">Establish</span>: To make winners of the remaining cards in a suit by playing or forcing out higher cards.
;<span id="even">Even</span>
# A split with the same number of cards in each hand. A 2–2 split is an ''even'' split.
# Of the number of cards in a suit found in a hand: two cards, four cards, and so on.
;<span id="event">Event</span>: A '''[[duplicate bridge]]''' contest.
;<span id="exclusionbid">Exclusion bid</span>: A bid, such as 2{{Diams}} in the Roman Club system, that shows length in all suits ''except'' the one named.
;<span id="exclusion">Exclusion [[#Blackwood|Blackwood]]</span>: An agreement that responder to a Blackwood bid will show the number of aces held ''outside'' a particular suit.
;<span id="exitcard">Exit card</span>: A card that is used to put a different hand on lead, normally to avoid making a self-destructive lead in another suit.
;<span id="expert">Expert</span>: Someone who plays bridge better than others in their usual level of play.
;<span id="exposedcard">Exposed card</span>: A card whose suit and rank become known through an [[#irregularity|irregularity]]. An exposed card may be subject to penalty.
;<span id="extravalues">Extra values</span>: Values (in the form of [[#HCP|High card points]], shortage or [[#covercard|cover card]]s), which are in addition to the values that a player has promised so far in the [[#bid|bid]]ding.

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==F==
;F1: Forcing one round. See [[#oneroundforce|One round force]].
;<span id="face">Face</span>
# (Noun) The front of a card; the side that displays its suit and rank.
# (Verb) To turn a card so that its face is visible to other players.
;<span id="facecard">Face card</span>: A king, queen, or jack. Contrast [[#honor|Honor]].
;<span id="factoring">Factoring</span>: The adjustment of matchpoint scores to correct for dissimilar conditions. For example, a game played with a [[#Mitchell|Mitchell]] movement might have an extra N–S pair, causing a [[#bye|bye]] round for N–S. The [[#top|top]] is therefore lower for N–S pairs than for E–W pairs, and the N-S scores are multiplied by a fraction (or "factor") to make them commensurate with the E–W scores.
;<span id="fall">Fall</span>: To be captured by a higher card. See [[#drop|drop]].
;<span id="falsepreference">False preference</span>: A return to partner's first-bid suit despite a longer holding in the second suit. Usually intended to give partner an opportunity for another bid.
;<span id="falsesacrifice">False sacrifice</span>: [[#phantom|Phantom sacrifice]].
;<span id="falsecard">Falsecard</span>: A card played with the intention of deceiving an opponent as to one's true holding. Also, the act of making such a play.
;<span id="fastarrival">Fast arrival</span>: A style of bidding under which the fewer bids used to reach a contract (usually said of ''game'' contracts), the weaker the bidder's hand. Fast arrival holds that 1{{Spades}} – 2{{Diams}}; 2{{Spades}} – 4{{Spades}} is weaker than 1{{Spades}} – 2{{Diams}}; 2{{Spades}} – 3{{Clubs}}; 3NT – 4{{Spades}}. A relevant term is [[#dawdling|dawdling]]. Contrast [[#slowarrival|Slow arrival]].
;<span id="fastrubber">Fast rubber</span>: A rubber completed in two games.  See [[#slowrubber|slow rubber]].
;<span id="feature">Feature</span>: An honor or shortness in a suit. Conventional bids such as [[#splinter|splinter bid]]s or [[#D-I|D-I]] are intended to show or elicit features.
;<span id="fert">Fert</span>: (Slang) Short for "fertilizer", a very weak opening bid. A systemic [[#treatment|treatment]] in [[#strongpass|strong pass]] systems.
;FG: an abbreviation for forcing to game; see [[#gameforce|Game force]]
;<span id="field">Field</span>: All the players in a bridge event, as in "with the field" to refer to an action that most players will take, and "against the field" for an unusual action.
;Field a psych: Deciding correctly that partner has [[#psyche|psyched]] in the absence of a call that reveals the psych. Sometimes used when that decision is made on the basis of [[#unauth|unauthorized information]] or an undisclosed partnership understanding.
;<span id="filler">Fillers</span>: Mid-rank cards that strengthen a suit. See [[#body|body]].
;<span id="finalcontract">Final contract</span>: The last bid made on a hand.
;[[Finesse|<span id="finesse">Finesse</span>]]: An attempt to gain power for lower-ranking cards by taking advantage of the favorable position of higher-ranking cards held by the opposition.
;<span id="fit">Fit</span>
# A partnership's combined holding of many cards in a [[#suit|suit]] (usually 8 cards or more in the two combined hands) that might be used as [[#trumpsuit|trumps]].
# Two hands that are productive together (i.e., that have at least one fitting suit and few [[#dupvals|wasted values]]). Compare with [[#misfit|Misfit]].
:See also [[#Moysian|Moysian fit]] and [[#goldenfit|Golden fit]].
;<span id="fit-bid">Fit bid</span>: A bid in a suit that shows length and strength in the bid suit plus a fit for partner's suit. Jump shifts in competition are often defined as fit-bids. See also [[#fragmentbid|Fragment bid]] and [[#mixed|Mixed]] (definition 2).
;<span id="5majors">Five-card majors</span>: An agreement that an opening bid in spades or hearts promises at least five cards in the suit. The alternative agreement is [[#4majors|four-card majors]].
;<span id="fix">Fix</span>
# (Noun) An undeservedly poor result, usually caused by an opponent's error or eccentric play that happens to turn out well.
# (Verb) To be the victim of a fix: "We were fixed on Board 8."
;Flag-flying: An obsolete term for making a [[#preempt|preemptive bid]].
;<span id="fix">Flannery</span>: A conventional opening bid of two diamonds (some prefer two hearts instead) to show 11–15 HCP with 5 hearts and 4 spades.
;Flat
# Flat hand: A hand that lacks distributional features such as a singleton, a void, or a very long suit. Often, 4–3–3–3 distribution.
# Flat board: A deal in [[duplicate bridge]] that results in scores across the [[#field|field]] that are identical, or nearly so.
;<span id="float">Float</span>
# To be followed by two or three passes. For example, West's spade bid "floated around" to South in 1{{Spades}} – (P) – P.
# To fail to cover the card led, usually by two consecutive hands. "South floated the {{Spades}}Q to East."
;<span id="flowermovement">Flower movement</span>: An adaptation of the [[#Howell|Howell movement]] in which the players, rather than the boards, progress regularly from table to table. Also known as "Endless Howell".
;<span id="followsuit">Follow suit, sometimes simply "follow"</span>: To play a card of the same [[#suit|suit]] as the one that was first [[#lead|led]] to the trick. Failure to follow suit when one can do so constitutes a [[#revoke|revoke]].
;<span id="forceto">Force to</span>: To bid with the intention of causing the bidding to proceed to a particular level. For example: "In this auction, 2{{Clubs}} forced to game", or "My [[#reverse|reverse]] forced to the three-level."
;[[Forcing bid|<span id="forcingbid">Forcing bid</span>]]: A bid that, by partnership understanding, requires the bidder's partner to make another bid. A forcing bid is not necessarily a strong bid. It is legal to pass partner's forcing bid, and players occasionally do so if they believe it advantageous on a given hand, but it is damaging to partnership confidence.
:See also [[#gameforce|Game force]], [[#gsf|Grand slam force]] and [[#oneroundforce|One round force]].
;[[Forcing defense|<span id="forcingdefense">Forcing defense</span>]]: The lead and subsequent continuation of a suit that the defenders believe declarer will have to ruff in the long trump hand. The strategy is to shorten declarer's trump holding so as to leave the defenders in control of the hand. See [[#tap|Tap]].
;[[Forcing notrump|<span id="forcingnotrump">Forcing notrump</span>]]: An agreement that a 1NT response to a 1{{Hearts}} or 1{{Spades}} opening is a [[#forcingbid|forcing bid]].
;[[Forcing pass|<span id="forcingpass">Forcing pass</span>]]
# A pass in a competitive auction that requires partner either to make another bid or to double or redouble the opponents' current call. Experienced partnerships often have agreements about the meaning of bidding immediately in contrast to making a forcing pass and then bidding over partner's double ([[#passandpull|pass and pull]]).
# An initial pass when playing a [[#strongpass|strong pass system]].
; <span id="forcingtakeout">Forcing take-out</span>
: Obsolete name for a strong [[#jumpshift|jump shift]] by responder.
;<span id="fork">Fork</span>: A [[#tenace|tenace]].
;<span id="fouledboard">Fouled board</span>: A board whose cards are not distributed as they were when first played, due to returning the cards to their slots erroneously.
;<span id="4majors">Four-card majors</span>: An agreement that an opening bid of 1{{Hearts}} or 1{{Spades}} promises at least four cards in the suit bid. The usual alternative is [[#5majors|five-card majors]]. The four-card major agreement was standard during the first four decades of [[#contractbridge|contract bridge]], but has since given way to five-card majors in most "standard" systems such as [[2/1 game forcing]] and [[Standard American]]. It is used in [[Acol]], the '''[[Blue club|Blue Team Club]]''' and '''[[EHAA]]'''.
;<span id="fourdealbridge">Four-deal bridge</span>: See [[#Chicago|Chicago]].
;<span id="fourth">Fourth</span>
# A player needed to complete a table, usually said of [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]].
# Of four-card suit length: for example, Q987 is referred to as "queen fourth" or "queen-fourth".
;<span id="fourthhand">Fourth hand</span>: The fourth player with an opportunity to bid, or to play to a trick.
;<span id="fourthsuitforcing">[[Fourth suit forcing]]</span> (FSF, or 4SF)
# The initial use of a bid of the fourth suit as forcing to some level.
# An agreement that the partnership's bid of the fourth suit, in addition to its forcing nature, is possibly [[#artificial|artificial]].
;<span id="fragment">Fragment</span>: A holding of three or even two cards in a suit, thus not long enough to suggest as a trump suit. A partnership may treat the bid of a fragment as a means of implying shortness in another suit (see [[#fragmentbid|fragment bid]]). A fragment may also be bid after the single raise of a major as a [[#help-suitgametry|help suit game try]].
;<span id="fragmentbid">Fragment bid</span>: A second-round jump bid (usually a double jump) that by agreement shows a fit with partner's last-bid suit and shortness in another suit. Under this agreement, in 1{{Clubs}} – 1{{Hearts}}; 3{{Spades}} the bid of 3{{Spades}} is a fragment bid, showing a fit for hearts and a singleton or void in diamonds. The suit of the fragment bid is often three cards long. Compare with [[#splinter|Splinter bid]].
;<span id="freak">Freak, or freak hand</span>: A hand with a very long suit or suits. Most would regard a hand with two six card suits as a freak.
;<span id="freebid">Free bid</span>: A bid that is made when a pass would still allow partner to make a bid. Normally used of a bid that is made after partner has opened the bidding and [[#RHO|RHO]] has overcalled. Compare with [[Negative free bid]].
;<span id="freefinesse">Free finesse</span>: A position in which a player leads up to an opponent's [[#tenace|tenace]], solving that opponent's possible guess. The term is normally used when the player is forced to make that lead.

{{BridgeSuitRight|{{hearts}}&thinsp;Q&thinsp;8|{{hearts}}&thinsp;J&thinsp;5|{{hearts}}&thinsp;K&thinsp;3|{{hearts}}&thinsp;A&thinsp;10}}
;Frozen: A ''frozen'' suit is one that neither side can play without damage to its own holding in the suit. Declarer can sometimes [[#duck|duck]] the defense's lead to freeze the suit. See example at right.
{{clear}}

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==G==
;[[Gambling 3NT]]: An opening bid of 3NT. The bidder hopes to make the contract by means of a long minor suit rather than by a preponderance of high cards.
;<span id="game">Game</span>:
# A [[#contract|contract]], [[#bid|bid]] and made, worth 100 points or more. The minimum undoubled game contracts are 3NT (40 for the first trick + 30 each for the second and third); 4{{Hearts}} and 4{{Spades}} in the [[#majors|majors]] (4 tricks × 30 points per trick); 5{{Clubs}} and 5{{Diams}} in the [[#minorsuit|minors]] (5 tricks × 20 points per trick). Game can also be made via a [[#double|doubled]] or [[#redouble|redoubled]] contract: e.g., 2{{Spades}} doubled is worth 2 × (2 tricks × 30 points per trick) = 120 points. The pair bidding and making the game is awarded a [[#bonus|bonus]]. See '''[[bridge scoring]]'''.
# In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]] and [[#Chicago|Chicago]], a score of 100 or more points [[#belowtheline|below the line]], achieved either by making a game contract or by [[#convert|converting]] a [[#partscore|part score]].
;<span id="gameforce">Game force (GF or FG)</span>: A bid that asks partner not to pass before the partnership's bidding has reached game (or the opponents have been doubled at a level high enough to compensate). Some treatments relax the requirement: for example, the agreement that in the sequence 1M – 2m, the 2m response is a game force ''unless the suit is rebid''. So, in 1{{Spades}} – 2{{Diams}}; 2{{Hearts}} – 3{{Diams}}, 3{{Diams}} would cancel the game-forcing message of the 2{{Diams}} bid.
:See also [[#forcingbid|Forcing bid]], [[#gsf|Grand slam force]] and [[#oneroundforce|One round force]].
;[[Game try|<span id="gametry">Game try</span>]]: A [[#bid|bid]] that [[#invite|invite]]s partner to bid game in a particular suit, made when a fit in that suit is known more than one level below game. Routinely the occasion a single raise from one to two of a major, as both 1S – 2S and 1C – 1S – 2S (opponents silent). In those two auctions all five bids from 2N to 3S are potentially game tries. What does it mean to bid one side suit rather than another? A [[#short-suitgametry|short suit game try]] shows singleton or void in the suit bid, which implies significant [[#dupvals|duplication of values]] if partner holds the K or Q (the A or J, less so, and three small shows there is no duplication). A [[#help-suitgametry|help suit game try]] shows at least three cards, generally with at least two losers. In 1984, the ''Encyclopedia'' referred to the entry "weak suit game try" and gave three small cards for example. It also referred "game try" to the entry "trial bid" with example holdings xxx, Axx, KTxx, and Jxxx in the side suit; shortness is a good holding and so is a good suit. Such a suit is likely to be a good one for the defenders to attack.<!--OEB4 says this much but we need a more recent source for agreement that a "help suit" is not "weak"; shortness with three trumps is neutral at best; Qxx is positive -P64--> A long suit game try shows a suit of at least four cards, so that a double fit is not unlikely; if a major suit, that is a potential alternative trump suit. Anyway, it shows that a [[#covercard|cover card]] is useful regardless of length, and other cards are likely to help.
;<span id="goldenfit">Golden fit</span>: A combined partnership holding of at least eight cards in a suit. In the UK, simply known as a [[#fit|fit]].
:See also [[#Moysian|Moysian fit]]
;<span id="good">Good</span>: Said of a card or cards that have been [[#establish|establish]]ed.
;<span id="Goren">Goren system, or Goren</span>: A bidding system dominant in the United States from the 1940s through the 1960s, based on the [[#Culbertson|Culbertson system]]. The principal difference between the two systems was in '''[[hand evaluation]]''': Culbertson used [[#honortricks|honor tricks]] to assess a hand's strength whereas Goren used [[#HCP|high card points]] and [[#distributionpoint|distribution points]].
;[[Goulash (bridge)|Goulash]]: A style of dealing, usually in [[#rubber|rubber]] and [[#Chicago|Chicago]] games, where the cards are not thoroughly shuffled between deals and are dealt in groups. It results in "wild" card [[#distribution|distribution]]s.
;<span id="grandcoup">Grand coup</span>: A [[Coup (bridge)|trump coup]] in which the cards ruffed in the long trump hand are already winners.
;<span id="grandslam">Grand slam</span>: See [[#slam|slam]].
;<span id="green">Green</span>: (Slang, mainly British) Non-vulnerable. From the colour of the paint on a duplicate board. Also: "green all" and "both green", neither side vulnerable; and "at green" or "green against [[#red|red]]", non-vulnerable against vulnerable.
;<span id="gsf">Grand slam force</span> (GSF): A method of determining whether the partnership holds the top trump honors when the bid of a grand slam is a possibility. In its original form, the GSF was initiated with a bid of 5NT, asking partner to bid a grand slam with two of the top three honors in the trump suit. Depending on the prior bidding, other bids are often used in place of 5NT, and there is a variety of schemes for responding to the GSF. See [[#Josephine|Josephine]].
:See also [[#forcingbid|Forcing bid]], [[#gameforce|Game force]] and [[#oneroundforce|One round force]].
;[[Grosvenor gambit]]: A play that creates no direct advantage and might lose. Its principal features are that an opponent will not suspect that such an inept play has been made, and that once the opponent realizes what has occurred, he will be frustrated and angry (and therefore less effective) during subsequent hands. The ploy was first described in a satiric story by Frederick B. Turner in the June 1973 issue of ''[[#TBW|The Bridge World]]''.
;<span id="guard">Guard</span>: A holding that prevents an opponent from taking a trick or tricks. See [[#stopper|stopper]], [[guard squeeze]].

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==H==
;<span id="hand">Hand</span>
# The 13 cards held by one player on a [[#deal|deal]].
# A [[#deal|deal]] or [[#board|board]].
# Ordinally, a player counting in rotation from [[#dealer|dealer]] or ''first hand''. For example, "Third hand bid 1{{Spades}}."
;Hand pattern: See [[#distribution|distribution]].
;<span id="handrecord">Hand record</span>: A document that lists the cards in each hand of every board played in a duplicate bridge session. Often, hand records also list contracts each partnership can make with double dummy declarer play and double dummy defense.
;<span id="help-suitgametry">Help suit [[game try]]</span>: The bid of a side suit after a single raise, used to help partner evaluate game prospects when opener's hand is roughly a trick stronger than a minimum opening.  For example, after 1{{Hearts}} – 2{{Hearts}}, opener might rebid 3{{Clubs}} with a side club suit or a strong club [[#fragment|fragment]]. The bid tells partner where high cards will be most helpful, and requests partner to take positive action, such a direct jump to game, with strength in that suit. Otherwise, the bid requests partner to sign off (in this example, by bidding 3{{Hearts}}). See [[#short-suitgametry|short-suit game try]] and [[#game|game try]].
;<span id="herbertnegative">Herbert negative</span>: Use of the cheapest bid (sometimes only the cheapest suit bid) as an [[#artificial|artificial]] [[#negativeresponse|negative response]] to (for example) forcing 2-bids, strong artificial 2{{clubs}}, or [[#takeoutdouble|takeout doubles]]. It was advocated by [[Walter Herbert (conductor)|Walter Herbert]].
;<span id="hesitation">Hesitation</span>: A brief pause before a bid or play, considered somewhat shorter than a [[#huddle|Huddle]].
;<span id="high-lowsignal">High–low signal</span>: See [[#echo|Echo]].
;<span id="highcard">High card</span>
# An '''[[#honor|honor card]]'''.
# The highest-ranking card in a suit at any point during the play.
;<span id="HCP">[[High card points]]</span> (HCP): A measure or estimate of the strength of cards in the play of a deal. Routinely the high card points of all 13 cards in one player's hand are counted in sum, as a measure of playing strength of the entire hand, or one component of such a measure. Every [[#honor|honor card]] is assigned a numeric value. See '''[[Hand evaluation]]'''.<!-- needs more work; one problem is use of "HCP" for Work points in particular -->
;<span id="hold">Hold</span>
# To keep declarer to a particular number of tricks, usually the number required to make the contract.
# To have in one's hand a particular card or set of cards.
# (Of a card) To win a trick although a higher card is outstanding.
;[[Hold up (bridge)|<span id="holdup">Hold up</span>]]
# (Verb) To defer taking a winning card until an advantageous point in the hand, usually in reference to tricks that the opponents have led to. There are various purposes for holding up a winner, but it is frequently done to force the opponents to use their entries too soon.
# (Noun) The act of holding up a winner.
;<span id="holding">Holding</span>
# The cards in a player's hand at a particular point in the play (often, at the start of the play).
# The cards in a specific suit in a player's hand.
;<span id="honor">Honor/honour, or honor/honour card</span>: An ace, king, queen, jack or ten.
;<span id="honorbonus">Honors/honours, or honor/honour bonus</span>: At [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]] and [[#Chicago|Chicago]], a scoring [[#bonus|bonus]].  The bonus is 100 points for one hand holding four of the five trump suit honors. The bonus is 150 points for all five trump suit honors, or all four aces in a notrump contract.
;<span id="honortricks">Honor/honour tricks</span>: A method of '''[[hand evaluation]]''' used in the [[#Culbertson|Culbertson system]], which assigns point values to [[#honor|honor]]s and combinations of honors. AK is two honor tricks, AQ is 1{{sfrac|1|2}} honor tricks, A or KQ is 1 honor trick, and Kx is {{sfrac|1|2}} honor trick. Similar in concept to [[#quicktricks|quick tricks]] in the play of the hand.
;<span id="hook">Hook</span>: (Slang) '''[[Finesse]]''' (noun or verb).
;<span id="houseplayer">House player</span>: An employee of a bridge club who is available as a [[#fourth|fourth]].
;<span id="Howell">Howell movement</span>: A pairs tournament [[#movement|movement]] where each pair typically plays against all or most of the other pairs, and there is a single set of winners. Most of the pairs will move to a different seating position (usually at a different table) at the end of each round.
;<span id="huddle">Huddle</span>
# (Noun) A pause prior to a bid or play of longer than usual duration.
# (Verb) To take that lengthy pause.
;HUM: Acronym or initialism for Highly Unusual Methods.

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==I==
;<span id="idle">Idle</span>: (Said of a card) Available as a discard; not required for purposes such as guarding the opponents' suit or interfering with their communications.
;[[Bridge scoring#International Match Point scoring|IMP]]: Acronym for [[#IMP|International Match Point]].
;<span id="impropriety">Impropriety</span>: A breach of ethical conduct or etiquette; an action that violates the [[#proprieties|proprieties]].
;<span id="IMPs">IMPs</span>: The form of duplicate bridge that uses [[#IMP|International Match Points]] as a scoring method, as distinct from a tournament scored using [[#matchpoint|matchpoints]] (MPs).
;<span id="inbackof">In back of</span>: {{BridgeSuitRight|{{spades}}Q54|Irrelevant|{{spades}}K76|{{spades}}A98}}
:A card or holding that is ''to the left of'', or ''behind'', or ''over'' another. To say that the {{Spades}}A is ''in back of'' the {{Spades}}K is to say that the ace is to the left of the king, or behind it, or over it; so, the {{Spades}}A is in a position to directly capture the {{Spades}}K.
;<span id="individual">Individual</span>: A form of [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]], scored at matchpoints, in which each player is paired with a different partner on each round.
;<span id="informatorydouble">Informatory double</span>: A [[#double|double]] that is intended to convey information rather than to exact a penalty from the opponents. Such doubles include the [[#takeoutdouble|takeout double]], the [[#negativedouble|negative double]], the [[#supportdouble|support double]], the [[#responsivedouble|responsive double]] and the [[#lead|lead-directing double]], although the latter is intended to convey information ''and'' to penalize.
;<span id="infraction>Infraction</span>: A player’s breach of the [[#Laws|Laws of Bridge]] or of a lawful regulation made under them.
;<span id="infrontof">In front of</span>: {{BridgeSuitRight|{{spades}}Q54|{{spades}}K76|Irrelevant|{{spades}}A98}}
:A card or holding that is ''to the right of'' or ''under'' another. To say that the {{Spades}}A is ''in front of'' the {{Spades}}K is to say that the ace is to the right of the king, or under it, and normally cannot capture the {{Spades}}K if it is guarded.
;<span id="insufficientbid">Insufficient bid</span>: A bid that is not higher than the immediately preceding bid, and is therefore illegal.
;<span id="insult">Insult</span>: (Slang) The [[#bonus|bonus]] for making a doubled or redoubled contract is sometimes referred to as the "insult" or as being "for the insult".
;<span id="insurancebid">Insurance bid</span>: A bid, usually a [[#sacrifice|sacrifice]] bid, intended to keep the opponents from playing their presumed or inferred '''[[optimum contract]]'''. The bidder hopes that insurance premium – the penalty due to the sacrifice bid – will be less than the damage from allowing the opponents to make their contract.
;<span id="interference">Interference</span>: A call, such as an overcall or an initial [[preempt]], that is intended to make it more difficult for the opponents to bid to their best contract.
;<span id="intermediate">Intermediate</span>: 1) Nines, eights and sevens are sometimes termed "intermediate cards." See [[#body|body]].
:2) A jump overcall that by agreement may be made with a hand of opening bid strength and a long suit is termed an "intermediate jump overcall."
:3) An opening two-bid that by agreement may be made with values just short of those required for a game-forcing opening bid is termed an "intermediate two-bid."
;<span id="IMP">International Match Point (IMP)</span>:
:1) (Noun) A method of scoring, usually in a teams match, that compares the score achieved on a [[board (bridge)|board]] with that obtained by one's teammates on the same board, and converts the difference between these scores to IMPs using a [[Bridge scoring#International Match Point scoring|scale]] defined by [[#WBF|WBF]]. The IMP scale's effect is to reduce the weighting of large differences, thus making it less likely that the outcome of an entire match will depend on one or a small number of boards. For example a difference of 30 (one overtrick) is worth 1 IMP, but a difference of 680 (say 1100 at one table and 420 at the other table) is worth only 12 IMPs.
:2) (Verb) To perform the IMP score conversion.
;<span id="intervenor">Intervenor</span>: The first player on the other side to make a call other than pass when one side has opened the bidding.
;[[Finesse#Intra-finesse|Intra-finesse]]: A technique that involves successive [[#finesse|finesses]] against both opponents.
;[[Inverted minors]]: An agreement that treats the single raise of a minor suit as strong, and a double raise as preemptive.
;<span id="invite">Invitation</span>: A [[#bid|bid]] which invites the partner to bid on to game or slam if he has [[#extravalues|extra values]]. It is a [[#non-forcingbid|non-forcing bid]] by definition. Compare [[#semi-forcing|semi-forcing]] bid.
;IPBM: ''International Popular Bridge Monthly'', a British bridge magazine.
;Iron Duke, Not through the: A hackneyed phrase that describes the play of a high card by a player whose high card holding is led through; or, that player's statement.
;<span id="irregularity">Irregularity</span>: A breach of procedure, as described in the [[#Laws|Laws]] and [[#proprieties|Proprieties]], in bidding or play. If one is available, a [[#director|director]] should be called to the table to make a ruling.
;<span id="isolate">Isolate</span>: (Said of a menace card) To isolate a menace in [[Squeeze play (bridge)|squeeze play]] is to arrange that only one opponent can guard one of declarer's threat suits. The play is conceptually similar to [[#controltransfer|transferring a control]].

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==J==
;<span id="Jacobytransfer">[[Jacoby transfer]], or Jacoby, or "transfers"</span>: A bidding convention initiated by responder following partner's notrump opening bid that requests opener rebid in the suit ranked just above that bid by responder, i.e. a response in diamonds requests a rebid in hearts and a response in hearts requests a rebid in spades; other responses may carry other meanings; designed to make the stronger hand declarer.
;<span id="Jacoby2NT">[[Jacoby 2NT]]</span>: By agreement, a forcing raise of a major suit opening bid, used in conjunction with [[#limitjumpraise|limit jump raise]]s. Opener is requested to rebid in a suit where he holds a singleton so that responder can better evaluate the fit.
;<span id="jamthebidding">Jam the bidding</span>: (Slang) To [[#preempt|preempt]].
;<span id="jettison">Jettison</span>: The discard of an honor, often by a defender, and usually to unblock a suit.
;<span id="Josephine">Josephine</span>: [[#gsf|Grand slam force]], an alternative term popular in Europe. The convention was developed by [[Ely Culbertson]], and popularized in a late 1930s article by Josephine Culbertson in ''[[#TBW|The Bridge World]]''
;[[Journalist leads]]: [[#openinglead|Opening lead]] convention, mainly against notrump contracts, designed to show both what the leader has, and to request specific partner actions in return.
;<span id="jump">Jump</span>:
#(Noun) A jump bid.
#(Verb) To make a jump bid.
;<span id="jump-bid">Jump bid</span>: A [[#bid|bid]] made at a [[#level|level]] higher than the lowest level at which that suit could be legally bid.
;<span id="jumpovercall">Jump overcall</span>: An [[#O|overcall]] made at higher than the minimally legal level: for example, 1{{Hearts}} – (2{{Spades}}). In the 1930s, jump overcalls were treated as strong bids. They are now more frequently treated as weak, preemptive bids.
;<span id="jumppreference">Jump preference</span>: A preference to partner's first-bid suit, made at a level higher than the minimally legal level. In the following sequence, 3{{Hearts}} is a jump preference: 1{{Hearts}} – 1{{Spades}}; 2{{Diams}} – 3{{Hearts}}. For many years, the jump preference was treated as invitational except in support of opener's ''minor'', when it was treated as forcing. As of 2001, however, most experts treat all three-level jump preference bids as invitational following opener's one-level new-suit rebid: e.g., 1{{Clubs}} – 1{{Diams}}; 1{{Spades}} – 3{{Clubs}}
;<span id="jumpraise">Jump raise</span>: A raise of partner's suit one level higher than the minimum legal raise. For example, 1{{Hearts}} – 3{{Hearts}} or 1{{Diams}} – 1{{Hearts}}; 3{{Hearts}}
;<span id="jumprebid">Jump rebid</span>: A rebid of one's original suit, one level higher than necessary, usually showing a six-card suit: for example, 1{{Diams}} – 1{{Hearts}}; 3{{Diams}}. The range of strength shown by a jump rebid is a matter of partnership agreement: some treat it as a one-round force, others (particularly if playing [[#K-S|Kaplan–Sheinwold]] and the rebid suit is a minor) play it as only a little weaker than a game-forcing opening bid.
;<span id="jumpshift">Jump shift</span>: A [[#jump-bid|jump bid]] of a new suit.
:1) As a [[#rebid|rebid]] by [[#O|opener]] (e.g. 1{{Hearts}} – 1{{Spades}}; 3{{Clubs}}) or [[#responder|responder]] (e.g. 1{{Hearts}} – 1{{Spades}}; 1NT – 3{{Clubs}}), it indicates extra strength
:2) As direct response (e.g. 1{{Hearts}} – 2{{Spades}}): usually, a very strong hand. However, another treatment ([[#weakjumpshift|weak jump shifts]], requiring prior partnership [[#agreement|agreement]]) uses the bid preemptively to show a weak hand and a long suit.
;<span id="junior">Junior</span>: A player under the age of 26. Various national, regional, and world competitions use this designation.

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==K==
;<span id="K-S">[[Kaplan–Sheinwold]] (K–S)</span>: A bidding system that uses [[#5majors|five card majors]] and the [[#weakno|weak notrump]].
;<span id="keycard">Keycard Blackwood, or Key Card Blackwood (KCB)</span>: A variant of the '''[[Blackwood convention]]''' in which five ''keycards'' are counted, four aces plus the king of the apparent trump suit, rather than four aces alone. Commonly there is a follow-up to ask about the queen of trump ("Queen ask"), effectively the sixth keycard.
;[[Kibitzer]]: A spectator who attends a game in person.
;<span id="kickback">Kickback</span>: An ace-asking or keycard-asking convention initiated by the first step above four of the apparent trump suit rather than uniformly by 4NT. Thus Kickback saves space when the trump suit is not spades. See '''[[Useful Space Principle]]''' and '''Blackwood: [[Blackwood convention#Asking bids other than 4NT|Asking bids other than 4NT]]'''.
;Kiss of death: At pairs, plus or minus 200. A score of minus 200, down two undoubled and vulnerable, or down one doubled and vulnerable, is a likely [[#bottom|bottom]] against a part score by the opponents. A score of plus 200 from making five-odd of a major after stopping in a partial, is a likely bottom against the game contracts bid by other pairs holding the same cards.
;<span id="knockout">Knockout</span> (KO), or Knockout Teams: A '''[[single-elimination tournament]]''' for [[#team|teams-of-four]]. Routinely each round pairs all of the competing teams in head-to-head matches—win or lose; no draw or tie. Winners advance to the next round and losers are eliminated. The size of the field, or initial number of competing teams, must be a power of two. Only then, the format generates for each round an even number of teams, which enables a complete set of head-to-head matches. 
:Minor variants of great practical importance handle fields of any size by incorporating [[#bye|byes]] (definition 1) or matches with more than two teams (stipulated to have more than one winner, more than one winner, or both).
:Two major variants are [[#doubleknockout|double knockout]], in which teams are eliminated after losing two matches, and [[#repechage|repechage]], in which one-match losers drop into a secondary event from which some number of top performers return to the primary event.
;[[Knockout squeeze]]: A type of [[#squeeze|squeeze]] that operates in part against the defender's trump holding, when the defender threatens to win a plain suit trick and then lead a trump, thus reducing declarer's ruffing tricks. It is usual to call this play a ''knockout squeeze'' when the squeezed defender is second to play to the trick, and to call it a ''backwash squeeze'' when the squeezed defender is fourth to play.
;Kock–Werner Redouble: A rescue mechanism employed when partner's bid is doubled for penalties. Invented by Rudolf Kock and Einar Werner of Sweden. See also [[#SOS|SOS Redouble]].

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==L==
;[[Last Train (bridge)|Last Train]]: A conventional bid that is one step above the current bid and one step below game in a trump suit. It is a mild slam try and conveys no information about the suit bid. After 1{{Hearts}} – 3{{Hearts}}; 4{{Clubs}}, 4{{Diams}} is Last Train, invites slam, and does ''not'' necessarily show a diamond control.
;Late play: A board that is played after the remainder of the event has finished, usually because of slow play or an irregularity.
;[[Law of Total Tricks]] (LTT), or "The Law"
: A guideline stating that the total number of cards held by both sides in their longest trump fits equals the total number of tricks available to both sides in their best trump contracts. See '''[[Hand evaluation]]'''.
:The Law is sometimes interpreted to mean that one side can profitably contract for a number of tricks equal to its own combined trump length; for example, compete to 3{{Spades}} with a nine-card spade [[#fit|fit]].
;<span id="Laws">[[Laws of Contract Bridge]] and [[Laws of Duplicate Bridge]]</span>: The definitions, procedures and remedies that define how [[rubber bridge]] and [[duplicate bridge]] are played. The Laws include the [[#proprieties|Proprieties]], which discuss the game's customs and etiquette — often far more important than procedural matters. The Laws apply worldwide. Individual sponsoring organizations, such as the [[#ACBL|ACBL]] and the [[#EBL|EBL]], establish their own regulations for play, which may amplify the Laws but may not conflict with them.
:One important difference between the laws of rubber bridge (contract) and duplicate bridge is that rubber players are expected to deal with [[#irregularity|irregularities]] themselves while duplicate players are expected to call the [[#director|director]].
;<span id="laydown">Laydown</span>: A contract that can be made on any rational line of play.
;<span id="lead">Lead</span>: 1) The first card played to a [[#trick|trick]], which dictates the [[#suit|suit]] that others must play if able to do so (see [[#followsuit|follow suit]]).
:2) The hand that is entitled to lead to the next trick is said to be "on lead" or to "have the lead."
:3) See [[#openinglead|opening lead]].
;<span id="leaddirectingdouble">Lead-directing double</span>: A double by the partner of the prospective opening leader that requests the lead of a particular suit. Experienced partnerships usually agree on a set of suit priorities, such as opening leader's bid suit, doubler's bid suit, dummy's first bid suit, or a suit that dummy has just bid conventionally.
;<span id="leadoutofturn">Lead out of turn</span>: Playing a card when it was another player's turn to lead. Subject to penalty.
;<span id="leadthroughstrength">Lead through strength</span>: A [[Bridge maxims|maxim]] that advises a defender to lead a suit in which [[#LHO|LHO]] has high card strength, forcing declarer to play high or low before third hand plays. The corollary is that a defender is advised to lead ''up to weakness'' in the fourth hand.
;<span id="leap">Leap</span>: To make a [[#jump-bid|jump bid]].
;[[Leaping Michaels]]: A conventional overcall in 4{{Clubs}} or 4{{Diamonds}} made in defense to opposing 2-level or 3-level preemptive openings. Leaping Michaels shows a strong two-suited hand (5–5 or longer) that is less suitable for a takeout double and is game forcing. Described as an overcall by some of a weak two-bid of a major, others expand its application to all weak preempts at the 2 or 3-level in both the majors and minors.
;<span id="leavein">Leave in</span>: To pass, often used of passing when partner's double was followed by a pass.
;<span id="Lebensohl">Lebensohl (Leb)</span>: Responder's bid of 2NT as a [[#puppet|puppet]] to 3{{Clubs}} in preparation for a [[#signoff|sign-off]]. Normally used after an overcall of partner's 1NT opening, or after a double of partner's [[#weaktwobid|weak two bid]]. Also used after opponents weak two bid and partner's [[#balance|balancing]] [[#takeoutdouble|take-out double]].
;<span id="leg">Leg</span>: (Slang) [[#game|game]]. Normally used in reference to [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]]. "A leg up" means being vulnerable vs. non-vulnerable opponents. "Cut off their leg" means becoming vulnerable vs. opponents who are already vulnerable.
;<span id="length">Length</span>: The number of cards held in a suit.
;<span id="letthrough">Let through</span>: (Slang) To allow a contract to make by misdefense.
;<span id="level">Level</span>: 1) The number of [[#trick|trick]]s that (when added to the [[#book|book]] of six tricks) a [[#bid|bid]] or [[#contract|contract]] states will be taken. For example, a bid at the four level contracts to take (6 + 4) = 10 tricks.
:2) The property of a [[#contract|contract]] that states whether it is at the [[#partscore|part-score]], [[#game|game]] or [[#slam|slam]] level.
;<span id="lever">Lever</span>: (Slang, verb) To [[#double|double]]. (In Britain at least, a penalty double: Leave 'er in. The past participle "levered" means, doubled for penalties.)
;<span id="LHO">LHO</span>:Left-hand opponent
;<span id="light">Light</span>: (Adv.) To enter the auction with relatively low values (for example, to "open light" or "overcall light"). To do so can be either a matter of tactics or of general style.
;[[Lightner double]]: A penalty [[#double|double]], usually of a [[#slam|slam]] contract, that requests partner to choose an unusual suit for the [[#openinglead|opening lead]]. This criterion tends to regard as typical (and thus to exclude) a trump lead, the lead of defenders' bid suit, and the lead of an unbid suit.
;<span id="limit">Limit</span>: In the bidding, to define a hand's strength with some degree of precision.
;<span id="limitbid">Limit Bid</span>: A bid which establishes narrow limits on both the high card strength and distribution of the bidder's hand. In many bidding systems the following bid types are limit bids: (1) Natural notrump bids indicating balanced hands within a narrow high card strength range; (2) raises of partner's suit indicating a minimum number of cards in the raised suit, a narrow high card strength range, and likely ruffing values; or (3) rebids of one's own suit indicating a minimum suit length, an unbalanced hand, and a narrow high card strength range.
;<span id="limitjumpraise">Limit jump raise</span>: An invitational jump raise of a major suit, such as 1{{Hearts}} – 3{{Hearts}}. Limit jump raises usually guarantee at least an 8-card fit in partner's major suit and around 10–11 [[#HCP|HCP]] or the distributional equivalent.
;<span id="limitraise">Limit raise</span>: Any [[#call|call]] which invites partner to bid game in a suit partner has bid, previously. A limit raise promises trump support and hand strength about a king less than a minimum strength [[#gameforce|game force]].
;<span id="line">Line</span>: 1) (with "the"): A line on a bridge scorepad that separates points for tricks that count toward [[#game|game]] (see [[#belowtheline|Below the line]]) from those that do not (see [[#abovetheline|Above the line]]).
:2) On a given hand, the play strategy that is adopted by declarer or by the defenders.
:3) Bidding: See [[#uptheline|Up the line]] and [[#downtheline|Down the line]].
;<span id="lock">Lock</span>: 1) (Noun) A contract that is certain to succeed.
:2) (Verb) To force a particular hand onto lead such that it cannot relinquish the lead unscathed.
;<span id="lol">LOL</span>: Little Old Lady (pronounced El-Oh-El). A facetious reference to a seemingly weak player.
;<span id="longcards">Long cards</span>: Cards of the same suit, remaining in one hand, after all the other cards in that suit have been played from the other hands.
;<span id="longhand">Long hand</span>: In a partnership, the hand with the longer trumps.
;<span id="longsuit">Long suit</span>: 1) In a hand, the suit with the greatest number of cards. Seldom used of a suit with fewer than five cards. 
:2) Any suit of unusual [[#length|length]].
:3) Any suit of at least four cards.<!--OEB4--> A four-card suit is likely to be called long when in context concerning a hand that is known to hold another suit, or even two, expected to be at least as long.<!--as in the next entry-->
;Long suit game try: Following a major suit raise to the two level, the long suit '''[[game try]]''' names a suit with at least four cards, so that partner's [[#covercard|cover card]] is useful regardless of length in the suit. A double fit is not unlikely and, if a major suit, that is a potential alternative trump suit. 
: 2) Alternative term for a [[#help-suitgametry|help suit game try]]. In some usage the "[[#help-suitgametry|help suit game try]]" is barely distinguishable from the long, in some barely distinguishable from the weak.<!-- OEB4 refers HSGT to WSGT and gives xxx -->
;<span id="loser">Loser</span>: A card which apparently cannot take a trick.
;<span id="losers">[[Loser on loser]]</span>: A card play tactic that attempts to create an advantage by playing two [[#loser|losers]], often of different suits, on the same trick. Loser-on-loser play has many applications, including the creation of a [[#ruff|ruffing]] position for declarer, the avoidance of [[#overruff|overruffs]] by the defense, and interference with the opponents' [[#communication|communications]].
;<span id="LROB">LROB</span>: Limit Raise Or Better. Example: "1H-2NT = Heart-support, LROB."
;<span id="LTC">[[Losing trick count]] (LTC)</span>: A method of '''[[hand evaluation]]''' based on counting [[#loser|losers]].
;<span id="love">Love</span>: No score. "Love all" means that neither side is [[#vulnerable|vulnerable]].
;<span id="low">Low</span>: (Adjective) A card that is not expected to take a trick.
;<span id="low-highsignal">Low–high signal</span>: On defense, to play a higher card, having already played a lower one, so as to convey information to partner. Contrast [[#echo|Echo]], or high–low signal.
;<span id="Lucas twos">Lucas twos</span>: A synonym or close variant of the [[Muiderberg convention]], a weak two-bid showing 5 cards in a major and at least four cards in another suit.
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==M==
;MacGuffin: A defensive card that, if retained, is a liability on one line of play, but that, if played, will be missed on another line of play. The term may be derived from the filmic plot device of the [[MacGuffin|same name]].
;<span id="majorpenaltycard">Major penalty card</span>: A card that is exposed by a defender prematurely and through intentional play; or, an [[#honor|honor card]] that is exposed prematurely even if accidentally. A major penalty card remains face up on the table to be played at the first legal opportunity, including as a discard. Contrast [[#minorpenaltycard|Minor penalty card]].
;<span id="majorsuit">[[Major suit]]</span>: The heart suit and the spade suit are major suits, often referred to simply as ''the majors''. Declarer scores 30 points for each trick taken in an undoubled contract with a major suit as trump. Because [[#game|game]] requires at least 100 points for tricks bid and made, both 4{{Hearts}} and 4{{Spades}} (or 2{{Hearts}} doubled and 2{{Spades}} doubled) constitute game contracts. Contrast [[#M|Minor suits]].
;<span id="majortenace">Major tenace</span>: The highest and the third highest remaining cards in a suit, held in the same hand. For example, the {{Spades}}AQ before spades have been played. Tenaces define the structure of [[#finesse|finesse]]s. See [[#minortenace|minor tenace]].
;<span id="make">Make</span>: (Verb) To take at least as many tricks as a contract calls for. Frequently used in the past tense of the verb, i.e. ''Made''.
;Mama–Papa: (Adjective) An unsophisticated game, approach to bidding, or line of play.
;Marionette Bid: (Noun) A type of [[#relaybid|relay bid]] in which the cheapest response is expected nearly all the time, thus similar but not identical to a [[#puppet|puppet bid]].  Name derives from "a puppet with strings."
;<span id="marked">Marked</span>: To be known to hold a particular card: "He was ''marked'' with the {{Hearts}}Q."
;[[Finesse#Marked finesse|Marked finesse]]: A [[#finesse|finesse]] for a card that evidently lies with a particular opponent.
;<span id="master">Master</span>: The highest card of a suit that is yet to be played.
;<span id="masterpoint">Masterpoints</span>: Units awarded, usually by national organisations, for successful performance in a bridge tournament.
;<span id="match">Match</span>: A series of hands played by two teams in [[#knockout|knockout]] events. One pair from each team sits North-South at one table and the other pair sits East-West at the other table.
;[[Duplicate bridge#Matchpoint scoring|<span id="matchpoint">Matchpoints</span>]]: A type of scoring in [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]]. A pair's score on a given board is one matchpoint for every pair they outscored and one-half matchpoint for every pair they tied. (Outside the US these awards are often doubled, so as to avoid the award of fractional matchpoints.) See [[#comparativescoring|comparative scoring]].
;<span id="matrix">Matrix</span>: The layout of the cards that play pivotal roles in certain endplays, most typically squeezes.
;Maxims: A maxim of bridge is a brief expression of a general principle of the game. Most '''[[Bridge maxims]]''' have some validity but none are true in all circumstances.
;<span id="maximalovercalldouble">Maximal overcall double</span>: By prior agreement, a game-invitational double of an overcall that leaves no room for a bid, when a bid would invite game. For example, after 1{{Spades}} – (2{{Hearts}}) – 2{{Spades}} – (3{{Hearts}}) there is no room below 3{{Spades}} for a game invitation (and a bid of 3{{Spades}} itself would be taken as merely competitive), so a double is used as a game [[#invite|invitation]].
;McKenney: See [[#suitpref|Suit preference signal]].
;<span id="menace">Menace</span>: A card that requires an opponent to retain a higher card in the same suit, as a guard. The term is typically used of [[#squeeze|squeeze play]].
;[[Merrimac coup]]: The deliberate sacrifice of a high card to remove a vital entry to an opponent's hand, usually the dummy. Named for a ship sunk during the Spanish–American War, to block the entrance to a harbor. Sometimes confused with, and spelled as, the Merrimack, the American Civil War ship that fought the ''Monitor''. See [[Deschapelles coup]].
;[[Michaels cuebid|<span id="michaels">Michaels cue bid</span>]]: By prior agreement, an immediate [[#cuebid|cue bid]] in the suit of an opponent's opening bid, such as 1{{Diams}} – (2{{Diams}}), for two-suited takeout. The cue bid of a minor suit shows length in both major suits. The cue bid of a major suit typically shows length in the other major suit and in an unspecified minor suit.
;[[Minibridge|<span id="minibridge">MiniBridge</span>]]: A simplified form of [[#contractbridge|contract bridge]] designed to expose newcomers to declarer and defensive playing techniques without the burden of learning a detailed bridge [[#biddingsystem|bidding system]].
;<span id="minorpenaltycard">Minor penalty card</span>: A card below the rank of an [[#honor|honor card]] that is exposed by a defender prematurely but accidentally, via mishap. A minor penalty card remains face up on the table until played. The minor penalty card must be played before any other card below honor rank in the same suit; however, an honor in the same suit may be played before the minor penalty card is played. Contrast [[#majorpenaltycard|Major penalty card]].
;[[Minor suit]]: The club suit and the diamond suit are <span id="minorsuit">minor suit</span>s. Declarer scores 20 points for each trick taken in an undoubled contract with a minor suit as trump. Because [[#game|game]] requires at least 100 points for tricks bid and made, both 5{{Clubs}} and 5{{Diams}} (or 3{{Clubs}} doubled and 3{{Diams}} doubled) constitute game contracts. Contrast [[#majorsuit|Major suits]].
;<span id="minortenace">Minor tenace</span>: The second-highest and the fourth-highest (or lower) remaining cards in a suit, held in the same hand. For example, the {{Spades}}KJ before spades have been played. See [[#majortenace|major tenace]].
;<span id="mirror">Mirror</span>: Identical hand distributions: "North and South had mirror distributions."
;<span id="misbid">Misbid</span>: A bid that fails to describe the hand properly. Often a misdescription of a hand's [[#S|shape]], as distinct from an [[#O|overbid]] or [[#U|underbid]].
;<span id="misfit">Misfit</span>: Two partnership [[#hand|hand]]s, neither of which can support the other's long suit. For example, a red [[#twosuiter|Two-suiter]] opposite a black [[#twosuiter|Two-suiter]] constitutes a misfit.
;<span id="Mitchell">Mitchell movement</span>: A pairs tournament [[#movement|movement]] in which the pairs sitting in one direction (usually North-South) stay in the same seats throughout, but after each round the pairs sitting in the other direction (usually East-West) move to the next higher numbered table, and the boards are moved to the next lower numbered table. Unless an [[#arrowswitch|arrow switch]] is performed, the effect is to create two events, a "North-South" contest and an "East-West" contest, with separate winning pairs, though a single winner can still be determined by comparing [[#percentage|percentage]] results.
;<span id="mixed">Mixed</span>: 1) Of an event: contested by pairs or teams in which every pair comprises one male and one female player.
:2) In the auction: A mixed raise is, by agreement, a jump cue bid of opener's suit in support of partner's overcall. It tends to show four card support for partner's suit and the strength of a good single raise. In 1{{Diams}} – (1{{Hearts}}) – 1{{Spades}} – (3{{Diams}}), 3{{Diams}} is a ''mixed'' raise.
;[[Morton's fork coup]]: A play that forces the defense to choose between taking a high card that will establish extra winners for declarer, and ducking the trick, after which the high card cannot be cashed.
;<span id="movement">[[Duplicate bridge movements|Movement]]</span>: In a tournament, the scheme for the progression of players and boards from table to table, arranged so that a pair does not play the same boards twice, or meet the same opponents twice etc. The most common movements for pairs tournaments are [[#Howell|Howell]] and [[#Mitchell|Mitchell]].
;<span id="Moysian">Moysian fit</span>: A 4–3 trump fit, or a contract with such a trump fit. Named after ''[[#TBW|The Bridge World]]'' editor Alphonse "Sonny" Moyse Jr, who wrote and published a variety of articles that promoted the virtues of such fits or contracts, some bidding styles designed to locate them, and some techniques for playing them well.
;<span id="MUD">MUD</span>: Acronym of "Middle, Up, Down", a lead convention which describes the sequence in which cards from a holding of three low ones (all less in rank than the 10) are played.
;<span id="Muiderberg twos">[[Muiderberg convention]]</span>: A weak two-bid showing five cards in a major and at least four cards in another suit.
;<span id="multi">[[multi 2 diamonds|Multi]]</span>: An ambiguous opening bid of 2{{Diams}} that promises one of several different types of hand. Originally entitled "multicoloured 2 Diamonds".

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==N==
;<span id="natural">Natural</span>: A call which indicates either: (1) a willingness to play the contract named, (2) a suit bid suggesting length or strength in that suit, (3) a notrump bid that suggests a balanced hand, (4) a double that suggests the ability to defeat the opponent's contract, (5) a redouble to suggest that the contract can be made in the face of a double by opponents, or (6) a pass that suggests weakness, satisfaction with the last bid made or no desire to make a further call. Contrast [[#artificial|Artificial]].
;NBB: Nederlandse Bridge Bond (Dutch Bridge League).
;[[Negative double|<span id="negativedouble">Negative double</span>]]: A conventional call used by responder in a [[#competitiveauction|competitive auction]] to denote possession of at least one unbid suit.
;[[Negative free bid]]: Responder's suit bid following an opening bid and an overcall. Nonforcing by prior agreement.
;<span id="negativeinference">Negative inference</span>: An inference based on something that did not happen. For example, if a defender does not overruff, declarer might conclude that he ''could not'' overruff. Or if declarer does not ruff a loser in dummy, a defender might conclude that declarer does not have a loser in that suit.
;<span id="negativeresponse">Negative response</span>: A bid that shows insufficient values for a stronger response. For example, a 2{{Diams}} response to a forcing 2{{Clubs}} opening bid is often negative, as is a 1{{Diams}} response to a [[Precision club|Precision]] 1{{Clubs}}.
;<span id="negativeslamdouble">Negative slam double</span>: In a [[#competitiveauction|competitive auction]], the double of a voluntarily bid slam to show ''no'' defensive tricks, and therefore to suggest a sacrifice.
;<span id="neuberg">[[Neuberg formula]]</span>: In duplicate pairs tournaments, a method of fairly adjusting match point scores when not all boards have been played the same number of times. It gives equal weight to each board by calculating the expected number of match points that would have been earned if the board had been played the full number of times.
;<span id="newminorforcing">New minor forcing</span>: By agreement, after 1m – 1M; 1NT, a bid of two of the unbid minor as artificial and forcing, often requesting three card support for responder's bid major or four cards in the unbid major. Sometimes called [[#PLOB|PLOB]].
;<span id="newsuit">New suit</span>: A suit that has not yet been bid.
;NMF: [[#newminorforcing|New minor forcing]].
;<span id="nobid">No bid</span>: An alternative to "pass". Used in the United Kingdom, where "pass" might be mis-heard as "hearts." Regarded as improper in the US.
;<span id="nonadversesuit">Nonadverse suit</span>, or non-adverse suit: A suit which has not yet been bid by either opponent.
;<span id="non-forcingbid">Nonforcing bid</span>, or non-forcing bid: A bid which partner may pass. See also [[#forcingbid|Forcing bid]], [[#invite|Invitation]], [[#signoff|Sign-off]].
;<span id="non-vulnerable">Nonvulnerable</span>, or non-vulnerable:
: [[#notvulnerable|Not vulnerable]].
;<span id="nonevulnerable">None vulnerable</span>: In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], the state of the score in which neither pair has made a game. In '''[[duplicate bridge]]''', the vulnerability condition under which neither pair is designated as vulnerable for the board in play. Also, "neither side vulnerable."
; [[Norman four notrump]]: A slam-seeking convention
;<span id="North-South">North–South</span>: One of the partnerships designated on '''[[board (bridge)|duplicate boards]]'''.
;<span id="notvulnerable">Not vulnerable</span>: The state of [[#vulnerability|vulnerability]] in which both [[#bonus|bonus]]es and [[#penalty|penalties]] are smaller. Therefore, less is at stake for a non-vulnerable pair investigating game or slam, or that is contesting the part score, than for a vulnerable pair. Also, "non-vulnerable."
;<span id="notrump">Notrump, or no trump (NT)</span>: A contract, or a bid that names a contract without a trump suit. Notrump is the highest-ranking [[#denomination|strain]]. [[Wikipedia: WikiProject Contract bridge/Manual of Style#Notrump variants|WikiProject Contract bridge]] deprecates the two-word "no trump", however "notrump" is the usual spelling in the [[United Kingdom]] and in those European countries which have adopted this English term.
;<span id="notrumpdistribution">Notrump distribution, no trump distribution, or NT distribution</span>: [[#balancedhand|Balance]]d distribution. [[Wikipedia: WikiProject Contract bridge/Manual of Style#Notrump variants|WikiProject Contract bridge]] deprecates the two-word "No Trump".
;<span id="NPC">NPC, or npc</span>: Non-playing [[#captain|captain]].
;<span id="nuisancebid">Nuisance bid</span>: An interference bid whose principal aim is not to preempt or to compete for the contract, but nevertheless to upset the smooth flow of the opponents' bidding sequence.
;<span id="number">Number, as "go for a number"</span>: A very large penalty: "He went for a number." Often, "telephone number", alluding to the size of that number if regarded as a quantity. (Dating back to the 1930s when UK telephone numbers were only four figures, plus an exchange name!){{Citation needed|date=July 2013}} See also

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==O==
;<span id="obligatory">Obligatory</span>: 1) Of a [[finesse]]: A [[#duck|duck]], made in the hope that a high card will fall. For example, declarer holds {{Hearts}}K432 opposite dummy's {{Hearts}}Q765. The {{Hearts}}2 is led to the {{Hearts}}Q, which wins. Declarer now leads dummy's {{Hearts}}5 and RHO follows with the {{Hearts}}J. Declarer ducks, hoping that LHO must now play the {{Hearts}}A. The play is ''obligatory'' because given the first heart trick, no other play can yield three tricks.
:2) Of a [[#falsecard|falsecard]]: A falsecard that, like an obligatory finesse, cannot lose and might gain. An example is the play of the card that one is known to hold (for example, the play of a queen after it has been successfully finessed).
;<span id="odd">Odd</span>: Specifying a level. To make 4{{Hearts}} is to make four-odd.
;<span id="odd-even">Odd–even discards</span>: A defensive carding scheme under which the play of an odd-numbered card is encouraging and that of an even-numbered card is discouraging. The rank of the card may be used to show [[#suitpref|suit preference]].
;<span id="oddtricks">Odd tricks</span>: The number of tricks above six (the [[#book|book]]) that are taken by declarer.
;<span id="off">Off</span>: 1) (Slang) Down, or set. "We're off two" means "We have made two fewer tricks than our contract."
:2) (Slang) [[#offside|offside]].
;<span id="offtodefratio">Offense-to-defense ratio (ODR)</span>: High ODR means a hand has characteristics more suited to winning the final contract, while Low ODR means it has characteristics more suited to defending against opponents' contract. ODR is not based on a mathematical formula, but refers to a player's judgement/perception of the hand.
;<span id="offshape">Off shape, offshape, or off-shape</span>: Having a distribution that does not quite conform to that suggested by a bid, such as an opening bid of 1NT with 2=2=6=3 shape, or a weak-two bid with a seven card suit.
;<span id="offthetop">Off the top</span>: Said of some number of tricks that can be lost or won without gaining or losing the lead. "There were eleven tricks off the top in spades", to mean that declarer could take eleven tricks without interruption; or, "We're down off the top", to mean that the defenders, having the opening lead, can immediately take as many tricks as necessary to defeat the contract.
;<span id="offside">Offside</span>: Unfavorably located, from the point of view of the player taking a finesse. If East holds the {{Clubs}}K and North the {{Clubs}}AQ, from South's point of view the {{Clubs}}K is offside. Contrast [[#onside|Onside]].
;<span id="Olympiad">Olympiad</span>: A world bridge championship held every four years under the auspices of the '''[[World Bridge Federation]]'''.
;<span id="on">On</span>: 1) Makeable. A contract that can be made is said to be ''on''.
:2) [[#onside|Onside]].
:3) (Suffix) In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], preceded by a number that indicates progress toward game. If one has 40 points [[#belowtheline|Below the line]], one has 40-on.
;<span id="oneclubsystem">One club system</span>: A [[bidding system]] that uses a bid of 1{{Clubs}} as artificial and forcing, but not necessarily strong.
;<span id="oneoverone">One over one, or one-over-one (1/1)</span>: To an opening one-bid, any one-[[#level|level]] response in a suit; that is, one of a higher suit in response to opening one of a lower suit. Contrast [[#twooverone|Two over one]].
;<span id="oneroundforce">One round force</span>: A bid that requests partner to ensure that the bidding continue for at least one more round. If partner's [[#RHO|RHO]] bids, partner may pass, but is otherwise expected to bid.
:See also [[#forcingbid|Forcing bid]], [[#gameforce|Game force]] and [[#gsf|Grand slam force]].
;<span id="onesuiter">One-suiter</span>: A hand with only one long suit, normally refers to a hand with a six card or longer suit.
;<span id="onside">Onside</span>: Favorably located, from the point of view of the player taking a finesse. If West holds the {{Clubs}}K and North the {{Clubs}}AQ, then from South's point of view the {{Clubs}}K is onside. Contrast [[#offside|Offside]].
;<span id="open">Open</span>: 1) In the auction: To start the bidding by making the first call other than Pass.
:2) Of a room used at a team event: allowing spectators. Normally at least one of two rooms is ''closed'' to spectators.
:3) Of an event: not restricting entries in some way that is implicit. So participation in an ''open event'' is '''unrestricted''' in at least one respect:
::a) not by invitation only (''invitational'' event)
::b) not by qualification in a preceding event or ''qualifier''
::c) not by representation of geographic zones, nations, cities, clubs, etc; nor by requirement that pair or team members share geographic residence, club membership, etc (''national'' event, etc)
::d) not by age, sex, or playing record (''seniors'', ''Masters'', etc).
:''Open'' is generally ambiguous but it does have the last sense (d) in the names of [[#WBF|WBF]] world championship events, where the relevant ''Categories'' are Youth (with subcategories), Seniors, Women, and Open. For the WBF, ''transnational'' means open in sense (c).
;<span id="opener">Opener</span>: The player who makes the [[#openingbid|opening bid]].
;<span id="opener'srebid">Opener's rebid</span>: Opener's second bid.
;<span id="openingbid">Opening bid</span>: The first [[#bid|bid]] in the [[#auction|auction]].
;[[Opening lead|<span id="openinglead">Opening lead</span>]]: The first card [[#lead|led]] by [[#defenders|defender]]s. The [[#dummy|dummy]] is not [[#face|face]]d until after the opening lead, which makes the choice of opening lead more difficult than other leads. The opening lead can determine the outcome of the [[#deal|deal]].
;<span id="openingleader">Opening leader</span>: The [[#declarer|declarer]]'s [[#LHO|LHO]], who always makes the [[#openinglead|opening lead]].
;<span id="opponent">Opponent</span>: A member of the other partnership or team.
;[[Optimum contract]]: In unopposed bidding, the contract that cannot be improved upon by further bidding, nor could have been improved upon by taking a different line in earlier bidding. The contract is regarded as optimum because it offers the maximum score while minimizing the risk of failure.
;<span id="ourhand">Our hand</span>: (Informal) A hand on which "our" side can take more tricks than their side.
;Out-of-the-blue cue bid: See [[#advcue|Advance cue bid]].
;<span id="over">Over</span>: See [[#inbackof|In back of]].
;<span id="overbid">Overbid</span>: 1) (Noun) A [[#bid|bid]] that overstates a hand's strength.
:2) (Verb) To bid voluntarily to a [[#contract|contract]] that the partnership cannot make.
:3) (Verb) To bid too high, irrespective of the result.
:4) (Noun) (obsolete) In old texts, may refer to an [[#overcall|overcall]].
;<span id="overboard">Overboard</span>: (Slang) Having overbid.
;[[Overcall|<span id="overcall">Overcall</span>]]: The first [[#bid|bid]] made by one of [[#opener|opener]]'s opponents unless they intervene first by a [[#double|double]].
;<span id="overcaller">Overcaller</span>: The player making an [[#overcall|overcall]]; may also be referred to as the [[#intervenor|intervenor]]. Contrast [[#advancer|Advancer]].
;<span id="overruff">Overruff</span>: To [[#ruff|ruff]] with a higher trump following a prior ruff on the same trick.
;<span id="overtake">Overtake</span>: To play a card higher than the winning card played by partner, unnecessary to win the trick but necessary to gain the lead.
;<span id="overtrick">Overtrick</span>: A trick taken by declarer beyond the number of tricks required by the [[#contract|contract]].

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==P==
;<span id="pack">Pack</span>: Deck of cards.
;<span id="pair">Pair</span>: Two players playing bridge together as partners. Also known as a Partnership.
;<span id="pairs">Pairs</span>: A form of [[#duplicate|duplicate]] bridge in which each pair competes separately, as distinct from [[#team|team]] and [[#individual|individual]] events. Pairs events are normally scored by [[#matchpoint|matchpoint]]s.
;<span id="palooka">Palooka</span>: (Slang) Someone who plays bridge worse than others in their usual level of play
;Panama: A defence to a Strong Club whereby two-level bids show the suit bid or the other three suits.
;<span id="par">Par, or par score</span>: On a given deal, the score that results from  best bidding and best play by both sides. See '''[[optimum contract and par contract]]'''.
;<span id="parcontest">Par contest</span>: A competition that uses composed deals, designed to test each pair's bidding and its card play. After the bidding, pairs are instructed to play (or defend) a specified contract. Results are compared not with other tables but with the predetermined par result.
;[[Par contract]]: That contract which results from optimal bidding by both sides, and which neither side could improve by further bidding.
;Pard: (Slang) Partner.
;<span id="partscore">Part score, or part-score</span>: 1) A trick score less than 100, obtained by making a contract.
:2) The contract that results in that trick score.
:3) In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], a total of fewer than 100 points [[#belowtheline|below the line]].
;<span id="partial">Partial</span>: A [[#partscore|part score]].
;<span id="partialelimination">Partial elimination</span>: An [[#endplay|endplay]] in which declarer is unable to remove all possible safe defensive exit cards, and must hope that the remaining cards are so distributed that the defense cannot get off lead safely.
;<span id="partner">Partner</span>: The other member of the [[#partnership|partnership]].
;<span id="partnership">Partnership</span>: 1) See [[#pair|pair]].
:2) Two partners who play together for an extended period.
:3) The complete set of agreements entered into by a [[#pair|pair]].
;<span id="partnershipbidding">Partnership bidding</span>: Sequences in which the opponents do not compete.
;<span id="partnershipdesk">Partnership desk</span>: A service, provided by some tournaments, that locates a partner for a player who does not yet have one.
;<span id="partnershipunderstanding">Partnership understanding, or partnership agreement</span>: An agreement between [[#partner|partner]]s, reached prior to the beginning of play, concerning the meaning of a [[#call|call]] or of [[#carding|carding]].
;<span id="pass">Pass</span>: 1) A [[#call|call]] indicating that the player does not wish to change the contract named by the preceding bid, double or redouble. To pass transfers the right to make the next call to passer's [[#LHO|LHO]], unless it is the third consecutive pass, which ends the bidding (but see [[#passedout|Passed out]]).  See also [[#nobid|No bid]].
:2) To play, from third hand, a lower card than the one led to the trick. If declarer leads the {{Hearts}}J, LHO plays a small heart, and declarer plays the {{Hearts}}2 from dummy's {{Hearts}}AQ2, declarer has ''passed'' the {{Hearts}}J.
;<span id="passandpull">Pass and pull</span>: To make a [[#forcingpass|forcing pass]] and on the next round remove partner's double by bidding.
;<span id="passedhand">Passed hand</span>: A player who passed instead of opening the bidding. The inference is that a passed hand does not hold the values required to [[#O|open]] the bidding (unless playing a strong pass [[#bid|bidding system]]).
;<span id="passedout">Passed out</span>:
:1) A deal is passed out if the auction begins with four consecutive passes. There is no [[#contract|contract]], no [[#play|play of the hand]], and (at rubber bridge) no score. The players proceed to the next deal.
:2) A bid, double, or redouble (an action) is passed out if it is followed by three passes, which end the auction. The last action identifies the contract and the play follows.
;<span id="passive">Passive defense</span>: An approach to defending a hand that emphasizes waiting for tricks that declarer must eventually lose, getting off lead safely, and avoiding plays that will set up tricks for declarer. Often indicated when neither declarer nor dummy has a running side suit or when the declaring side may have over-reached in the bidding. Contrast [[#active|Active]].
;<span id="pass-or-correct">Pass-or-correct</span>: A bid made in response to partner's ambiguous call. For example, South opens with 1{{Spades}} and West bids 2{{Spades}}, by prior agreement showing hearts and a minor. North passes and East bids 3{{Clubs}}, expecting West to pass if he holds clubs and to correct to diamonds otherwise.
;<span id="passout">Pass out</span>: 1) To make the third of three consecutive passes following a bid, double or redouble.
:2) To make the fourth of four consecutive passes. Thus, a bid cannot have been made and the table progresses to the next [[#deal|deal]].
:3) (Adjective) The seat where a pass would end the auction.
;<span id="pattern">Pattern</span>: See [[#distribution|distribution]].
;<span id="Pearson">Pearson points</span>: [[#HCP|High card points]] plus number of spades held. See '''[[Hand evaluation]]'''.
;<span id="penalty">Penalty</span>: 1) A [[#score|score]] awarded to the defense when declarer's contract goes [[#down|down]]. The size of the penalty depends on the number of tricks that declarer was set, the [[#vulnerability|vulnerability]], and whether the contract was doubled, or redoubled. See [[#score|Score]].
:2) A remedy assigned by a [[#director|director]] to redress damage done by an infraction. The penalty for a minor, procedural infraction might be some number of [[#trick|trick]]s, [[#matchpoint|matchpoint]]s or [[#IMP|IMPs]], or disallowing a particular bid or play. A more serious violation of the game's [[#proprieties|Proprieties]] may be imposed by barring the offender from an event, a portion of an event, or from organized bridge.
;<span id="penaltycard">Penalty card</span>: A card, incorrectly exposed by the defense, whose subsequent proper play is governed by certain rules. See [[#majorpenaltycard|major penalty card]] and [[#minorpenaltycard|minor penalty card]].
;<span id="penaltydouble">Penalty double</span>: See [[#double|double]]
;<span id="penaltypass">Penalty pass</span>: The pass of an [[#informatorydouble|informatory double]], to [[#convert|convert]] it to a penalty [[#double|double]].
;<span id="percentage">Percentage</span>: In [[#matchpoint|matchpoint]] scoring, refers to the number of matchpoints actually scored by a pair on a board, session, or event, as a percentage of the maximum number available.
;<span id="percentageplay">Percentage play</span>: A play that is chosen because the mathematics of suit [[#distribution|distribution]] suggests that it is more likely to succeed than an alternative line. Usually said of play in a single suit rather than the hand as a whole.
;<span id="personalscore">Personal score</span>: A record of the [[#board|board]] number, opposing pair number, [[#contract|contract]], [[#declarer|declarer]], [[#trick|tricks]] taken, and raw [[#score|score]] kept by each player for the boards played by the [[#partnership|partnership]] in a single [[#session|session]]. The ''personal score'' often appears on the back of the [[#conventioncard|convention card]].
;Peter: (Slang; chiefly British) See [[#echo|Echo]]. The term is said to derive from the  [[International Code of Signals#Single-flag signals|'''Blue Peter''']], a nautical signal.
;<span id="phantompair">Phantom pair</span>: In a pairs movement, if there is an odd number of pairs, then in each round one pair will have to sit out. The missing pair that they would have played is known as the phantom pair.
;<span id="phantom">Phantom sacrifice</span>: A [[#sacrifice|sacrifice]] bid against a contract that the opponents would not have made. Also, ''False sacrifice'' or ''Phantom save''.
;<span id="phoney club">Phoney club</span>: A type of 1 Club opening bid which shows opening values but does not guarantee clubs, denies a five card major (and often 5 diamonds as well) and may have as little as one club (on a 4441 shape hand). Usually played as forcing for one round. A variant of a [[#shortclub|short club]].
;Pianola: (Slang) A hand that is so easy it plays itself. "Pianola" is a trademarked brand of [[player piano]] (a piano that plays automatically).
;<span id="pickup">Pick up</span>: 1) (Verb) To [[#run|run]] a suit without losing a trick in it.
:2) (Adjective) Said of a partner who completes a pair, or of a pair that completes a team, just prior to the start of an event.
;<span id="pickupslip">Pick-up slip</span>: A type of [[#scoreslip|score slip]] on which the result of a [[#deal|deal]] is recorded for the purpose of [[#comparativescoring|comparative scoring]]. Used in certain event formats, it is picked up after each round by the [[#Director|director]] or his [[#Caddy|caddy]].  Also referred to as a pick-up card.<ref name="OEB7193">Manley et al (2011), p. 193.</ref>  Contrast [[#traveller|Traveller]].
;[[Pin (bridge)|<span id="pin">Pin</span>]]: The lead of a high card from one hand to capture a singleton of lower rank in an opponent's hand.
;<span id="pip">Pip</span>: 1) A [[#spot|spot]] card.
:2) A suit symbol ({{Spades}}, {{Hearts}}, {{Diams}}, {{Clubs}}) on a card.
;<span id="pitch">Pitch</span>: To [[#discard|discard]].
;<span id="pivot">Pivot</span>: 1) (Adjective) Of the suit that both defenders must guard in a [[double squeeze]].
:2) (Verb) In party bridge, to change partners while remaining at the same table.
:3a) (Verb) In duplicate bridge, to play one round in a given direction, and the next round in the opposite direction at the same table
:3b) (Noun) In duplicate bridge, a ''pivot table'' is a table where each pair will perform a pivot. This can only happen in a [[#Howell|Howell movement]], or another similar [[#movement|movement]], where players move between East-West and North-South during the course of the game.
;<span id="plafond">Plafond</span>: A French, whist-like card game whose scoring foreshadowed that used in contract bridge.
;<span id="plainsuit">Plain suit</span>: A suit that is not trump; a [[#sidesuit|side suit]].
;<span id="play">Play</span>: 1) (Noun) The stage of a [[#deal|deal]] when players attempt to take tricks. The [[#declarer|declarer]] tries to take at least as many [[#trick|trick]]s as the [[#contract|contract]] calls for, and the [[#defenders|defenders]] try to prevent that outcome.
:2) (Verb) To contribute a card to a trick, either by displaying its face (as in duplicate bridge) or by placing it face up on the table (as in [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]]).
;<span id="playfor"></span>Play for: To assume that the opponents have a particular distribution or holding, and to plan and conduct the play on that basis.
;<span id="playable">Playable</span>: 1) (Of a contract) A rational, if not necessarily optimal, choice of strain and level.
:2) (Of an agreement) Leading to an acceptable result, if not in the best fashion.
;<span id="playingtricks">Playing tricks</span>: Cards, such as [[#longcards|long cards]], that will take tricks (usually, for declarer), and that therefore contribute to a hand's strength.
;<span id="PLOB">PLOB</span>: Acronym or initialism for Petty Little Odious Bid, another name for [[#newminorforcing|New Minor Forcing]]. The name is derived from a diatribe by ''[[#TBW|The Bridge World]]'' editor Alphonse "Sonny" Moyse Jr in the magazine's Master Solver's Club feature, which called the convention an "odious, meaningless, ''petty'' little bid".
;<span id="pocket">Pocket</span>: One of four slots in a [[Board (bridge)|duplicate board]] that hold the cards between plays.
;<span id="PODI">PODI</span>: A proxi-acronym for Pass=0, Double=1. Method for countering interference over [[#Blackwood|Blackwood]]. Pronounced "podey".
;<span id="point">Point</span>: 1) A scoring unit: e.g., a trick taken by [[#declarer|declarer]] in a minor suit contract scores 20 points.
:2) A metric used in '''[[hand evaluation]]''', to quantify its strength in high cards and distribution.
:3) A metric, such as [[#masterpoint|masterpoint]]s, used in rating players.
;<span id="point-a-board">Point-a-board</span>: Another name for [[#board-a-match|board-a-match]].
;<span id="pointcount">Point count</span>: A method of '''[[hand evaluation]]''' which assigns a numeric value to a hand's high cards and distributional features, used as a guideline in [[#bid|bid]]ding.
;<span id="pointcounttrap">Point count trap</span>: A hand whose intrinsic trick-taking potential is less than a conventional point count would indicate.
;<span id="pointed">Pointed suit</span>: Spades or diamonds. The term refers to the shape at the tops of the suit symbols. Contrast [[#rounded|Rounded suit]].
;<span id="PortlandClub">Portland Club</span>: A bridge club in London which published the first version of the [[#Laws|Laws of contract bridge]]. The club remains part of the ongoing process of revising the laws, along with the [[#ACBL|ACBL]] and the [[#EBL|EBL]], because of the vesting of the copyright.
;<span id="position">Position</span>: (Noun) Seat at the table: North, South, East, West; or first, second, third, fourth.
;<span id="positionalsqueeze">Positional squeeze</span>: A [[#squeeze|squeeze]] that can succeed against only a specific opponent, because at least one [[#threat|threat]] must lie [[#over|over]] its [[#guard|guard]]. Compare with [[#automaticsqueeze|Automatic squeeze]].
;<span id="positiveresponse">Positive response</span>: A bid that announces the possession of at least minimum values. Often said of a response to a forcing opening bid. Contrast [[#negativeresponse|Negative response]].
;<span id="postmortem">Post mortem</span>: (Slang) A discussion of a hand, and the nature of the result, after the play has concluded.
;<span id="powerhouse">Powerhouse</span>: An unusually strong hand.
;<span id="prealert">Prealert</span>: An [[#alert|alert]] which'' must'' be made at the'' beginning'' of the round'' before play begins'' on the first board. Different national governing organizations may establish different requirements for'' prealerts.'' Examples of methods for which the [[#ACBL|ACBL]] requires a'' prealert'' include the following:
* An agreement to lead the small card from "xx" on opening lead
* An agreement (canapé) to bid the shorter of two suits before the longer suit with a two-suited hand
* An agreement to use any bidding [[#convention|convention]] that entitles the opponents to consult a written defense during the auction
;<span id="precision">Precision, or Precision Club</span>: A '''[[bidding system]]''' that combines the features of [[#K-S|Kaplan–Sheinwold]] with a strong, artificial 1{{Clubs}} opening bid.
;[[Preempt|<span id="preempt">Preempt</span>]], preemptive bid, or preemptive raise: 1) A bid (or raise) predicated on length of a suit rather than overall strength, primary function of which is to interfere with the opponents' bidding by taking away [[#biddingspace|bidding space]] they need to exchange information.
:2) (Noun) A bid that has a preemptive effect, regardless of its intent.
;<span id="preference">Preference</span>: A call that returns the bidding to partner's first-bid suit; for example, in 1{{Hearts}} – 1{{Spades}}; 2{{Diams}} – 2{{Hearts}}, 2{{Hearts}} is a preference. A simple, non-jump preference shows neither strength nor support for the suit; it is simply a return to partner's presumably longer suit.
;<span id="preparedbid">Prepared bid</span>: A bid which differs from usual partnership practice that is chosen to avoid a later bidding problem. For example, playing five-card majors and holding a minimal strength opening hand, a strong four-card spade suit may be opened in preference to a weak five-card heart suit.  See also '''[[prepared opening bid]]'''.
;<span id="preparedclub">Prepared club</span>: See [[#shortclub|short club]].
;<span id="presentcount">Present count</span>: A [[#carding|carding]] agreement under which a count signal shows the number of cards currently held. In a count-giving situation, a defender might first play the {{Hearts}}3 from {{Hearts}}753, and the {{Hearts}}7 as his second play. Also, "current count."
;<span id="">[[Principle of restricted choice (bridge)|Principle of restricted choice]]</span>: A guideline to the play of the hand, concerning the probability of the location of key cards in the unseen hands. In particular it states that if a defender plays one of two adjacent missing cards (e.g. {{Diamonds}}QJ) then that defender is less likely also to hold the other missing card.
;<span id="progression">Progression</span>: The movement of players and deals between [[#R|rounds]] in an event.
;[[Squeeze play (bridge)|Progressive squeeze]]: A squeeze in three suits that, when it matures, results in a new squeezed position in two suits.
;<span id="promote">Promote</span>: 1) In the play, to cause a card to become a winner.
:2) In the bidding, to assign a higher value to a card, or to the hand as a whole, as a result of earlier calls made by partner or by the opponents.
;<span id="proprieties">Proprieties</span>: A section of the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge that describes, in general terms, proper conduct as to the exchange of information concerning a hand, as to attitude and etiquette, as to partnership agreements, and as to spectators' conduct.
;<span id="protect">Protect</span>: See [[#balance|balance]]. (In the UK, protect is the more usual term.)
;<span id="protest">Protest</span>: See [[#appeal|appeal]]. (In the UK, protest is the more usual term.)
;[[Pseudo-squeeze|<span id="pseudosqueeze">Pseudo squeeze</span>]]: A position that, to a defender, appears to be a true squeezed position, but is not. Declarer hopes that the defender will misplay as a result. The literature often gives as an example a position in which declarer has a void in dummy's apparent suit of entry.
;[[Psychic bid|<span id="psyche">Psych, psyche, psychic, or psychic bid</span>]]: A [[#call|call]] that grossly misstates high card strength or distribution, made so as to deceive the opponents. The Laws specify that psychic bids themselves are legal. It is, however, a violation to infer and fail to disclose that partner has psyched,  when the inference is based on partnership agreement or experience. Sponsoring organizations regulate the use of certain psychic bids.
;<span id="psychiccontrol">Psychic control</span>: A bid that, by partnership agreement, announces that the player's previous bid was a psychic.
;<span id="pull">Pull</span>: 1) To remove the opponents' trumps.
:2) To remove partner's double.
;<span id="pump">Pump</span>: (slang) To force out an opponent's trump, usually by means of a [[#forcingdefense|forcing defense]].
;<span id="puppet">Puppet</span>: An [[#artificial|artificial]] bid that simply requests partner to make a specified cheap reply – commonly the cheapest sufficient bid, or next step.
;[[Puppet Stayman]]: A version of [[#Stayman|Stayman]] employed after an opening bid of 1NT or 2NT which could include a five-card major.
;<span id="push">Push</span>: 1) (Verb) To force the opponents to make any subsequent call at a level higher than they have as yet.
:2) (Noun) A tied board in a pairs or team duplicate event.

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==Q==
;<span id="quack">Quack</span>: A portmanteau of ''qu''een and j''ack''. Used in situations where it does not matter whether the queen or the jack is held or played, as well as to emphasize that it does not matter. See [[Principle of restricted choice]].
;<span id="qualifying">Qualifying</span>: (Adjective) A [[#session|session]] or sessions preliminary to the final of an [[#event|event]].
;<span id="quantitative">Quantitative</span>: 1) Of a bid: A call based, usually, on [[#HCP|high card points]], rather than a feature such as fit or shortness. A raise from 1NT to 3NT based on a 4–3–3–3 hand with 10 [[#HCP|HCP]] is a quantitative raise.
:2) Of scoring: The method of scoring used in [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]] or in [[#IMP|IMP]] events. The metric used is the number of points earned on each deal, perhaps adjusted by the IMP scale and [[#victory|victory points]]. In contrast, [[#comparativescoring|comparative scoring]] is based on the number of pairs that have been out-scored.
;<span id="queen-ask">Queen ask, or queen-ask</span>: In [[#keycard|Key Card Blackwood]], the cheapest bid over the response to 4NT, to ask responder for the trump queen.
;[[Quick trick|<span id="quicktricks">Quick tricks</span>]]: In card play, top ranking holdings able to win tricks immediately. Similar in concept to [[#honortricks|honor tricks]] in the evaluation of hand strength.
;<span id="quittrick">Quitted trick</span>: A trick whose cards have all been turned face down (duplicate bridge) or gathered in front of the trick's winner (rubber bridge). In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], a player may inspect a quitted trick if his side has not yet led to the next trick. In duplicate bridge, a player may inspect a quitted trick only if told to do so by a director.
;<span id="quotient">Quotient</span>: Points won divided by the sum of points won and points lost, occasionally used to break a tie.

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==R==
;<span id="rainbow">Rainbow</span>: A [[#movement|movement]] used in [[#individual|individual]] events.
;<span id="rainbow trick">Rainbow trick</span>: A trick consisting of all four suits, typically involving low cards.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mathandlife.com/rainbow-trick/?rq=rainbow |title=Rainbow-trick. |access-date=2018-07-14 |archive-date=2018-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714221922/https://www.mathandlife.com/rainbow-trick/?rq=rainbow |url-status=dead }}</ref>
;<span id="raise">Raise</span>: A [[#bid|bid]] of partner's suit at a higher [[#level|level]]. A raise shows a [[#fit|fit]] for partner's suit. 1?–2? is a single raise; 1?–3? is a double raise.
;<span id="rank">Rank</span>:
#The position of an individual card relative to others: Aces have the highest rank, followed by K, Q, J, 10, ...&nbsp;2.
#The order of [[#denomination|denomination]]s in the bidding. Notrump is highest-ranked denomination, followed by spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. A higher-ranked suit may be bid at the same [[#level|level]] as a lower-ranked suit; the reverse is not true.
;<span id="rebid">Rebid</span>:
#The second or a subsequent [[#bid|bid]] by the same player.
#A bid by the same player in a suit he has already bid.
;<span id="rebiddablesuit">Rebiddable suit</span>: A suit with sufficient length and strength, according to partnership agreements, to be rebid in certain defined circumstances.
;<span id="recap">Recap</span>: (Abbreviation of "recapitulation") A summary of results in a bridge tournament.
;<span id="recorder">Recorder</span>: A member of a bridge organization whose responsibility it is to maintain a record of reports of possible violations of the [[#proprieties|Proprieties]].
;<span id="rectifythecount">Rectify the count</span>: To lose some number of tricks in preparation for a [[squeeze play (bridge)|squeeze]]. Losing the tricks "tightens up" the end position, removing [[#idle|idle]] cards from the defenders' hands before they can be used as safe [[#discard|discards]] in the squeezed position.
;<span id="red">Red</span>: (Slang) Vulnerable. From the color of the paint on a duplicate [[#board|board]]. Also: "Red vs. red" to mean both sides vulnerable, and "red vs. white" to mean vulnerable vs. not. (In British slang, those last two expressions are rarely used. The more usual ones are: "(at) game all", "both red" or "(at) red all"; and "at unfavourable", "at red", "red against [[#green|green]]" or "red against not".)
;<span id="redeal">Redeal</span>: In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], the prescribed remedy for a faulty deal. In [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]], redeals are not used except in special cases and under a director's supervision.
;<span id="redouble">Redouble</span>: A call that doubles the [[#penalty|penalties]] and [[#bonus|bonus]]es that apply to a previous [[#double|double]]. Used conventionally, a redouble may also convey additional information.
;<span id="reentry">Re-entry</span>: A card that enables a hand to gain the [[#lead|lead]] on a later trick, after that hand has already gained the lead with a different entry card.
;<span id="refuse">Refuse</span>: (Verb). Of a trick, to [[#duck|duck]].
;<span id="reject">Reject</span>: To fail to comply with a bid that has made a request, such as an [[#invite|invitation]] or a [[#transfer|transfer]].
;<span id="relaybid">[[Relay bid]]</span>, or relay: An artificial bid that requests partner to further describe his hand. The relay is usually the lowest available bid, so as to leave as much room for description as possible.
;<span id="relaysystem">Relay system</span>: A '''[[bidding system]]''' that consists of many [[#relaybid|relay bid]] sequences.
;Relever or re-lever: (Slang) [[#redouble|Redouble]]; by extension from [[#lever|lever]].
;<span id="remove">Remove</span>: To bid on over an undesired contract, especially a doubled contract.
;<span id="renege">Renege</span>: Informal term for '''[[Revoke]]'''; associated with other games such as '''[[whist]]'''.
;<span id="reopen">Reopen</span>: See [[#balance|balance]].
;''<span id="repechage">Repechage</span>'': A form of [[#knockout|knockout]] competition in which winners advance and losers drop into a secondary event from which some number of top performers return to the primary event. {{clarify|date=January 2015|reason=give an example, perhaps from EBL}}
;<span id="rescue">Rescue</span>: To [[#R|remove]] from a contract that partner has bid and which, often, has been doubled.
;<span id="responder">Responder</span>: [[#openingbid|Opening bidder]]'s partner.
;<span id="response">Response</span>: A bid by [[#responder|responder]] immediately following an [[#openingbid|opening bid]] and [[#RHO|RHO]]'s [[#call|call]].
;<span id="responsivedouble">Responsive double</span>: A double that follows [[#LHO|LHO]]'s opening bid, partner's takeout double and [[#RHO|RHO]]'s raise of opener's suit, to show moderate values and no clear opinion as to the best strain.
;<span id="resultmerchant">Result merchant</span>: (Slang) One who evaluates bids and plays according to their outcome, rather than to their intrinsic merit. Also, "Result player" and "Second guesser".
;<span id="retainthelead">Retain the lead</span>: Maintain the right to lead to the next trick by leading and winning the current trick.
;<span id="">Return</span>: To lead back, usually the suit that partner led.
;[[Reverse (bridge)|<span id="reverse">Reverse</span>]]: A bidding sequence in which a single player, on consecutive calls, bids two different suits, and bids the two suits in the reverse order to that expected by the basic bidding system. The specific definition of a reverse therefore depends on the bidding system (see [[Reverse (bridge)|main article]]). The reverse is designed to show additional strength without the need to make a jump bid.  Because the reverse takes up bidding space, the reverse bidder is usually expected to hold a stronger than average hand, usually more than 16 HCP.
;[[Revoke|<span id="revoke">Revoke</span>]]: Failure to [[#followsuit|follow suit]] as required when a player is able to do so.
;<span id="rewind">Rewind</span>: (Slang) To redouble.
;<span id="RHO">RHO</span>: Right-hand opponent.
;<span id="rightsidethecontract">Right-Side the contract</span>: A style of bidding which strives to select the Declarer most beneficial for the partnership. Example: After NT openings, Jacoby Transfers right-side the contract so that the NT opener is the Declarer: As the hand with the known long suit will be the dummy, this right-siding reveals to the opponents very little information that they do not already know.
;<span id="risewith">Rise</span>, as "rise with": To play a high card in the hope of taking a trick: "Rise with the ace." Also, "go up with"
;<span id="rkcb">RKCB</span>: '''[[Blackwood convention#Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB)|Roman Key Card Blackwood]]''', a slam bidding convention.
;<span id="robertcoup">[[Robert coup]]</span>: A rare end position which combines elements of [[#ruff and discard|ruff and discard]], trump shortening, and [[#endplay|endplaying]] to force an opponent to concede a trump trick
;<span id="Roman">Roman</span>: Descriptive of bids and carding agreements used or originated in the '''[[bidding system|Roman system]]''':
#Roman 2{{Clubs}} and 2{{Diams}}: [[#threesuiter|Three-suiters]].
#'''[[Blackwood convention#Roman Blackwood|Roman Blackwood]]''', '''[[Gerber convention|Gerber]]''' and '''[[Blackwood convention#Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB)|Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB)]]''': Step responses to the ace-asking bid that entail mild ambiguity.
#Roman jump [[#overcall|overcall]]: [[#twosuiter|Two-suiter]].
#Roman asking bid: A request that partner bid his number of controls [[#wholesale|wholesale]], via step responses.
#Roman discards: [[#odd-even|odd-even discard]]s.
#Roman leads: [[#Rusinow|Rusinow leads]].
;RONF: Acronym for "Raise (is the) Only Non-Force". A treatment used for responding to preempts, usually [[weak two bid]]s. All bids except the single raise are '''[[Forcing bid|forcing]]'''.
;Rosenblum Cup: The award for winning the world knockout team championship that is held in even numbered years other than leap years. (The Bermuda Bowl is contested in odd numbered years and the World Team Olympiad in leap years.)
;<span id="rotation">Rotation</span>: The progression of the bidding and play in a clockwise direction around the table.
;Roth–Stone: A '''[[bidding system]]''' popular in the U.S. during the 1960s. It features sound opening bids, five-card majors and negative doubles. It is the principal foundation for '''[[2/1 Game Forcing]]'''.
;<span id="round">Round</span>:
#In the [[#bid|bid]]ding, a sequence of four consecutive [[#call|call]]s.
#In duplicate bridge, a set of boards leading to another round (e.g., the semi-final round), or a set of boards that two [[#pairs|pairs]] play against one another.
#Of a control, the round on which the control can stop the opponents from winning a trick. An ace, for example, is a first round control; the king is a second round control.
;<span id="rounded">Rounded suit</span>: Hearts or clubs. The term refers to the shape at the tops of the suit symbols. Contrast [[#pointed|Pointed suit]].
;<span id="round-robin">[[Round-robin tournament]]</span>, or round-robin: An event format in which each team eventually opposes each other team.
;<span id="rubber">Rubber</span>: In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], the set of successive deals that ends when one of the pairs wins two [[#game|games]].
;<span id="rubberbonus">Rubber bonus</span>: A bonus awarded to the pair winning the rubber: 500 points if the losers are vulnerable, 700 if they are not.
;[[Rubber bridge|<span id="rubberbridge">Rubber bridge</span>]]: The original form of [[#contractbridge|contract bridge]], a contest with four players in two opposing pairs (as distinct from [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]], which requires a minimum of eight players).
;<span id="Rubensadvances">Rubens advances</span>: Transfer advances of overcalls. See '''[[Useful Space Principle]]'''.
;<span id="ruff">Ruff</span>: To play a [[#trump|trump]] on a trick when a [[#plainsuit|plain suit]] was led.
;[[Ruff and discard]]: <span id="ruffsluff">The</span> lead of a suit in which both opponents are void, so that one opponent can [[#ruff|ruff]] while the other [[#discard|discard]]s (or ''sluffs''). A ruff and discard is usually damaging to the side that leads to the trick. Also, ''ruff and sluff'' or ''ruff and slough''.
;<span id="ruffout">Ruff out</span>: To establish a suit by ruffing one or more of its low cards.
;<span id="ruleofeight">Rule of Eight</span>:
#Devised by [[Ely Culbertson]]. "The total of defensive honor-tricks that will be won at any [[#contract|bid]] (trump or no-trump) after each deal is about 8 out of the 13 tricks."
#A way to decide whether to overcall an opponent's 1NT opening. Length in long suits, the [[#LTC|losing trick count]] and [[#HCP|HCP]] are combined.
#Devised by David Burn from experience of playing with and of captaining teams of junior players. (1) Subtract the number of aces held by opponents from eight. (2) Don't play at that level.
;<span id="ruleofeighteen">Rule of Eighteen</span>: Regulation by the [[#World Bridge Federation|World Bridge Federation]] stipulating that an opening bid is acceptable if the sum of the number of cards in the two longest suits plus the number of [[#HCP|HCP]] is at least 18.
;<span id="ruleofeleven">Rule of Eleven</span>: A calculation that can be used when it is assumed that [[#openinglead|opening leader]] has led the fourth highest card in a suit. By subtracting the [[#pip|pips]] on the card led from 11, the result is the number of cards in the other three hands that are higher than the one led. Third hand, for example, can then make inferences about declarer's holding in the suit by examining his own and dummy's holdings; likewise, declarer can make inferences about right-hand-opponent's holding in the suit. (The rule can be modified to subtract from 12 if the lead is thought to be third best, and from 10 if the lead is thought to be fifth best.)
;Rule of Fifteen: Guideline for opening light in fourth seat: open if your high card points plus your number of spades is 15 or more.  Also known as the Cansino Count.<ref>Downey and Pomer, 2005, p. 31.</ref>
;Rule of Five: When the bidding has reached the 5-level in a competitive auction, tend to defend rather than bid on. In other words, in competitive auctions, ''5-level contracts belong to the enemy''. See also [[#LTT|Law of Total Tricks]]
;Rule of Four: Avoid giving support for partner's 5-card suit if a superior 4–4 fit might be available.
;Rule of Seven: When declarer's only high card in the suit led by the opponents is the ace, count the number of cards in that suit held by declarer and dummy, subtract from seven and duck that many times.
;Rule of Three: On a competitive part score deal, with the points roughly equal between your side and theirs, once the bidding has reached the 3-level, tend to defend rather than bid on (unless your side has 9 trumps). See also [[#LTT|Law of Total Tricks]]
;<span id="ruleoftwenty">Rule of Twenty</span>: A widely used guideline of the [[#sayc|Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC)]] bidding system which states that a hand may open bidding "normally" (that is, by bidding one of a suit) if the sum obtained by adding the combined [[#length|length]] of its longest two suits to its high card points is twenty or more, but that weaker hands must either open with a [[#preempt|preemptive bid]] or [[#pass|pass]]. See also [[#Zarpoints|Zar points]] evaluation method.
;Rule of Two: When missing two non-touching honors, it is normally superior to finesse first for their ''lower'' honor. In the following two example hands, three tricks or the maximum possible are needed. {{BridgeSuitNS|{{Spades}}&nbsp;AQ10|{{Spades}}&nbsp;765}}{{BridgeSuitNS|{{hearts}}&nbsp;KJ1053|{{hearts}}&nbsp;87642}} In the first hand, finesse the {{spades}}10, not the {{spades}}Q. Similarly in the second, lead the {{hearts}}2 and when West follows with the {{hearts}}9, it is best to finesse the {{hearts}}10. When one of the missing honors is the 10 the rule will not apply, as one does not normally finesse for a 10 on the first round.
{{clear}}
;Rule of Two and Three: A bidding guide suggested by [[Ely Culbertson]], which counsels preemptors to be within two tricks of their contract if [[#vulnerable|vulnerable]], and within three if not. Few players now follow the Rule of Two and Three.
;<span id="ruling">Ruling</span>: A finding and decision by a tournament director or appeals committee.
;<span id="run">Run</span>: To play the winners in a suit.
;[[Rusinow leads|<span id="Rusinow">Rusinow</span> leads]]: An agreement to lead the second highest of touching honors.

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==S==
;Sac: (Slang) Sacrifice. Also, "sack."
;[[Sacrifice (bridge)|<span id="sacrifice">Sacrifice</span>]]:
#(Noun) A contract that was deliberately bid in the expectation of going [[#down|down]], in the hope of a [[#penalty|penalty]] smaller than the opponents' expected score from [[#make|making]] a contract they had bid.
#(Verb) To bid to such a contract.
;<span id="safetylevel">Safety level</span>: A level at which the partnership can normally assume, on the basis of the previous bidding, that its contract will succeed. It is the point below which the partnership prefers to explore even higher contracts. Also, "security level."
;[[Safety play|<span id="safetyplay">Safety play</span>]]: A play that maximizes the chances for fulfilling the contract (or for achieving a certain score) by avoiding a play which might result in a higher score. Contrast [[#P|Percentage play]], the best play in a ''suit'', whereas a safety play is the best [[#L|line]] for the ''contract''.
;<span id="sandbag">Sandbag</span>: (Slang) To bid weakly or pass with good values, in the hope that the opponents will get [[#O|overboard]].
;<span id="sandwich">Sandwich</span>: An overcall made after an opening bid and response by the opponents. The overcall is "sandwiched" between two hands that have each shown strength.
;<span id="save">Save</span>: (Slang) Sacrifice.
;<span id="SAYC">SAYC</span>: '''[[Standard American]]''' Yellow Card, a particular bidding system or the completed ACBL [[#conventioncard|convention card]] that represents it.
;<span id="Scientific">Scientific</span>: A style of bidding that attempts to narrowly limit the strength of a partnership's hands, so as to make its bidding more accurate.
;[[Scissors coup|<span id="scissors">Scissors coup</span>]]: A [[#losers|loser-on-loser]] play meant to break the opponents' communications. Formerly known as 'Coup without a name'.
;<span id="score">Score</span>, or [[bridge scoring]]: 1) The numeric result of a [[#deal|deal]], [[#session|session]] or [[#event|event]].
:2) (Verb) Of a card, to win a trick: "The {{Spades}}Q scored."
;<span id="scoreslip">Score slip</span>: A paper form used to record the result of each [[#deal|deal]] in a duplicate bridge event when electronic scoring devices are not available. Depending upon the event format, the score slip may be either a [[#pickupslip|pick-up slip]] or a [[#Traveller|traveller]].
;<span id="scramble">Scramble</span>: 1) To bid to a safer contract.
:2) To score small trumps by ruffing, rather than as [[#longcards|long cards]]. Often used of the play of a contract based on a [[#Moysian|Moysian fit]].
;[[Screen (bridge)|<span id="screen">Screen</span>]]: A device which divides the table diagonally, visually separating partners from each other. Used in higher-level competition to reduce the possibility of [[#unauth|unauthorized information]].
;<span id="screenmates">Screenmates</span>: Opponents who sit on the same side of the [[#screen|screen]].
;<span id="seat">Seat</span>: Position relative to the dealer: for example, dealer's [[#LHO|LHO]] is said to be in ''second seat''.
;<span id="secondguesser">Second guesser</span>: See [[#resultmerchant|result merchant]].
;<span id="secondhand">Second hand</span>: The player to the left of the player who has led to a trick.
;<span id="secondhandlow">Second hand low</span>: A precept that advises [[#secondhand|second hand]] to play a low card on [[#RHO|RHO]]'s lead. See also [[#thirdhandhigh|Third hand high]].
;<span id="section">Section</span>: A group of contestants in an [[#event|event]].
;<span id="seed">Seed</span>: A ranking assigned to a contestant of relatively high rank.
;<span id="see-sawsqueeze">See-saw squeeze</span>: See [[#entry-shiftingsqueeze|Entry-shifting squeeze]].
;<span id="semi-balancedhand">Semi-balanced hand</span>: A hand with 5–4–2–2 or 6–3–2–2 distribution.
;<span id="semi-forcingbid">Semi-forcing bid</span>: A bid which is conditionally [[#F|forcing]]: one which requests partner to rebid ''unless'' his hand is minimal or sub-minimal for his previous bidding. Compare [[#invite|invitation]].
;<span id="sequence">Sequence</span>: 1) The [[#auction|auction]], or [[#call|call]]s made in the auction.
:2) Two or more cards adjacent in rank.
;<span id="session">Session</span>: A period of play during which those entered in an [[#event|event]] play designated boards against designated opponents.
;<span id="set">Set</span>: 1) To defeat a [[#contract|contract]].
:2) The number of tricks by which a contract is defeated ("a two-trick set").
;<span id="setgame">Set game</span>: In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], an agreement that partners will not change at the end of each rubber.
;<span id="setup">Set up</span>: [[#establish|Establish]].
;SF: [[#semi-forcingbid|Semi-forcing]].
;<span id="shaded">Shaded</span>: (Of a call) A call that is not quite warranted by the strength of the [[#hand|hand]] making it.
;<span id="shape">Shape</span>: The [[#distribution|distribution]] of suits in a hand.
;<span id="shift">Shift</span>: 1) (Verb) To lead a suit other than the one already played.
:2) (Noun) In the bidding, a change of suit, usually said of a [[#jump-bid|jump bid]] (see [[#jumpshift|jump shift]]).
;[[Shooting (bridge)|<span id="shoot">Shoot</span>]]: To try for an unusually good result by adopting an abnormal line of play, typically at [[#matchpoint|matchpoint]] scoring. Declarer hopes that the cards are distributed in such a way that a superior line of play will fail.
;<span id="shortclub">Short club</span>: The natural opening bid of 1{{Clubs}} when the suit contains three cards or less. Usually employed by players using the [[#5majors|five-card majors]] treatment for opening bids when holding a hand with opening values but lacking a five-card major. When the hand contains two clubs and three diamonds, an opening diamond bid is preferred. Also, "short diamond." These bids may also be called "prepared minors" – "prepared club" and "prepared diamond", or "[[#Betterminor|better minor]]" bids. The [[English Bridge Union|EBU]] "Orange Book" recommends the term "prepared club" for bids that show a minimum of three cards, and "short club" where it may only be two cards or less.
;<span id="shortsuit">Short suit</span>: 1) In a 13-card hand, a singleton or void suit. 
: 2) In a hand, that suit with the fewest cards.
;<span id="short-suitgametry">Short suit [[game try]]</span>: By agreement, a bid of a ''short'' side suit after a single raise, hoping to reach game. For example, after 1{{Hearts}} – 2{{Hearts}}, opener might rebid 3{{Clubs}} with a singleton or void in clubs. The bid tells partner where high cards will be least useful, indicating [[#dupvals|duplication of values]]. It requests partner to take positive action with high-card strength outside that suit. Otherwise, the bid requests partner to sign off (in this example, by bidding 3{{Hearts}}). See [[#help-suitgametry|help-suit game try]] and [[#gametry|game try]].
;<span id="short-suitpoints">Short-suit points</span>: In '''[[hand evaluation]]''', points counted for [[#singleton|singleton]]s and [[#void|void]]s.
;<span id="showout">Show out</span>: Fail to follow suit.
;<span id="shuffle">Shuffle</span>: To mix the cards. Shuffling seldom results in random distributions: in the long run, the cards so mixed rarely match the mathematical expectancies.
;<span id="side">Side</span>: [[#partnership|Partnership]].
;<span id="sidegame">Side game</span>: A secondary [[#event|event]] played simultaneously with the main event.
;<span id="sidesuit">Side suit</span>: A suit that is not trump; [[#plainsuit|plain suit]]. A side suit may nevertheless have significant length: see [[#twosuiter|Two-suiter]].
;[[Signal (bridge)|<span id="signals">Signals</span>]]: The conventional meanings assigned to plays made by the [[#defenders|defenders]] in order to exchange information. Also, [[#carding|carding]].
;<span id="signoffbid">Signoff bid</span>: 1) A bid that requests that partner pass.
:2) A call that denies [[#extravalues|extra values]], one that normally results in a pass by partner. Compare [[#non-forcingbid|non-forcing bid]], [[#forcingbid|forcing bid]].
;<span id="signoff">Sign off</span>: To make a signoff bid.
;Silent bidder: A sheet, typically of card or plastic, placed in the center of the table during the bidding period, and marked with numeral, suit and other symbols such that a player can indicate a [[#call|call]] by tapping on them with a finger, writing implement, or the like. Largely superseded by [[#bidbox|bidding boxes]].
;<span id="simplesqueeze">Simple squeeze</span>: A '''[[squeeze play (bridge)|squeeze]]''' against one opponent, in two suits, with the [[#count|count]] (definition 3).
;<span id="singledummy">Single dummy</span>: The normal manner of play, with certain knowledge only of one's own cards and dummy's, and without verbal communication between partners. Contrast [[#doubledummy|Double dummy]].
;<span id="singleton">Singleton</span>: A [[#H|holding]] of exactly one card in a suit.
;<span id="sit-out">Sit-out</span>: A round in a [[#movement|movement]] during which a pair is idle. That pair is said to "sit out" that round.
;<span id="skip">Skip</span>: An irregular feature of a [[#Mitchell|Mitchell movement]]: typically a move by the East–West pairs of 2 tables up instead of the usual 1, to avoid them playing the same boards twice.
;<span id="skip-bidwarning">Skip bid warning, or skip-bid warning</span>: A warning to [[#LHO|LHO]] that one is about to make a jump bid that could cause a revealing [[#hesitation|hesitation]] or [[#huddle|huddle]]; used only when bidding [[#screen|screen]]s are not in place. The warning is made in one of two ways:
: 1) When [[#bidbox|bidding box]]es are in use, the red Stop card is placed on the table followed by a bid card; LHO is expected to wait 10 seconds before taking action;
: 2) When bidding boxes are not in use, the jump bidder announces "I am about to make a skip bid, please wait." and then bids. LHO waits 10 seconds.
;<span id="slam">Slam</span>: 1) small slam (or simply, slam): a [[#contract|contract]] to win at least twelve [[#trick|trick]]s.
:2) grand slam: a [[#contract|contract]] to win all thirteen [[#trick|trick]]s.
:Bidding and making a slam or grand slam [[Bridge scoring#slam bonus|scores]] significant [[#bonus|bonus]] points.
;<span id="slamtry">Slam try</span>: A bid that invites partner to bid a slam.
;<span id="slot">Slot</span>: (Slang) The location of a card that is [[#onside|onside]]. "In the slot" means "Finessable."
;<span id="slough">Slough</span>: [[#discard|Discard]]. Pronounced and sometimes spelled "sluff".
;<span id="slow">Slow</span>: Cards that require [[#establish|establishment]] before they can be cashed.
;<span id="slowarrival">Slow arrival</span>: A style of bidding that uses a jump to a contract (to which the previous bidding has already forced the partnership) to show a specific holding. Contrast [[#fastarrival|Fast arrival]].
;<span id="slowrubber">Slow rubber</span>: A rubber completed in three games.  See [[#fastrubber|fast rubber]].
;<span id="sluff">Sluff</span>: See [[#discard|discard]]. Neo-orthography for ''slough'', as used in ''ruff and sluff''.
;Smack: (Slang) Same meaning as [[#crack|crack]].
;<span id="smallslam">Small slam</span>: A contract for six [[#oddtricks|odd trick]]s.
;[[Smith signal]]: The Smith signal (also known as Smith echo or Smith [[#peter|peter]]) is an attitude carding signal in contract bridge showing additional values (or lack thereof) in the first suit led by the defence, while the signal itself is given in the first suit played by declarer.
;<span id="Smolen">Smolen</span>: After opener has denied a four-card major in a [[#Stayman|Stayman]] sequence, responder's jump to 3M to show four cards in the bid major and five cards in the other major.
;[[Smother play]]: An endplay that captures an opponent's guarded trump by means of an overruff, when that card cannot be finessed in the normal fashion.
;<span id="softvalues">Soft values</span>: Lower honors, as distinct from aces and kings.
;<span id="solid">Solid</span>: A suit strong enough to [[#run|run]] without interruption, or (in the bidding) that requires no fit with partner.
;<span id="sort">Sort</span>: To arrange one's cards by suit, and by rank within suit.
;<span id="SOS">SOS redouble</span>: A conventional redouble that asks partner for [[#rescue|rescue]] from a doubled contract. Its name comes from the Morse code distress signal '''[[SOS]]'''.
;<span id="sound">Sound</span>: A hand that is relatively strong for a call that is contemplated or that has been made.
;<span id="southafricantexas">South African Texas</span>: A variant of [[#Texastransfer|Texas]] in which 4{{clubs}} and 4{{diamonds}} are used as transfers to 4{{hearts}} and 4{{spades}} respectively.
;<span id="splinter">Splinter</span>: A singleton or void in a suit other than the trump suit. A hand with both good support for partner's trumps and a splinter can be very powerful offensively—offering control of the splinter suit (by ruffing the first or second trick) and extra trump winners (by ruffing subsequent rounds). When declarer holds either no top honors or the ace and low cards opposite a splinter in the dummy, the combined hands may win several more tricks than the partnership might have expected without awareness of the powerful fit.
;<span id="splinter">[[Splinter bid]]</span>: An unusual jump bid that by agreement shows a fit for partner's last-bid suit and a singleton or void in the bid suit. For example, a partnership could treat 4{{Clubs}} in response to an opening bid of 1{{Spades}} as a splinter bid, showing a good hand with spade support and a singleton or void club. Compare with [[#fragmentbid|Fragment bid]].
;<span id="split">Split</span>: 1) (Noun) The distribution in the opponents' hands of the cards in a suit.
:2) (Verb) To play one of two touching honors when the lead comes through them.
;<span id="splitmenace">Split menace</span>: A menace in '''[[squeeze play (bridge)|squeeze play]]''' which depends on values in both declarer's hand and dummy.
;<span id="splittenace">Split tenace</span>: A position where the high cards of a [[#tenace|tenace]] are in opposite hands, e.g. Ax opposite Qx; usually relevant only when a lead by an opponent with the missing honor card (here, the K) would be damaging to his side.
;<span id="sponsor">Sponsor</span>: 1) The organization that puts on a tournament, such as the [[#WBF|WBF]], the [[#ACBL|ACBL]] or the [[#EBU|EBU]], a regional association, or a club.
:2) One who hires partners or teammates to compete in an [[#event|event]].
;<span id="spot">Spot</span> card: A card that ranks below the 10.
;<span id="spread">Spread</span>: (Slang) [[#laydown|Laydown]].
;<span id="SPS">SPS</span>: A Suit Preference Signal, a card played by a defender to show interest in or an entry in a side suit.
;[[squeeze play (bridge)|<span id="squeeze">Squeeze</span>]]: A playing technique that forces the defender to [[#discard|discard]] a vital card, usually an apparent [[#stopper|stopper]].<!-- Added 'apparent', since the stopping power proved illusory in the instance.-->
;<span id="squeezecard">Squeeze card</span>: A card whose lead forces one or both defenders to discard their guard in a suit.
;<span id="stack">Stack</span>: A distribution of cards in defenders' hands that might make the play difficult for declarer. The defenders' trumps, for example, could be said to be ''stacked'' if they divide 5–0.
;<span id=sayc>[[Standard American]] or Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC)</span>: A [[bidding system]] thought to conform to agreements that an unfamiliar partnership in America would use.
;<span id="stationary">Stationary</span>: Not called to change seats during the [[#movement|movement]] being used.
;[[Stayman convention|<span id="Stayman">Stayman convention</span>]]: A conventional bid of 2{{Clubs}} that calls for a 1NT [[#openingbid|opening bidder]] to bid a four-card major, if one is held, and (usually) 2{{Diams}} otherwise. Many continuations have been devised.
;<span id="steal">Steal</span>: To gain an advantage, usually through deception. The theft may be material (e.g., a trick or a contract) or non-material (e.g., a [[#tempo|tempo]]). Despite the term ''steal'', deception is entirely legal if it does not involve unauthorized information or concealment of information to which the opponents are entitled.<!-- cf. "steal away, Jesus"? -->
;<span id="step">Step</span>: In the bidding, the space between one bid and the next highest. See '''[[Useful Space Principle]]'''.
;<span id="stepbid">Step bid</span>: A bid that conveys information on the basis of the number of steps it uses.
;[[Stolen bid]]: A bid that has no correlation to the bidder's hand, aiming to disturb [[Bridge conventions|conventions]]. 
;[[Stepping-stone squeeze]]: A squeeze that forces a defender either to be thrown in to act as a stepping-stone to a stranded dummy, or to allow declarer to establish a suit.
;Sticks and wheels: (Slang, chiefly British) An 1100-point penalty. Compare [[#number|"go for a number"]].
;<span id="stiff">Stiff</span>: (Slang, adjective and noun) A singleton.
;<span id="stop">Stop</span>: An instruction given to opponents when you make a jump bid, or skip bid. [[#LHO|LHO]] is expected to wait around 10 seconds before calling, so as to avoid communicating information to partner as to how easy his call is to make. See [[#skip-bidwarning|skip-bid warning]].
;<span id="stopper">Stopper</span>: A high card (normally, an [[#honor|honor]]) whose primary function is to prevent the opponents from running a suit in a [[#notrump|notrump]] [[#contract|contract]]. See also [[#control|Control]].
;<span id="strain">Strain</span>: See [[#denomination|denomination]].
;<span id="strip">Strip</span>: 1) To remove safe cards of exit from an opponent's hand.
:2) To prepare for a [[#ruffsluff|ruff-and-sluff]] by removing all cards of a suit (or suits) in a partnership's hands.
;<span id="strip-squeeze">Strip squeeze</span>: A [[#squeeze|squeeze]] without the [[#count|count]] in which one threat is against a safe exit card.
;Striped-tail ape double: A double of a laydown contract made in hope of dissuading the opponents from successfully bidding to a higher, more rewarding contract. The doubler must be prepared to run (like the cowardly ape) to an [[#escapesuit|escape suit]] if the opponents redouble.
;<span id="strongclubsystem">[[Strong club system]]</span>: A set of conventions that uses an opening bid of 1{{Clubs}} as an artificial, forcing opening that promises a strong hand.
;<span id="strongno">Strong notrump</span>: An opening notrump that shows a balanced hand and 15–17 or 16–18 [[#HCP|HCP]]. Contrast [[#weakno|Weak notrump]]. A partnership's choice between the use of a strong notrump or a weak notrump has extensive implications for its entire bidding system.
;<span id="strongpass">Strong pass system</span>: A bidding system that mandates a pass by first (or second) hand to show what other systems would regard as an opening bid. A corollary is that if the next hand also passes, third (or fourth) hand must bid to keep the deal from being passed out.
;<span id="strong2">Strong two bid, strong two-bid, or Strong Two</span>: An agreement to use an opening bid of two of a suit so as to indicate a strong hand and a strong [[#holding|holding]] in the bid suit.
;<span id="stub">Stub</span>: (Slang) [[#partscore|Part-score]].
;<span id="suckerdouble">Sucker double</span>: (Slang) An ill-advised penalty double, such as one based on [[#HCP|HCP]] when the bidding warns of [[#freak|freak]] distributions.
;[[Suit (cards)|<span id="suit">Suit</span>]]: A ranked division of the [[#deck|deck]] of cards into (in descending rank order) spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. The suit ranking has a profound effect on the bidding and scoring, but none at all on the play. See also [[#denomination|Denomination]], [[#majorsuit|Major suit]], and [[#minorsuit|Minor suit]]).
;<span id="suitpref">Suit preference signal</span>: A defensive carding method that signals a preference, or the lack thereof, for a suit other than the suit used for the signal.
;<span id="superaccept">Superaccept</span>: A strongly encouraging response to a [[#transfer|transfer]], such as a jump completion (e.g., 1NT – 2{{Hearts}}; 3{{Spades}}). Many partnerships use a conventional superacceptance such as 1NT – 2{{Diamonds}}; 2{{Spades}}, one step above responder's major, to save room for game or slam exploration, and in conformance with the '''[[Useful Space Principle]]'''.
;<span id="support">Support</span>: A [[#fit|fit]] with partner's suit.
;[[Support double|<span id="supportdouble">Support double</span>]]: A double of an overcall that shows a fit for partner's suit, usually distinguished from a direct raise by the length of the suit in responder's hand.
;Sure trick: A trick that in the absence of some irregularity a player must win, such as the ace of trumps. Extended by [[George Coffin]] to refer to guaranteed lines of play.
;<span id="surrogatesignal">Surrogate signals</span>: A count or preference signal made in a different suit, usually the suit which declarer is running, to inform partner in beforehand about a critical decision he will have to make later during the play of the hand.
;<span id="swindle">Swindle</span>: A deceptive bid or play.
;<span id="swine">SWINE</span>: A proxi-acronym for Sebesfi Woods 1NT Escape.
;<span id="swing">Swing</span>: A difference in [[#score|score]]s between two [[#table|table]]s on a [[#board|board]] in a [[#team|team]] match.
;<span id="swinging">Swinging</span>: An aggressive playing style, usually adopted by a pair or team who is behind with some chance to catch the leaders "with a little luck."'' Swinging'' players will make plays slightly against the odds that will offer large gains if they succeed. For example, a swinging pair might bid a 60% grand slam on a hand where a small slam should be the normal contract. They might also make close doubles of normal contracts that might go down.
;<span id="swish">Swish</span>: (Slang) Three consecutive passes, ending the auction. <!-- Not used for 3 passes at the start of the auction --> "3{{Spades}} – swish" means 3{{Spades}} passed out.
;<span id="swiss">Swiss, or Swiss Teams</span>: A '''[[Swiss-system tournament]]''' for [[#team|teams-of-four]]. Every team plays a series of [[#match|match]]es with a series of opponents whose records or standings are as similar as possible when they face each other, without scheduling repeat matches. Typically these are relatively numerous, relatively short matches. For example, of 54 to 56 boards in one day's play: 6, 7, 8, or 9 matches of 9, 8, 7, or 6 boards respectively.
;<span id="switch">Switch</span>: To lead a different suit.
;<span id="system">System</span>: see [[#biddingsystem|bidding system]].

{{compact ToC|side=yes|top=yes|num=yes}}

==T==
;<span id="table">Table</span>: 1) (Noun) A grouping of four players at a bridge tournament.
:2) (Verb) To put down one's cards face up.
:3) See [[#dummy|dummy]] (2).
;Table card: A large printed card placed on a table in a bridge tournament. The card contains instructions for the players, including players' designations and board numbers. Also, "Guide card."
;Table presence: Awareness of opponents' behavior and mannerisms, leading to inferences regarding their [[#holding|holdings]] and problems on a deal. It is improper to take action on inferences made on the basis of ''partner's'' behavior. Also, "Table feel."
;Table talk: 1) Improper communication between partners, effected by words, gestures, or facial expressions.
:2) Extraneous discussion during the play, discouraged as a distraction or possible source of unauthorized information.
;[[Takeout double|<span id="takeoutdouble"><span id="takeout">Takeout double</span></span>]]: A conventional call used in a [[#competitiveauction|competitive auction]] to indicate support for the unbid suits in a hand of opening strength, and to request that partner bid. The classic, ideal pattern is 4–4–4–1, with the shortness in the suit doubled. There are many [[#informatorydouble|informatory double]]s that anticipate a bid from partner, but "takeout double" typically refers to the double immediately over [[#openingbid|opening bidder]].
;Tank: (Slang) [[#huddle|Huddle]].
;Tap: (Verb and noun) Slang. To adopt a line of defense that is intended to force declarer to ruff in the [[#L|long hand]]. Also, the line of defense itself: "To get the tap going." See [[#F|Forcing defense]].
;[[Duplicate bridge#Teams game|<span id="team">Team</span>]]<!--begin at the beginning-->: 1) (Adjective) (also '''Teams''' or '''Teams-of-four''') A form of [[duplicate bridge]] played by eight people at two tables.<!--begin at the beginning--> The North–South pair at one table and East–West pair at the other table are teammates. Every [[wikt:deal#Etymology 2|deal]] is played at both tables ("duplicate") and scored by comparing the two raw scores — usually on the [[#IMP|IMP]] or [[#board-a-match|board-a-match]] scale. Matches are commonly played in sets of 6 to 20 deals, with scoring required and player substitutions permitted between sets.
: 2) (Noun) A group of four or more players who compete together in a teams event. For each deal, four team members are active at two tables. Player substitution occurs between matches or, in many longer matches, between sets of 6 to 20 deals. Most teams events permit four to six players on a team.
;Teammate: A member of the same team. Commonly said of any teammate other than one's partner.
;[[Duplicate bridge#Teams game|<span id="teams">Teams</span>]]: (Adjective) See [[#team|team]] (1)
;[[Tempo (bridge)|<span id="tempo">Tempo</span>]]: 1) Having the timing advantage in the play of the cards by possessing the lead and thereby being able to initiate (or continue) one's line of play before the declarer/opponents can establish his/theirs.
:2) The speed at which a player executes a call or play. Some players attempt to intimidate less experienced opponents by playing their cards very quickly. A ''break'' in tempo often indicates that a player has an unexpected problem in bidding or play.
;Temporizing bid: [[#waitbid|Waiting bid.]]
;<span id="tenace">Tenace</span>: A broken sequence of (often) honor cards, such as {{Spades}}&thinsp;A&thinsp;Q or {{Diams}}&thinsp;K&thinsp;J. Declarer may lead toward his or dummy's tenace, preparing to finesse for a missing card. A defender may lead through declarer's or dummy's tenace to help his partner score cards behind the tenace.
;<span id="Texastransfer">[[Texas transfer]]</span>, or Texas: A convention whereby a bid of 4{{diamonds}} or 4{{hearts}} in response to a notrump bid requests partner to transfer to 4{{hearts}} or 4{{spades}} respectively.
;Their hand: (Slang) A hand on which the opponents have the preponderance of strength.
;Thin: (Slang) 1) A bid or contract based on less strength than normally recommended.
:2) (Of a hand) Lacking [[#body|body]].
;Third-and-fifth: An opening lead convention that calls for the lead of the third-best card in a suit of up to four card length, and the fifth-best in a longer suit.
;Third from even, low from odd: An opening lead convention that calls for the lead of the third-best card from a suit with an even number of cards, and the lowest card from a suit with an odd number of cards.
;<span id="thirdhand">Third hand</span>: The player who makes the third [[#call|call]], or who is the third to play to a trick.
;<span id="thirdhandhigh">Third hand high</span>: A precept that advises the [[#T|third hand]] to play a high card on partner's lead. See also [[#secondhandlow|Second hand low]].
;<span id="thirdway">Third Way</span>: A term for a bidding system combining [[#5majors|5-card majors]] and a [[#weakno|weak no-trump]], such as the [[Kaplan–Sheinwold]] system.
;<span id="threat">Threat</span>: In [[#squeeze|squeeze]] play, a [[#menace|menace]].
;<span id="3suiter">Three suiter</span>: A hand with length in three suits, thus shortness in the fourth. Distributions such as 4–4–4–1, 5–4–4–0 and 5–4–3–1 are often termed "three-suiters."
;Throw: To [[#discard|discard]].
;Throw-in: See [[#endplay|Endplay]].
;Tight: (Slang) An honor card or honor sequence unaccompanied by low cards: "He had the {{Hearts}}KQ tight."
;Timing: A player's agenda for tasks in the play of the hand: for example, ruff losers and then draw trumps; or, draw trumps and then run the side suit.
;<span id="bridgetop">Top</span>: Playing [[#matchpoint|matchpoint]]s, the highest score achieved on a board.
;<span id="TON">Top of nothing</span>: The lead of a high  [[#spot|spot]] card from a suit that contains no [[#honor|honor]] card.
;Top trick: A card that can take a trick on a given hand. See [[#W|Winner]].
;Total tricks: The sum of the number of tricks that each partnership can take, with its longest combined suit as trump. See [[#L|Law of Total trick]]s.
;Touching: Adjacent. Both cards and suits may be touching. In the holding {{Clubs}}KQ5, the king and queen are touching. In deciding whether to respond [[#upontheline|Up the line]], a player notes that hearts and spades are touching suits.
;<span id="tournament">Tournament</span>: An organized [[duplicate bridge]] competition.
;<span id="trance">Trance</span>: (Slang) [[#huddle|Huddle]].
;<span id="transfer">Transfer</span>:A bid that conventionally shows length in a suit other than the one bid, or requests partner to make a bid in a particular suit, or both. The suit in question is usually the suit immediately above the one bid. Examples: '''[[Jacoby transfer]]s''' (often just called "transfers") and '''[[Texas transfer]]s''' ("Texas"). Also, see [[#controltransfer|transfer a control]].
;<span id="transferablevalues">Transferable values</span>: Cards, such as aces and kings, that are valuable either in declarer's hands or in defenders'.
;<span id="controltransfer">Transfer a control</span>: In [[Squeeze play (bridge)|squeeze play]], to shift the responsibility of controlling, or ''guarding'', a menace from one opponent to the other. This is usually accomplished by playing through one opponent in a way that forces him to cover the lead, leaving the other opponent with the remaining control. The purpose is to arrange that one opponent has to guard more menaces than he can successfully manage.
;<span id="transnational">Transnational</span>: 1) A [[#pair|pair]] or [[#team|team]] whose members differ in "nationality". Typically they are members of different national bridge federations, thus registered players.
: 2) An event (tournament) that permits transnational pairs or teams to enter. A transnational event is ''[[#open|open]]'' in sense (c).
;<span id="trappass">Trap pass</span>: See [[#sandbag|Sandbag]].
;<span id="traveller">Traveller</span>: A type of [[#scoreslip|score slip]] on which the result of a [[#deal|deal]] is recorded for the purpose of [[#comparativescoring|comparative scoring]]. Used in certain event formats, it is folded, placed into the [[Board (bridge)|board]] and 'travels' with it to the next table. May also be referred to as a travelling slip or travelling score sheet.<ref name =OEB7193/> Contrast [[#pickupslip|Pick-up slip]].
;<span id="tray">Tray</span>: See [[#board|Board]].
;<span id="treatment">Treatment</span>: A [[#natural|natural]] bid that: (1) either shows a willingness to play in the denomination named, or promises or requests values in that denomination, and (2) by partnership [[#agreement|agreement]] gives or requests additional information on which action could be based.  If the treatment is an unusual one, it requires announcement to the opponents even though it is natural. For example, a partnership that plays [[Flannery]] usually agrees that a 1{{Spades}} response to a 1{{Hearts}} opening bid shows five spades. So the 1{{Spades}} response to 1{{Hearts}}, while natural, is a treatment because by agreement it shows at least a five card suit.  Compare with [[#convention|Convention]], in the auction a call that gives or requests information not necessarily related to the denomination named.
;Trebleton: A [[#tripleton|tripleton]].
;<span id="trialbid">Trial bid</span>: See [[#gametry|game try]].
;<span id="trial">Trial</span>: A (usually, high-level) tournament whose winners proceed to a subsequent event of even greater import.
;[[Trick-taking game|<span id="trick">Trick</span>]]: A set of four cards played by each player in turn, during the [[#play|play]] of a [[#hand|hand]].
;<span id="trickscore">Trick score</span>: The score earned by contracting for and taking tricks. Trick scores count toward making a [[#game|game]].
;[[Triple squeeze]]: A '''[[#squeeze|squeeze]]''' that is so-named because it consists of three [[#simplesqueeze|simple squeezes]] against the same opponent. A '''[[Progressive squeeze]]''' is regarded as a triple squeeze (because it is initiated by one), but not all triple squeezes are progressive.
;<span id="tripleton">Tripleton</span>: A [[#holding|holding]] of three cards in a suit.
;<span id="trump">Trump</span>: 1) (Noun) A card in the [[#trumpsuit|trump suit]] whose trick-taking power is greater than any [[#plainsuit|plain suit]] card.
:2) (Verb) To play a trump after a [[#plainsuit|plain suit]] has been led; see [[#ruff|Ruff]].
;Trump control: The ability, from a combination of the [[#holding|holding]] in trumps with play technique, to prevent the opponents from taking too many tricks in a [[#plainsuit|plain suit]].
;Trump echo: An [[#echo|echo]] in the [[#trumpsuit|trump suit]], long used to alert partner to the possibility of a defensive ruff, and in the early 21st century to give partner the [[#count|count]].
;<span id="trumppromotion">Trump promotion</span>: The advancement of a trump to the status of a [[#winner|winner]] by creating a position in which an opponent must suffer an [[#uppercut|uppercut]], or an immediate adverse [[#overruff|overruff]], or choose to ruff with a higher trump that makes a later winner of an opponent's trump by force of cards.
;Trump squeeze: A [[#squeeze|squeeze]] that forces an opponent to weaken his holding in one of the [[#threat|threat]] suits enough that the suit can later be [[#ruff|ruffed out]].
;<span id="trumpsuit">Trump suit</span>, or simply "trumps": By way of the [[#auction|auction]], declarer and declarer's partner select the trump suit on the basis of their combined length and strength in the suit: the greater length to ruff more losers in the [[#plainsuit|plain suits]], and the greater strength to better control the play of the trump suit itself. Information about trump suits generally in other card games can be found '''[[Suit (cards)#Trumps|here]]'''.
;<span id="twoclubsystem">Two club system</span>, or Two clubs system: A [[bidding system]] that uses an opening bid of 2{{Clubs}} as an artificial [[#game|game force]].
;<span id="twooverone">Two over one, Two-over-one, or 2-over-1 (2/1)</span>:
:#a bidding sequence in which after a one-level opening bid, there is a non-jump response at the two-level.
:#a bidding system based upon the concept that after a one-level opening bid in a suit, a non-jump response by an unpassed hand at the two-level is forcing to game.
:Contrast [[#oneoverone|One over one]].
;[[Two suiter|<span id="twosuiter">Two-suiter</span>]]: A hand containing two long suits, usually each containing 4 or more cards, with at least 10 cards between the two suits.
;Two-way checkback: An inquiry made after opener rebids 1NT. 2{{clubs}} is a [[#puppet|puppet]] to 2{{Diams}} (forces a response of 2{{Diams}} by the 1NT rebidder) which says nothing about responder's strain. It is just a forcing bid to show an invitational hand. On the other hand, a rebid of 2{{Diams}} after a 1NT rebid is an artificial game force.{{clarify|date=January 2015|reason=is this identical to XY Notrump below?}}
;[[Drury convention|Two-way Drury]]: An inquiry about the third (or sometimes fourth) position opener's strength in a major suit. 2{{clubs}} shows 3-card support, while an inquiry made with 2{{Diams}} shows four cards in opener's suit.
;Two-way finesse: A [[#finesse|finesse]] that could be taken through either opponent.
;Two-way Stayman: Over an opening bid of 1NT, the use of 2{{Clubs}} as non-forcing [[Stayman convention|Stayman]] and 2{{Diams}} as a [[#gameforce|game-forcing]] major suit inquiry.

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==U==
;UI: [[#unauth|Unauthorized information]].
;<span id="unauth">Unauthorized information</span>: Information obtained from partner that one is not permitted to act on: for example, the manner in which partner plays a particular card, or the tone of voice when making a bid.
;<span id="unbalanceddistribution">Unbalanced distribution</span>: 1) Broadly, any [[#distribution|distribution]] of a hand or suit other than 4–3–3–3, 4–4–3–2 or 5–3–3–2.
: 2) ''Unbalanced'' is commonly used in a narrow sense that excludes [[#semi-balancedhand|semi-balanced]], 5–4–2–2 and 6–3–2–2.  Narrowly, ''unbalanced distribution'' implies a void, singleton, or 7-card suit.
;<span id="unbalancedhand">Unbalanced hand</span>: A 13-card hand with unbalanced distribution in the broad or narrow sense just above.
;<span id="unbidsuit">Unbid suit</span>: A suit that has neither been bid nor indirectly shown.
;<span id="unblock">Unblock</span>: To play a card whose rank interferes with the use of cards in the opposite hand. Opposite dummy's KQJ, declarer's singleton ace [[#blocked|blocks]] the suit, and so is played to unblock. There are other situations that require unblocking, such as the [[#V|Vienna coup]].
;<span id="under">Under</span>: See [[#infrontof|In front of]].
;<span id="underbid">Underbid</span>: 1) (Verb) To bid less aggressively, or to a lower contract, than most would with the same cards.
: 2) (Noun) A bid that most would regard as weaker than warranted by the strength of the hand.
;<span id="underlead">Underlead</span>: To lead a low card when holding the top card or cards in a suit. The underlead is standard in defense of notrump contracts (so as to preserve [[#communication|communications]] between defenders' hands), but unusual against suit contracts.
;<span id="underruff">Underruff</span>: To play a trump lower than one already played on the lead of a [[#plainsuit|plain suit]]. Usually this is undesirable but is sometimes necessary to adjust the number of trumps held while preparing a '''[[trump coup]]''', or while preparing to defend certain squeezed positions.
;<span id="undertrick">Undertrick</span>: A trick that [[#declarer|declarer]] does not win, causing the contract to go down. Multiple undertricks occur: for example, two undertricks could result in 4{{Hearts}} down two.
;<span id="unfinishedrubber">Unfinished rubber</span>: A rubber that the players agree not to finish. In [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]] scoring, a 300-point bonus is given to a vulnerable side, and a 100-point bonus to a side with a [[#P|part score]] – note this differs from the 50 points for a part score in duplicate bridge.
;<span id="unguard">Unguard</span>: To discard lower cards that help prevent a higher card from being captured by an opponent.
;<span id="unlimited">Unlimited bid</span>: See [[#wideranging|wide-ranging bid]].
;UPH: Unpassed hand.
;<span id="unplayable">Unplayable</span>: 1) (Of a contract) Unable to be played so as to bring about a favorable outcome.
:2) (Of an agreement) Inevitably bringing about undesirable bidding sequences or contracts.
;[[Unusual notrump|<span id="unusualno">Unusual notrump</span>]]: An artificial jump overcall in notrump that shows a [[#twosuiter|Two-suiter]], usually bid to suggest a [[#sacrifice|sacrifice]]. As originally played, 1M – (2NT) showed a hand weak in high cards with, probably, 5–5 in the minor suits.
;Unusual over unusual (OUO), or [[Unusual vs. unusual|<span id="unusualoverunusual">Unusual vs. unusual</span>]]: A conventional method of conveying information after the opponents have deployed the [[#unusualno|unusual notrump]] convention or a [[#michaels|Michaels Cue Bid]], also called [[Unusual vs. unusual|Unusual vs. Unusual]].
;<span id="UOU">UOU</span>: Acronym or initialism for [[#unusualoverunusual|Unusual over unusual]]
;<span id="uptheline">Up the line</span>: To bid the lower of two adjacent suits before the higher. For example, of two four card majors, the heart suit is normally bid before the spade suit in response to an opening bid of 1{{Clubs}} or 1{{Diams}}.
;<span id="uppercut">Uppercut</span>: To ruff in the expectation of being [[#overruff|overruffed]], when the overruff will cause a trump in partner's hand to become a [[#W|winner]].
;<span id="upside-down">Upside-down signals</span>: An agreement that when following suit to partner's lead, a low card encourages a continuation and a high card discourages. This is "upside-down", or the reverse of traditional practice.
;<span id="USBC">USBC</span>: United States Bridge Championships, competitions [[#sponsor|sponsor]]ed by the [[#USBF|USBF]] in which entries compete to represent the United States in world tournaments. The USBC are [[#teams|teams-of-four]] tournaments that determine "USA" open, women, and senior teams. Sometimes the USBC winner and runner-up both qualify, as teams "USA1" and "USA2".<!-- pairs, individuals, etc, in principle but not in practice; youth teams selected by other methods? -P64 -->
;<span id="USBF">USBF</span>: '''[[United States Bridge Federation]]''', the association charged with national representation of the United States in international competition. Contrast [[#ACBL|ACBL]].
;[[Useful space principle|<span id="USP">Useful space principle</span>]]: A guide to developing bidding conventions and treatments that directs developers' attention to the allocation of bidding space.

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==V==
;VCB: Variable Cue Bidding. Agreements used in the Ultimate Club to request and show controls.
;<span id="vanderbiltclub">[[Vanderbilt Club]]</span>: A bidding system devised by Harold S. Vanderbilt and published by him in 1929, the first [[strong club system]].
;<span id="variablenotrump">Variable notrump</span>: The use of a [[#weakno|weak notrump]] when not vulnerable and a [[#strongno|strong notrump]] when vulnerable.
;<span id="victory">Victory</span> points (VP): A conversion scale used in [[#team|team]] contests and based on total [[#IMP|IMP]] differences, so as to reduce the effect of very large [[#S|swings]].
;<span id="Viennacoup">[[Vienna coup]]</span>: The [[#unblock|unblock]] of a winner opposite a threat prior to reaching a position that effects a [[#squeeze|squeeze]].
;<span id="viennasystem">[[Vienna System]]</span>:A bidding system devised by Austrian player Paul Stern in the 1930s, in which an opening bid of 1NT is artificial and shows a strong hand.
;<span id="view">View</span>: An assumption about how the cards lie on a particular deal: "Sorry, partner, I took a view."
;<span id="void">Void</span>: No cards in a given [[#suit|suit]].
;Voidwood: See [[#exclusion|Exclusion Blackwood]].
;[[Vugraph]], or viewgraph: A method of visually displaying tournament bridge deals to spectators, by optical or electronic means.
;<span id="vulnerability">Vulnerability</span>: The scoring condition of each [[#pair|pair]] in advance of a deal. In [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]] and [[#Chicago|Chicago]], vulnerability is pre-determined for each [[#board|board]] or deal; in [[#rubberbridge|rubber bridge]], it is determined by the number of [[#game|games]] completed in the [[#rubber|rubber]]. Vulnerability affects both the size of [[#bonus|bonus]]es for making [[#contract|contract]]s and [[#penalty|penalties]] for failing to make them.
;<span id="vulnerable">Vulnerable</span>: 1) ([[Duplicate bridge]]) A designation, shown on each [[#board|board]], that indicates whether larger [[Bridge_scoring|bonuses and penalties]] apply to one, both or neither pair on that [[#deal|deal]].
:2) ([[#rubberbridge|Rubber bridge]]) Having won one [[#game|game]].

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==W==
;<span id="waitbid">Waiting bid</span>: A bid that enables the bidder to obtain more information before making a commitment. For example, some players use 2{{Diams}} over a 2{{Clubs}} forcing opening bid as a waiting bid rather than as a [[#negativeresponse|negative response]].
;<span id="waive">Waive</span>: To condone an irregularity. In [[#duplicate|duplicate bridge]], a waiver is an improper action.
;<span id="wash">Wash</span>: (Slang) [[#push|Push]].
;Wasted values: [[#dupvals|Duplicated values]].
;WBF: [[#World Bridge Federation|World Bridge Federation]].
;Weak jump overcall: A [[#J|jump overcall]] used to preempt the bidding.
;<span id="weakjumpshift">Weak jump shift</span>: A [[#jumpshift|jump shift]] used to preempt the bidding.
;<span id="weakno">Weak notrump</span>: A 1NT opening bid on a balanced hand with, usually, 12–14 [[#HCP|HCP]]. The bid has mild preemptive value; contrast [[#strongno|Strong notrump]]. To show a strong notrump, the weak notrump user opens with a suit and rebids in notrump.
;<span id="weak-suitgametry">Weak suit game try</span>: Following a major suit raise to the two level, the weak suit '''[[game try]]''' names a suit with at least three cards and at least two losers where partner's short suit is likely to be useful, as will a strong suit. Three small cards is ideal.<!--and is OEB4's illustration-->
: 2) Alternative term for a [[#help-suitgametry|help suit game try]]. In some usage the "[[#help-suitgametry|help suit game try]]" is barely distinguishable from the long, in some barely distinguishable from the weak.<!-- OEB4 refers HSGT to WSGT and gives xxx -->
;[[Weak two bid|<span id="weaktwobid">Weak two bid</span>]], weak two-bid, or Weak Two: An opening bid of two of a suit to indicate a relatively weak hand with a long suit.
;[[Whist|<span id="whist">Whist</span>]]: A trick-taking card game and predecessor to contract bridge.
;<span id="wholesale">Wholesale</span>: A count or total that obscures cards' identities. A bid of 5{{Hearts}} in response to [[#Blackwood|Blackwood]] shows two aces wholesale, without announcing which aces they are.
;<span id="wideopen">Wide open</span>: (Said of a suit) Without a stopper.
;<span id="wideranging">Wide-ranging bid</span>: A bid made within a wide range of strengths and shapes, the opposite of a [[#limit|limit bid]]. An example from Acol is an opening bid of one of a suit which may be made with anything from 10 HCP (plus some shape) to 22 HCP (with a shape unsuitable for a 2 bid, such as 4–4–4–1). Such bids are limited only by the failure of the bidder to make a stronger or weaker bid; thus an Acol opening bid of one of a suit is limited by the fact that the opener failed to pass, to make a 2 level opening bid, or to make a pre-emptive opening bid.
;<span id="">[[Winkle squeeze|Winkle]]</span>: A [[#squeeze|squeeze]] without the [[#count|count]] that forces the defender to choose between a throw-in and an unblock, each of which is a losing option.
;<span id="winner">Winner</span>: A card that can take a trick on a given hand.
;<span id="wire">Wire</span>: (Slang) Improper knowledge of a deal, prior to playing it.
;[[World Bridge Federation|<span id="WBF">World Bridge Federation</span>]] (WBF): The world '''[[sport governing body]]''' for bridge. Its members are more than 120 national bridge federations that are grouped in eight geographic [[#zone|zone]]s for some purposes. It [[#sponsor|sponsor]]s competitions including but not limited to world championships, which exclusively convey the title "world champion".
;WBU: Welsh Bridge Union.
;Wolff signoff: After a jump rebid of 2NT by opener, responder's bid of 3{{Clubs}} as a [[#puppet|puppet]] to 3{{Diams}}, after which responder can sign off with a weak hand. <!-- this is a casual meaning, strictly incorrect -P64 -->
;<span id="Woo twos">Woo twos</span>: A synonym or close variant of the [[Muiderberg convention]], a weak two-bid showing 5 cards in a major and at least four cards in another suit.
;<span id="workcount">Work count, or Work points</span>: The assignment of the numbers 4, 3, 2 and 1 as points to represent aces, kings, queens and jacks in the process of [[hand evaluation]]. Named for Milton Work.
;<span id="workingcard">Working card</span>: A card that is useful to a partnership, given the mesh of the cards in the two hands.
;<span id="wrongside">Wrongside</span>: (Verb) To place the contract in the less favorable hand for the partnership. See [[#antipositional|Antipositional]].

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==X==
;<span id="x">x</span>: (lowercase) Any small card, of no trick-taking significance.
;<span id="X">X</span>: (uppercase) [[#double|Double]], in print or manuscript representation of the auction (where alternatives are "D", "Dbl", etc.) or the final contract. Used in [[#bidbox|bidding boxes]], [[#privatescore|private scores]], and occasionally elsewhere.<!-- this page? or WPCB coverage generally? -->
;<span id="XX">XX</span>: (uppercase) [[#redouble|Redouble]], in print or manuscript representation of the auction (where alternatives are "R", "Rdbl", etc.) or the final contract. Used in [[#bidbox|bidding boxes]], [[#privatescore|private scores]], and occasionally elsewhere.
<!-- this page? or WPCB coverage generally? -->
;X-IMPs: [[#ximp|Cross-IMPs]].
;[[XYZ convention|XYZ]]: A convention used in an uncontested auction where 3 suits are bid at the one level. Thereafter a 2{{clubs}} is a [[#puppet|puppet]] to 2{{Diams}}, showing a weak {{diams}} or an invitational hand. A 2{{Diams}} bid is [[#Game force|game forcing]]. A 3{{Clubs}} shows a weak hand.
;<span id="XYNotrump">[[XY Notrump convention|XY Notrump]]</span>: A convention to be used after a sequence like 1X – 1Y – 1NT. Thereafter a 2{{clubs}} is a [[#puppet|puppet]] to 2{{Diams}}, showing a weak {{diams}} or an invitational hand. A 2{{Diams}} bid is [[#Game force|game forcing]]. Also called ''XY Checkback''.{{clarify|date=January 2015|reason=is this identical to Two-way checkback above?}}
;<span id="XYZNotrump">XYZ Notrump</span>: A convention to be used after a sequence like 1X – 1Y – (1Z) – 1NT, or 1X – (1Z) – 1Y – 1NT, where 1Z is an opponent's bid. Thereafter a 2{{clubs}} is a [[#puppet|puppet]] to 2{{Diams}}, showing a weak {{diams}} or an invitational hand. A 2{{Diams}} bid is [[#Game force|game forcing]]. Also called ''XYZ Checkback''.

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==Y==
;<span id="Yarborough">Yarborough</span>: Originally, a hand with no card higher than a nine.<ref>Manley et al (2011), p. 196.</ref> The British [[Charles Anderson-Pelham, 2nd Earl of Yarborough|Earl of Yarborough]], during the 19th century, would offer a wager of £1,000 to £1 against picking up such a hand at whist. (The actual [[odds against]] such a hand are approximately 1,827 to 1.) In common usage, it may refer to a very weak hand.

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==Z==
;z: see [[#zoom|Zoom]].
;<span id="Zarpoints">[[Zar Points|Zar points]]</span>: An evaluation method to determine if a hand should be opened. It asks to open whenever you have 26 or more ''Zars'', determined by adding the number of cards in the 2 longest suits, plus high card points, plus number of [[#control|controls]] (A=2, K=1), plus the difference between the longest and the shortest suit. An additional point is added for the {{spades}} suit if it has 4+ cards. The unsupported honors are diminished 1 point in value. 52 Zar points should produce a NT or major suit [[#game|game]].
;<span id="zero"></span>Zero: The lowest score obtained on a deal in a pairs game. Also, [[#bottom|bottom]].
;<span id="Zia play">Zia play</span>: A specific type of falsecard which creates a losing option to declarer.
;<span id="zone">Zone</span>: One of eight geographic zones in which [[#WBF|World Bridge Federation]] member "nations" are grouped for some purposes. The WBF was founded August 1958 by delegates from Europe, North America, and South America, which are now Zones 1 to 3. World championship [[#team|teams-of-four]] competition has been organized ''zonally'' even longer: the [[Bermuda Bowl]] was contested in one long match between representatives of Europe and North America from 1951 (the second rendition) to 1957; in a three-team [[#round-robin|round robin]] including the champion of South America for 1958. From 2005 to present, there are 22 teams in zonally organized world championship tournaments. See '''Senior Bowl''': '''[[Senior Bowl (bridge)#Structure|Structure]]''' and '''[[Senior Bowl (bridge)#Zones and nations|Zones and nations]]'''.
: '''Zonal organizations''' mediate between the world and national levels in some respects. In Zone 1 for instance, the [[#EBL|European Bridge League]] is the zonal organization. Its members are the national bridge federations of 46 countries from Albania to Wales, and geographically from Iceland to Israel.<ref>[http://www.eurobridge.org/member-federations.aspx "Member Federations"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016222304/http://www.eurobridge.org/member-federations.aspx |date=2013-10-16 }}. European Bridge League (eurobridge.org). Retrieved 2015-01-24.</ref> In Zone 2, on the other hand, bridge players are members of the [[#ACBL|American Contract Bridge League]].
<!-- 2015-01-24 that's enough for me now, hands off the sticky matter of zonal competition -P64 -->
;<span id="zoom">Zoom (z)</span>: In a [[#Relaysystem|relay system]], the facility to joining into the next level of answers without needing to hear a new relay from partner. Usually, after servant{{explain|date=October 2020}} has the highest possible answer for the level s/he is answering, s/he can jump into the next level assuming the captain made a virtual new relay, saving bidding space.

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== See also ==
*[[Glossary of card game terms]]
{{Category see also|Card game terminology}}
{{Clear}}

==References==

{{reflist|25em
}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book  |editor-last = Baron |editor-first = Randall |title = The Bridge Player's Dictionary |publisher = Devyn Press, Inc |location = Louisville, KY 
|year = 1993 |ISBN = 0-939460-50-5}} 277 pages.
* {{cite book  |last1 = Downey  |first1 = Ned  |last2 = Pomer  |first2 = Ellen  |title = Standard Bidding with SAYC  |publisher = Master Point Press  |location = Toronto  |year = 2005  |isbn = 978-1-897106-03-7}}
* {{OEB|6}}
* {{OEB|7}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book
  |editor-last = Culbertson
  |editor-first = Ely
  |author-link = Ely Culbertson
  |title = The Encyclopedia of Bridge
  |publisher = The Bridge World, Inc
  |location = New York
  |year = 1935
  }} 477 pages.
* ''[[The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge]]'' (seven editions, 1964 to 2011).
* {{cite book
  |last = Reese
  |first = Terence
  |author-link = Terence Reese
  |title = Bridge Conventions, Finesses and Coups
  |publisher = Cornerstone Library Publications
  |location = New York
  |year = 1965
  }} 192 pages.
* {{cite book
  |last1 = Reese
  |first1 = Terence
  |author-link1 = Terence Reese
  |last2 = Dormer
  |first2 = Albert
  |title = Bridge Player's Dictionary
  |publisher = Sterling Publishing Company
  |location = New York
  |year = 1959
  |oclc = 3190513
  }} 252 pages.
* {{cite book
  |last1 = Reese
  |first1 = Terence
  |author-link1 = Terence Reese
  |last2 = Dormer
  |first2 = Albert
  |title = The Bridge Player's Alphabetical Handbook
  |publisher = Faber and Faber
  |location = London
  |year = 1981
  |isbn = 0-571-11599-3}} 223 pages.
* {{cite book
  |last = Russell
  |first = Fisher
  |title = Dictionary of Contract Bridge: the Webster of Contract
  |publisher = Colonial Press Inc
  |location = Clinton, MA
  |year = 1933
  }} 32 pages.

==External links==
*[https://www.bridgeworld.com/pages/readingroom/bridgedictionary.html The Bridge World Official Bridge Dictionary]
*[http://www.bridgeguys.com/glossbridgemain.html Bridge Guy's Glossary and Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106060547/http://www.bridgeguys.com/glossbridgemain.html |date=2006-01-06 }}
*[http://www.bridgehands.com/A/index.htm BridgeHands Encyclopedia of Bridge Terms]

{{WPCBIndex}}
{{Glossaries of sports}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glossary Of Contract Bridge Terms}}
[[Category:Contract bridge|*Glossary]]
[[Category:Glossaries of card games|Contract bridge]]
[[Category:Glossaries of sports|Contract bridge]]
[[Category:Wikipedia glossaries using description lists]]