Trick-Taking Game Terms

to guide or show the direction for others to follow

The tour guide led us through the museum.

to sell goods or services by putting them up for bidding, allowing potential buyers to offer prices in a competitive process

The experienced seller auctioned valuable art pieces during a special event.

to offer a particular price for something, usually at an auction

He decided to bid $500 for the painting at the auction.

an official agreement between two or more sides that states what each of them has to do

They signed a contract to buy the house, outlining the terms of the sale.

the player who has won the auction and has the right to play the contract

a model of a human figure used for display or practice

Firefighters trained with a dummy to practice rescues.

the act of dealing with a situation in a subtle and skillful way

She handled the negotiation with great finesse, ensuring both sides were satisfied.

to show a lot of respect for someone or something

Families may honor their heritage by preserving and passing down cultural traditions.

a bidding convention used by the responder to show a five-card or longer major suit and to transfer the bid to the next higher ranking suit, usually at the 2-level, forcing the opener to bid the suit

By making a Jacoby transfer, I helped my partner become the declarer with the suit I was strongest in.

(bridge) either the hearts or spades suits, which are considered stronger than the minor suits (diamonds and clubs) because they have more high-ranking cards

The player opened with a bid in hearts, which is a major suit.

(bridge) either the diamonds or clubs suits, which are considered weaker than the major suits (hearts and spades) because they have fewer high-ranking cards

The player decided to bid on a minor suit, hoping to win enough tricks despite the weaker hand.

a bid made by the declarer that specifies no trump suit and indicates that the declarer intends to win tricks using only the strength and distribution of the cards, without relying on any particular suit

In the final round, the declarer called no-trump, making it harder for the opponents to use their suits effectively.

the person that you are married to or having a romantic relationship with

Emily and her partner are planning a romantic getaway for their anniversary.

(in games and sports) a disadvantage that a team or player is given for violating a rule

someone who responds

a material that is elastic, water-resistant, and often used in various products such as tires, gloves, and erasers

The mechanic replaced the worn-out tires with new rubber ones.

a bidding system used by the responder to ask the opener if they have a four-card major suit, typically either hearts or spades, after an opening bid of 1NT

The Stayman convention helps us avoid a no-trump contract if we can find a good major suit fit.

an empty or vacant space within a solid object or within a larger area, typically devoid of substance

The cave explorers discovered a vast void deep within the mountain.

an asset of special worth or utility

a suit in which a player holds a small number of cards, typically fewer than three, which can be a disadvantage in playing and winning tricks in that suit

She played her short suit early in the hand to force the opponents to waste their high cards.

to hit or strike with great force, often making a loud noise

Frustrated with the argument, she had to slam her hand on the table to make a point.

(in trick-taking card games) a declaration or bid in which a player or partnership wins every trick in a hand

He declared a grand slam and took every trick.

a specific name for someone or something that belongs only to them

to form, produce, or prepare something, by putting parts together or by combining materials

The students will make a model of the solar system for the science fair.

the number of tricks won by the declarer that are over and above the number of tricks required to fulfill their contract

The declarer needed to win four odd tricks to fulfill their contract of four hearts.

a trick won by the declarer in excess of the number of tricks required to fulfill their contract

The declarer made their contract and even earned an overtrick by winning an extra trick.

the number of tricks that the declarer fails to take in attempting to fulfill their contract, and they can result in penalties for the declarer's side

A single undertrick might not seem costly, but in duplicate bridge, it can make a big difference in the rankings.

something made of leather, cloth, plastic, or paper that we use to carry things in, particularly when we are traveling or shopping

Can you hold my bag while I tie my shoelaces?

a series of cards with decreasing numbers, all of the same suit, that comes after the main set of cards

The player was excited to see a back run of hearts in their hand, which could lead to winning several tricks.

a scoring system used in duplicate bridge tournaments that assigns points based on the margin of victory for each deal, with one IMP typically awarded for every 20 points scored above the opponents' result

to officially cancel or withdraw something, such as a law, a decision, a license, or a privilege

The board of directors voted unanimously to revoke the CEO's authority following a series of financial scandals.

the number zero, often used in sports or to indicate nothing

The final score was three nil.

a freshwater Eurasian bird, the male of which has a ring of colored feathers around its neck

a brass musical instrument with a brilliant tone; has a narrow tube and a flared bell and is played by means of valves