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General

A Priori Probabilities -  A priori comes from the Latin phrase meaning "from the former" as a self-evident proposition.  Relating to playing a hand of Bridge, after seeing one hand and dummy (26 cards), the player's initial assessment of card distribution would be "a priori".  See Details.  Also see Probability of Distribution Table
 

General

A Posteriori Probabilities - A posteriori refers to knowledge derived from experience.  Relating to playing a hand of Bridge, after players view one hand and dummy (26 cards), players can make an initial probability assessment (a priori) for suit breakage.  Thus, as the cards are played and information about suit breakage was observed, players use the "a posteriori" concept to revise their probability assessment. See Posteriori Probability
 

Abbreviations - See Usenet Abbreviations
 

Duplicate

ABA - American Bridge Association - The ABA was founded in 1932 to provide African-American bridge players an opportunity to play duplicate Bridge in a Club environment (unfortunately, in the early days of Bridge, certain groups were excluded from exclusive Clubs).  In 1967, the ACBL amended its bylaws so that no person shall be denied membership because of race, color, or creed.  See ABA website
 

General

ABTA - American Bridge Teachers Association. The ABTA is a nonprofit organization of professional Bridge teachers, tournament directors, and writers.  The ABTA motto is: "To help those who teach bridge to do it better -- more effectively -- more knowledgeably -- more professionally."
 

Rubber

Above The Line - A scoring term used in Rubber Bridge, referring to points that do not count towards the game itself.  Scores associated with trick bids are scored "beneath the line", while bonuses, penalties, and excess tricks are scored "above the line". See Example
 

Absolute Force - A bid demanding their partner make another bid, unless the bid is overcalled by an opponent.  For instance, a cuebid is an absolute forcing bid.
 

AC - Abbreviation for Appeals Committee
 

Duplicate

ACBL - American Contract Bridge League.  The ACBL is an organization for organized Bridge in the United States.  The ACBL was founded in 1927, originally called the American Auction Bridge League.  In 1937, this organization merged with the United States Bridge Association and became known as the ACBL.  See ACBL website
 

Duplicate

ACBL Bridge Hall Of Fame - The ACBL Bridge Hall of Fame was founded in the 1960s under the auspices of The Bridge World magazine. The Hall honors people who have made outstanding contributions to bridge.  As in any sport, bridge has its share of heroes. Those who enter the Hall of Fame have helped make the game what it is today. Here you’ll find legendary players, tireless supporters of the game and generous spirits. The Hall of Fame recognizes the game’s most accomplished players. The von Zedtwitz Award is given to players who have made their mark at the table or in other key areas of bridge. The Blackwood Award is given to a player who has made major contributions to bridge outside expertise at the table.
 

Duplicate

ACBL Charity Foundation - The ACBL Charity Foundation was created in 1964. The principle goal of the foundation is to make substantial contributions to various charitable organizations.  Since 1964, the ACBL  has made substantial contributions to a wide range of charitable organizations.  In an effort to respond to the needs of charity in local areas, 1in 2005 the ACBL Charity Foundation began issuing grants to districts rather than granting one $100,000 contribution to a national Charity of the Year.  The ACBL Charity Foundation is a 501(c) (3) organization, and contributions are fully tax deductible.  To make a donation or find out more, call 901-332-5586, ext. 1225
 

ACBL Education Foundation - The ACBL Educational Foundation is a charitable trust fund established as a nonprofit organization in 1987.
 

Duplicate

ACBL Forms - A variety of useful ACBL forms for Directors, suitable for tournament events. 

     ACBL player memo
     Accident report   
     Appeals   
     Disciplinary
         Hearing notification
         Hearing report
         Prior actions
         Kit compiled for conduct hearings
     Knockout teams
         Compact KOs assignment for 2nd 12 board match of a session
         Compact KOs tally sheet for 2nd half of the session
         Registration forms
     Membership Form
     Special Supply List (Alert Chart, Forms etc)
 

ACBL Handbook for Clubs - Rules and guidelines to assist ACBL Clubs conduct sanctioned games.  See Handbook
 

General

ACBL Official Encyclopedia Of Bridge - The ACBL's comprehensive book of facts about bridge and of bridge personalities since the inception of the game.  Fascinating bridge facts, hands, anecdotes, bridge terms, and more. Includes the lives and times of the world's best players, and the history of the game. Over 1,000 pages.  As of 2004, the Encyclopedia was in the 6th edition.
 

ACBL Player Of The Year - This title is given to the ACBL member who earns the most Platinum masterpoints during a calendar year.
 

ACBL Yellow Card - A Convention Card listing uniform, predefined agreements.  The Yellow Card is frequently used in an Individual Tournament, where contestants frequently change partners.  See Details
 

Duplicate

ACBL Online - In a prior co-marketing (branding) agreement with e-bridge, the ACBL offered Bridge players access to a web-based Bridge-playing program.  This program allows players to play against each other or robots. As of 2004, e-bridge and ACBL terminated their exclusive branding agreement.  See Bridge Service Providers
 

ACBLscore - A PC-based computerized program used by duplicate Bridge Directors to score Club and Tournament games, calculate and manage Masterpoint awards, and prepare reports.  See Example
 

Bidding

Acceptance -
 

1.	Of a bidding action by partner, including movement toward a bonus score
2.	Of a transfer convention, as dictated by partnership agreement

General

Accidents - When a player makes an inadvertent mistake, usually associated with bidding or play.  Depending on the situation, a Law may or may not apply under the circumstance.  If there is not a Law in effect which provides redress to the other side suffering from the accident, they are said to be "fixed".
 

According to Hoyle - Indicating a player has followed the best procedure, usually a bid or play, although it could refer to a correct rule, etiquette, or custom.
 

General

Accredited Bridge Teachers - An ACBL certification known as TAP (Teacher Accreditation Program) using structured teaching methods developed by Audrey Grant.  The TAP program focuses on teaching Bridge to beginning players (Club/Bidding Series).  Subsequent programs such as Better Bridge, Easy Bridge and other third party accreditations are also available.
 

General

Ace - The highest-ranking card (four Aces are in the deck).  England's Queen Elizabeth the First levied a tax on the manufacture of playing cards, which generated significant revenues for the Crown.  According to English law, the issuance of the distinctive Ace of Spades signified the payment of government taxes. See Example and Card Names
 

Ace from Ace-King - See Conventions
 

Bidding

Ace Asking Bids - See books on Slam and other slam conventions: 1430, Baby Blackwood, Blackwood, Controls, Exclusion Blackwood - Voidwood, Gerber, Grand Slam Force, Jacoby 2 Notrump, Key Card Blackwood, Kickback, Last Train,  NAMYATS, Pick a Slam, Quantitative Notrump Bid, Rolling Blackwood, Serious 3 Notrump, Slam Try - Stayman, Splinters, Opener Jump Shift, Strong Jump Shift, and legacy treatments as Roman Asking Bids, Roman Blackwood, Roman Gerber.  Slam treatments also include interference of an overcall by opponents, as Negative Slam Double, DOPI, DEPO, ROPI.
 

Ace High - Used in context to describe a Bridge hand holding an Ace.
 

Ace Grabber - A person who hurriedly plays their Aces, either through their lead or in second seat.  In many cases, this is a poor strategy since the opponents do not contribute any high cards to the trick.
 

Ace Identification - See Conventions
 

Ace Lead - See Conventions
 

Duplicate

Ace of Clubs - To recognize achievement at the club level, the Ace of Clubs competition was created in 1984. These club champions are recognized at the unit level and ACBL wide. All points won at the club level are counted in this contest with the exception of those won in STaCs, progressive sectionals, NABC fund-raiser events, the North American Open Pairs and the Grand National Teams.
 

Ace Showing - See Conventions
 

Aces Scientific System - See Conventions
 

Duplicate
 

Aces Team - A group of leading Bridge players organized and employed in 1986 by Ira Corn of Dallas, Texas.  Mr. Corn's dream was to return the World Team Championship Title to the United States.  The team included: James Jacoby, Bobby Wolff, Billy Eisenberg, Bobby Goldman, and Michael Lawrence.  In 1969, Bob Hamman joined the Team and Monroe Ingberman became their coach.  By 1971, the Aces won the world title at the Bermuda Bowl.  Over time, other professional Bridge players joined the ranks, until it was disbanded with Ira Corn's demise in 1982.
 

Acol - The name Acol originally comes from a geographic district in England. See Conventions

Also see ACOL Bridge Books
 

Acol 2 Bid - See Conventions
 

Acol 3 Notrump - See Conventions
 

Acol 4 No Trump Opening - See Conventions
 

Acorns - The colloquial term referring to the Club suit, coming from the German word "Eichel". See Card Names
 

Acquiescence In Claim Or Concession - See Law 69
 

General

Active -
 

1.	An aggressive style of play
2.	A tactic to establish tricks early, often as a defender before the declarer has an opportunity to do likewise

Play

Active Defense - The tactic of making risky but often desirable defensive leads and plays.  The active defensive tactic is intended to establish tricks quickly, especially when dummy has bid a long suit.  In this scenario, the declarer often tries to discard their losers; thus, the defender may chance losing top honors in hopes to setup tricks as soon as possible using Attacking Leads.  Situations include:
 

1.	Opponents have above game values, showing strong values.
2.	An opponent has either made a jump rebid or opening bid showing a one-suited hand such as the Gambling Notrump bid.
3.	Opposition will likely establish unwarranted tricks in a long side suit.
4.	Declarer will likely play for extra cross-ruffing.

Also see Opening Leads, Passive Lead, Trump Lead, Forcing Defense Carding,  Fourth Best or Third and Fifth leads, Coded 9 and 10 (Jack denies, 10 implies), Obvious Suit Preference, and Middle Up Down (MUD), Bottom Of Something Top Of Nothing (BOSTON).

Also see books on Leads
 

General

Active Ethics - An ACBL objective based on vigorous efforts to ensure equity in Bridge.  A primary objective of the ACBL is to instill in all players the concept that vigorous efforts should be made to provide equity in bridge. Every player should take pains to make sure that the opposition has not been harmed through incomplete or misleading information as to the meaning of conventional calls and treatments. An aggressive approach along these lines on the part of each and every individual will ensure that bridge remains a game that everyone can enjoy.  See Active Ethics
 

Laws

Adjusted Score - In tournament Bridge, an artificial score assigned by the Director based on a procedural error or infraction of the Laws.  Depending on the circumstance, the score could be an average, average plus, or average minus for a given side. See Laws:

  Amount of award - See Law 12 - 86 - 88
Director's power to adjust - See Law 12 - 86
Indemnity points - See Law 88
Individual event - See Law 88 - 89
Method of calculating - See Law 12 - 86 - 88
Pair event - See Law 12 - 88
Remedy after change of call - See Law 21
Remedy after permissible change of play - See Law 47
Remedy for defender's premature exposure of card - See Law 50
Remedy for error in procedure - See Law 82
Remedy for exposed card - See Law 23
Remedy for failure to explain call or play - See Law 40
Remedy for insufficient bid - See Law 27
Remedy for irregular pass causing damage - See Law 23
Remedy for misdistribution of cards - See Law 13
Remedy for play of wrong board - See Law 15
Remedy for receipt of unauthorized information - See Law 16
Remedy for revoke - See Law 64
Remedy for violation of properties - See Law 73
Team event - See Law 86

See Director Tech File

General

Advance -

Advance Cuebid - A control-showing Cuebid made prior to a suit agreement by the partnership. See Example
 

Advance Sacrifice - A preemptive sacrifice bid made before both opponents have bid, intended to disturb the opponents from finding their best contract. See Example
 

Advance Save - Same as Advance Sacrifice.
 

Advanced Lebensohl - See Conventions
 

Advancer - The partner of the overcaller.  In total, the bidding seats are rotationally known as the Opener, the Overcaller, the Responder, and the Advancer. See Example
 

General

Adversary - Referring to an opponent, either during bidding or play.  A senior adversary refers to the Left Hand Opponent, while the junior adversary points to the Right Hand Opponent (addressing tactics as finessing and ruffing).
 

Aggregate Score - In tournaments, the total score over a number of boards, netting the boards won and lost.
 

Agreed Suit - A suit which partnership has found a fit.
 

Agreement - A prior understanding between partners about their bids and defensive play, often referred to as conventions.
 

Laws

Agreement On Results Of Play -

Acquiescence in claim or concession - See Law 69
Agreement on number of tricks won - See Law 79
Arrangement of tricks to facilitate - See Law 65

AI - Abbreviation for Authorized Information
 

Aid To Memory, Calculation, Or Technique - See Law 40
 

Alligator Coup - See Crocodile Coup
 

Alarm Clock - A call or defensive play intended to warn one's partner of a specific situation, as a suit holding.
 

Alarm Clock Leads - See Conventions

Albert Morehead Memorial Library - The ACBL Bridge library located in Memphis, Tennessee consisting of more than 2,000 volumes, historical documents, and artifacts.
 

Play

Alcatraz Coup - An illegal deliberate maneuver designed to gain information from the opponents by failing to follow suit during play. Imagine the dummy and declarer hold A J x and K 10 x respectively, needing all tricks.  The J (Jack) is called from dummy and declarer surprisingly revokes, pitching another card!  If the Left Hand Opponent produces the Queen, declarer immediately announces the "careless error" and instead plays the King, then finessing the opponent out of the Queen.  But if the Left Hand Opponent plays low, the naughty declarer again quickly corrects the revoke playing low since the finesse is assured.
 

Laws

Alert - A verbal and visual procedure given by the partner of the player making a conventional agreement or unusual call.  Optionally, the opponents may then inquire about the meaning of the alert, ensuring all players are aware of the  special partnership agreement.  See Example and Tech File - Alerts

Details on Alert Procedure

Change of call following disclosure of misinformation - See Law 21
Failure as to misinformation - See Law 21
Inclusion in review of auction - See Law 20
Regulation by sponsoring organization - See Law 40

 

Also see Director Tech File

Alexander the Great - King of Clubs, referring to the K, the young Macedonian General lead his troops from Greece to India (wearing a costume embroidered with a lion).  See History of Cards
 

All Vulnerable - Indicating both sides are vulnerable, also  known as "red/red" and Amber (English) vulnerability.
 

Alpha Cuebid (Support Asking Bid) - See Conventions
 

Alternative Club Laws - Local rules which are added to or amend the Laws.  See Alternative Club Laws
 

Alternative Squeeze - A Simple Squeeze also known as a "Either-Or Squeeze" or a "Criss-Cross Squeeze", played as a Double Squeeze. See Example
 

Amber - A British term indicating both sides are vulnerable, also  known as "red/red" vulnerability. See Example
 

Ambulance Service - A call made to rescue one's partner from a very poor contract, likely resulting in a significant penalty.
 

American Bridge Association - See ABA

American Contract Bridge League - See ACBL

American Leads - see Conventions

Amsterdam Club System - see Conventions

Analysis - An appraisal of the current situation during bidding or play, taking into account what has happened, prior knowledge of the opponents, inferences, and psychological influences.  See Environmental Factors
 

Anchor Suit - The known suit when a player bids a two-suited hand.  Playing conventions such as Michaels Cuebid or DONT, if only one suit is known for certain, it is known as the Anchor Suit.
 

Laws

Announcement - An extension of the alert procedure.  Like alerts, announcements are provided by the partner of the player making a conventional bid.  Here however, a short phrase is stated to the opponents regarding the meaning of the bid. The color blue on the convention card indicates a call requiring an "Announcement." See Announcements   Common announcements include:
 

1.	Notrump point range
2.	Transfer used with Jacoby
3.	Forcing or semi-forcing bids used with Notrump
4.	Possible shortness when making a minor suit bid

Anticipation - The concept of preparing for various rebid scenarios before choosing the suit for the opening bid.  See Rule of Anticipation
 

Antipositional - Making a call with the intent of placing the less advantageous opponent into become the declarer.
 

Anti Splinter Bids - Responsive bids to partner's major suit opening that deny holding a short suit as a singleton or void.  See Splinter Bids
 

Laws

Appeal - A request to have a higher authority review a Director's ruling.

Notification of right to - See Law 83
Prerequisites for - See Law 92
Procedures - See Law 92 - 93
Right to - See Law 92
To Appeals Committee - See Law 93
To Chief Director - See Law 93
To National Laws Commission -See Law 93

Also see books on Appeals

Appeals Committee - See Law 93.  Also see ACBL Appeals Casebook

Appendix Movement - A process used by the Director of adding a table to a game without changing the number of deals played.
 

Duplicate

Appendix Pair - A method of adding another pair in a movement. At some point during the Session, the appendix Pair will be stationary, "bumping" the pair scheduled for their normal progressive position (resulting in a sitout for the round).
 

Approach Forcing - A  bidding method such as bidding a new suit, used by a player holding a strong hand that forces one's partner to continue to further describe their hand.
 

Apricot Sundae - A colloquial term referring to a weak Heart-Diamond two-suited hand.
 

Argine - Queen of Clubs, referring to the Q, has a somewhat convoluted background. Some believe Argine is based on an anagram of the Latin word for Queen (Regina)  See History of Cards and Queens
 

General

Arranging -
 

1.	Sorting one's card according to suit and perhaps by rank. See Example
2.	The Rules of Bridge prohibit one from looking at another player's cards with the intention of determining that player's holdings
3.	A phrase given to opponents when the player responsible for the dummy aligns the cards in an orderly manner.
4.	A phrase given to opponents while sorting one's cards to ensure no one mistakes the time required to sort cards with a hesitation over making a difficult bid

Play

Arrangement of Tricks -
 

1.	In Duplicate Bridge after a trick is completed, each player keeps their cards separate and is encouraged to keep track of tricks won or lost.  After all four players contribute to a trick, players align each card face-down lengthwise from left to right, according to which side won the trick. See Example and Law 65
2.	In Rubber Bridge, the player who won the trick gathers all four cards collectively facing them down, and orienting each trick to easily determine the total tricks won during the play of the hand. See Example

ArtAS - Abbreviation for Artificial Adjusted Score

Artificial - A conventional call which indicates features of the hand other than the call indicated.
 

Asking Bid - A bid requesting specific information about a partner's hand, such as the Aces held, controls in a suit, or length in a suit.
 

Asking Cuebid - A bid in the enemy-shown suit that asks partner to bid notrump with a stopper in that suit; sometimes called California Cuebid or Western Cuebid.
 

AssAS - Abbreviation for Assigned Adjusted Score

Assist - To raise partner's bid suit.

Aspro - An English variation of the Astro Convention.

Astro - see Conventions

Assumptions - Making logical inferences of player's holdings based on bidding and play.
 

ATF - Abbreviation for Across-the-field (in matchpointing)

Attacking Lead - An active defense on defender's opening lead, usually involving a risky lead away from an Honor when opponents are in Notrump.
 

Attempt To Change Call - See Law 25

Attempt To Play Card Not In Dummy - See Law 46

Attitude - see Conventions

ATTNA - Abbreviation for Appeal to the National Authority

Laws

Auction - The complete bidding phase of play; a portion of a deal in which the players bid for the right to name the final contract. Also Auction Period

Partial review - See Law 20
Review of -  See Law 20
Rotation -  See Law 17

Laws

Auction Period -

Call after end of - See Law 35 - 39
Continuation after three passes, if one was out of rotation - See Law 34
End of - See Law 17
Irregularity during - See Law 9
Penalty - see Penalty In Auction
Procedure following end of - See Law 22
Review during or after - See Law 20
Start of - See Law 17

Rubber

Auction Bridge - The third step to modern Contract Bridge (Whist,  Bridge Whist, Auction Bridge, and finally Contract Bridge).  Auction Bridge does not recognize vulnerability or contract and has less emphasis on penalties and bonuses.
 

AutoDealer -  A computerized device that rapidly deals bar-coded cards, automatically placing the cards into the a duplicate board.
 

Autosplinter - A call that indicates both length in one suit and either a singleton or void in another suit.
 

Automatic Squeeze - A simple Squeeze which squeezes either opponent, as opposed to a Positional Squeeze which squeezes only one player. See Example
 

Average Score - To obtain 50 percent of the matchpoints possible on a given hand.   See Adjusted Score
 

Average Hand - A hand containing one-fourth of the total points in a deck (10 High Card Points).
 

Avoidance - A play which is intended to prevent or make it expensive for a "Dangerous Opponent"  from gaining the lead.  See Example

See Avoidance Bridge Books
 

AWMW - Abbreviation for Appeal Without Merit Warning

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