Contract Bridge is the deepest of the trick-taking games, played by two partnerships through an auction that sets the trump suit and target number of tricks.
Four players in two partnerships, 13 cards each. The auction determines the contract: a number 1–7 and a trump suit or no-trump.
Players bid in turn, each bid outranking the last (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, no-trump). The final bid is the contract the declaring side must fulfill.
The player to the left of the declarer leads. The declarer's partner lays their hand face-up as the "dummy" and the declarer plays both hands.
Making the contract scores below the line; overtricks and defensive tricks score above it. Rubber scoring: first to two games wins the rubber, with bonuses for slams.
The declarer's partner, whose hand is laid face-up and played by the declarer after the opening lead.
A contract of 6 (small slam, 12 tricks) or 7 (grand slam, all 13 tricks), with large bonus points.
Bridge adds an auction (bidding) that sets the contract and trump; Whist has no bidding.