What do you need to play bridge?

Are you a beginner and want to learn bridge? Before getting to the heart of the matter and explaining the rules of a bridge game to you, it is preferable for you to have the right things: that way, your games of bridge will only be more enjoyable. In the rest of this article, you will find the list of equipment we recommend you have for playing your first game of bridge.

What do you need to play bridge offline?

This is it: you have decided to take the plunge and play bridge, congratulations!  However, you don’t know what you need to have in order to play… Don’t worry – thanks to the list we’ve compiled for you, you will find everything you need for preparing for your bridge game and for playing in the same conditions as at the bridge club! So, you need:

• 4 players, as bridge is a team game! You can also have more people and organise tournaments where you can play against several different opponents. Small reminder: in bridge, play proceeds clockwise.
  
  

• A deck of cards! And yes, this may seem obvious but this is the central element of a bridge game. Bridge cards correspond to a classic deck of 52 cards for no matter which card game (belote, pyramid solitaire, poker). Be careful: before starting a game, check that the jokers have been taken out of the deck and don’t forget to shuffle the cards well!

Bonus tip: Does shuffling the cards bother you? Get yourself an automatic card shuffler to make your life easier.

• A table is essential. It is not, however, necessary to have a bridge table; your kitchen or dining table will do nicely.
  
  

• A card table cover, sometimes underestimated, is a major element of the game play. The bridge cards will slide more easily and even the most sensitive elbows will be able to be comfortably placed.

• Bidding boxes are not obligatory but strongly recommended. Indeed, during a game of contract bridge, the players are not supposed to speak to each other and must communicate through these bidding boxes. The players each have a box and take a card from their box, turn by turn, in order to show the bids they are wanting to make. These are therefore an essential element of the bridge game.
  
  

• They will make your deals of bridge more enjoyable, as they are essential to the game. Without bidding, it would be impossible to play contract bridge and therefore impossible to play this card game.

• So that you don’t lose count, we advise you to use a score sheet. A simple sheet of paper will suffice for writing your scores down. But for simplicity and if you don’t know how to score, we have developed an online Score Calculator for faster (and more ecological!) results.

• Provide nibbles and drinks for the hungrier players among you!
  
  

Bridge equipment missing? What can you do?

You don’t have partners or any of these accessories? No problem; there are several ways to play online.

Online bridge is the solution to your problem! There is an abundance of software and applications on which to play bridge. This alternative allows you to play whenever and, above all, wherever you want. No need to transport your bridge cards, table cover or any other equipment. However, online bridge also has prerequisites:

• To play bridge online, you will need a tablet, smartphone or computer.

• An internet connection is often required, even if only for downloading the bridge software. Some games allow you to play either alone, against an artificial intelligence system, or against players from all over the world. Therefore, it is necessary to be connected to the Internet.

• An email address is often requested from you for signing up to play

Bonus tip: Do not hesitate to ask around, as often with online bridge you have the possibility of challenging your friends. You can even meet new friends!

You don’t know which bridge application to choose? Discover Funbridge!

On Funbridge, you play duplicate bridge, which means that you play the same bridge deals as the other players, the aim of the game being to make the best contract and therefore to score the most points.

The big advantage of Funbridge is that you don’t need to wait for your other bridge partners. You play with and against an artificial intelligence, which is therefore always available for a game.

Lots of game modes are available, the main ones including: challenges between friends, training in order to help you progress, tournaments (individual or team) to pit yourself against and compare yourself to the other bridge players in the community.

Try playing straightaway by clicking here to download Funbridge for free

Enjoy the game and have fun!

Throw yourself in: you’ll learn as you go, though if you want to go further, there is How to play bridge.