Draw Bridge

Draw Bridge is two-player Bridge with no dummies. Instead, each player builds their hand during a drawing phase before the auction.

The deal

Each player is dealt 13 cards. The other 26 are the stock, face down.

The draw tricks

The non-dealer leads, and the first 13 tricks are played under special rules:

• They are played at no trump, and following suit is not required.
• They score nothing.
• The winner of each trick takes the top card of the stock; the loser takes the next one. Neither shows the other what they drew.

The cards played to these tricks are out of the game for the rest of the deal.

The real hand

When the stock is gone each player holds 13 cards. Then comes an ordinary Bridge auction between the two players, starting with the dealer; the auction ends when a bid is answered by a pass. The declarer’s opponent leads, suit must be followed, and the 13 tricks are scored as rubber Bridge.

A useful observation

All 26 cards played during the draw are face up, so once the stock is empty, a careful player knows exactly what the opponent holds. The auction and the play are a game of perfect information.

Open Stock

The Open Stock house rule turns the top card of the stock face up, so you know what each draw trick is worth.

Rated or casual?

Casual.