One Player Short

[BnBeever]

In 2006 I set about designing the rules for 3 player bridge. I've seen other attempts, but wasn't satisfied with the bidding where it existed. After much bouncing of ideas between myself and 2 friends, we eventually developed the game I'm about to describe.

Dealing
Cards are dealt as normal – 13 to each player (13 for dummy – face down in a pile).

Bidding
Each player can bid, pass, or double someone elses bid.

Bidding proceeds clockwise as normal.
When a bid is made (but not pass or double), the player picks up the top card from dummy’s face-down pile, takes it into his hand, and puts any one of the 14 cards now held back onto the table face up for all to see (just in front of the bidding card just played, if using them).
When a player passes or doubles, the top card from dummy’s face-down pile is simply turned over onto the table for all to see, without this option to exchange. Redouble isn't used.

Bidding ends when the last 6 bids are :
Bid/Pass – Pass – Pass – Bid/Pass – Pass – Pass OR
Pass – Bid – Pass – Pass – Pass – Pass OR
Pass – Pass – Bid – Pass – Pass – Pass
OR if the LAST 2 BIDS are Double – Pass OR Pass – Double.

This may look a bit complicated at first, but there is an obvious logic to it: anyone making a bid will have 1 chance to go for game if desired on the next round. In other words, everyone else normally has to pass twice on their last 2 chances to bid in order for the bidding to end. The rule about doubles ending the auction much sooner, ensures that bidding a suit you don't have is risky (just like a psyche in the 4 player game), as there is no chance to correct when someone holding AQJxx in the suit doubles you!

If all dummy's cards are already face up, then bidding allows the bidder to exchange one of their cards with any card from dummy.

Card Play
At the end of the auction, dummy is placed opposite declarer. The other 2 players become the defenders, and the player to the left of declarer makes the lead, just as in 4 player bridge. Any cards remaining in dummy's face-down pile are revealed after the lead is made.
The card play is otherwise exactly as in 4 player bridge.

Scoring
This may be played as normal, but to increase the significance of part score contracts (as well as simplifying the scoring), the following version is suggested:
2 points for making any contract (4 if doubled)
1 point for each level bid and made (2 if doubled)
1/2 point for each overtrick (1 if doubled)
5 for 'game' (as defined by normal bridge) bid and made (no extra bonus if doubled)
10 for small slam bid and made (game bonus not additionally scored)
15 for grand slam bid and made (game / small slam bonuses not additionally scored)

Penalty for failing: -2 for each undertrick (-4 if doubled).

E.g.s: 3NT bid and made exactly scores: 2 (making a contract) + 3 (level 3) + 5 (game) = 10 pts.

2H x making with 1 overtrick = 4 (making a doubled contract) + 2x2 (tricks bid for, doubled) + 1 (doubled overtrick) + 5 (game) = 14 pts.
6C making 13 scores 2 + 6 + ½ + 10 = 18½ pts.

Winner = first to 20 pts / any agreed target. Or has the highest score at bedtime.

Creating suitable hands to enable slams to be made on very thin point counts, when all of dummy is already exposed (allowing precise exchange between hand and dummy) is a real pleasure to experience (and a skill not tested in the 4 player game). I remember going off in a diamond slam, knowing from the bidding discards how the trumps were breaking, having foolishly made myself a 6-3 trump fit, when removing 1 or 2 fewer diamonds from dummy (creating a 5-4 fit) would have enabled me to pick up LHO's trumps.

Comments and suggested modifications welcome. Enjoy :-)
Ben.

[1eyedjack]

For a brief break from Bridge, when you are a player short, you might also have a go at Prefa - a Greek auction whist game specifically designed for 3 players.

http://empire2.esc.edu/facultyweb/er...2?OpenDocument

Or

http://www.geocities.com/thanoscardgames/Prefa_r.html

It is not as good a game as Bridge, mainly because it is never profitable to make a sacricial bid. But it is fun to try it out when you have a few drinks inside you.