Bridge is a card game for four players.

The players are often

referred to by compass directions, so North and South are partners
and they play against East and West, who are also partners (see
diagram).

When the deal is completed, each player will have thirteen cards
(called a hand). Card ranking: A (largest), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,
4, 3, 2. The bidding starts. Bidding decides the contract, which
decides the trump suit and how many tricks the declarer has to win
(6+the number named by the bid).

After the bidding has ended and the contract has been determined,
the player to the left of the declarer plays a card (leads it). Whoever
plays the first card to a trick is called the leader. The leader may
play any card. The other players are restricted to play a card of the
same suit as the one led if they have one. If, however, a player
cannot follow suit, that player may play whatever he or she likes or
trump.

After the first lead, the dummy places its hand face up on the table,
arranged by suits. Declarer plays both the dummy's cards and his or
her own.

Each player in turn, proceeding clockwise around the table, plays

one card. When all four players have done so, the winner of the
trick (the player who played the highest trump or, if no trumps were
played, the highest card of the suit led) is determined. The cards
are faced down in front of themselves, pointing to the victorious
side, and the winner of the trick leads to the next one.

Play continues in this fashion, with declarer battling to take the

number of tricks contracted for during the bidding and the
defenders (declarer's opponents) fighting to collect enough tricks to
stop declarer short of that goal. When all 13 tricks have been
completed, play ceases. Whether or not the contract is fulfilled is
known by counting the winning tricks.