Welcome to the world of bridge, a fascinating card game that has been captivating players for over a century. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, understanding the lingo and abbreviations used in bridge tournaments can greatly enhance your experience. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most common abbreviations used in bridge tournaments, helping you navigate the competitive world of bridge with ease.
A
- ACBL: American Contract Bridge League – The largest bridge organization in the United States, offering a wide range of tournaments and resources for players of all levels.
- AG: Ante Game – A type of game where players pay an ante before the bidding begins.
- APL: Average Point Loss – A measure of a player’s performance, calculated by comparing their actual score to their expected score.
- APN: Average Pair Number – The average number of pairs playing in a tournament.
B
- BB: Big Board – The main leaderboard in a tournament, showing the top players’ scores.
- BBB: Big Board Breakdown – A detailed analysis of the top players’ scores and rankings.
- BBO: Bridge Base Online – An online platform for playing bridge and participating in online tournaments.
- BID: Bid – A declaration made by a player to take a certain number of tricks in a contract.
C
- CBL: Contract Bridge League – An organization that promotes the game of bridge and offers various tournaments and resources.
- CBTF: Contract Bridge Tournaments Federation – An organization that sanctions and promotes bridge tournaments in Europe.
- CBU: Contract Bridge Unit – A unit of measurement used to calculate a player’s performance.
- CBU Point: A point earned by a player in a tournament, which is used to calculate their ranking.
D
- DBL: Duplicate Bridge – A type of bridge game where each pair plays against every other pair, ensuring a fair and competitive environment.
- DBL Points: Points earned by a player in a duplicate bridge tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- DNF: Did Not Finish – A term used to indicate that a player did not complete a tournament or event.
- DNS: Did Not Start – A term used to indicate that a player did not start a tournament or event.
E
- ELO: Elo Rating System – A rating system used to measure a player’s skill level in various games, including bridge.
- ELO Points: Points earned or lost by a player based on their performance and the performance of their opponents.
- ENT: Entry Fee – The amount of money required to enter a tournament.
- ENT Fee: Entry Fee – The amount of money required to enter a tournament.
F
- FID: Federation International Bridge – The international governing body for the game of bridge.
- FID Points: Points earned by a player in an international tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- FLO: Finalist List – The list of players who have reached the final stages of a tournament.
- FLO Points: Points earned by a player in the final stages of a tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
G
- GAM: Game – A type of bridge game where players bid for tricks and score points based on the number of tricks they take.
- GAM Points: Points earned by a player in a game tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- GIB: Grand International Bridge – A prestigious international bridge tournament.
- GIB Points: Points earned by a player in the Grand International Bridge tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
H
- HCP: High Card Points – A measure of a player’s hand strength, calculated by adding the values of the high cards in their hand.
- HCP Points: Points earned by a player based on their hand strength in a tournament.
- HOR: Home Rule – A set of rules used in a tournament that may differ from the standard rules.
- HOR Points: Points earned by a player in a tournament using home rules.
I
- ICBF: International Contract Bridge Federation – An organization that promotes the game of bridge and offers various tournaments and resources.
- ICBF Points: Points earned by a player in an international tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- INF: Intermediate – A term used to describe a player’s skill level between beginner and advanced.
- INF Points: Points earned by an intermediate player in a tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
J
- JAN: Junior – A term used to describe a player under a certain age, typically 18 or 21.
- JAN Points: Points earned by a junior player in a tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
K
- KOS: Knockout System – A tournament format where players are eliminated after losing a certain number of matches.
- KOS Points: Points earned by a player in a knockout system tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
L
- LAD: Leaderboard – The list of players ranked by their scores in a tournament.
- LAD Points: Points earned by a player on the leaderboard, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- LIFE: Life Master – A title awarded to players who have achieved a certain level of skill and experience in bridge.
- LIFE Points: Points earned by a player to achieve the Life Master title.
M
- MCP: Match Point – A point earned by a player in a matchpoint system tournament.
- MCP Points: Points earned by a player in a matchpoint system tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- MD: Match Draw – A type of tournament where players are paired against each other in matches.
- MD Points: Points earned by a player in a match draw tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
N
- NAT: National – A term used to describe a tournament held at the national level.
- NAT Points: Points earned by a player in a national tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- NBL: National Bridge League – An organization that promotes the game of bridge and offers various tournaments and resources.
- NBL Points: Points earned by a player in a national bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
O
- OP: Open – A term used to describe a tournament that is open to players of all skill levels.
- OP Points: Points earned by a player in an open tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- OPL: Open Pairs League – A league that offers open tournaments for pairs of players.
- OPL Points: Points earned by a player in an open pairs league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
P
- PBL: Pair Bridge League – A league that offers tournaments for pairs of players.
- PBL Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBN: Pair Bridge National – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of players.
- PBN Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBLL: Pair Bridge League Limited – A league that offers limited tournaments for pairs of players.
- PBLL Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge league limited tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBNL: Pair Bridge National Limited – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of players with limited experience.
- PBNL Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national limited tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBNM: Pair Bridge National Master – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of master-level players.
- PBNM Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national master tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBLR: Pair Bridge League Regular – A league that offers regular tournaments for pairs of players.
- PBLR Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge league regular tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBNR: Pair Bridge National Regular – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of regular players.
- PBNR Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national regular tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBNV: Pair Bridge National Vintage – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of vintage players.
- PBNV Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national vintage tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBNW: Pair Bridge National Women – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of women players.
- PBNW Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national women tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBNX: Pair Bridge National eXtended – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of extended players.
- PBNX Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national extended tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- PBNY: Pair Bridge National Youth – A tournament held at the national level for pairs of youth players.
- PBNY Points: Points earned by a player in a pair bridge national youth tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
Q
- QBL: Quick Bridge League – A league that offers quick tournaments for players looking to improve their skills.
- QBL Points: Points earned by a player in a quick bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
R
- RBL: Regional Bridge League – A league that offers tournaments at the regional level.
- RBL Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBN: Regional Bridge National – A tournament held at the regional level for players of all skill levels.
- RBN Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBNL: Regional Bridge National Limited – A tournament held at the regional level for players with limited experience.
- RBNL Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national limited tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBNM: Regional Bridge National Master – A tournament held at the regional level for master-level players.
- RBNM Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national master tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBNR: Regional Bridge National Regular – A tournament held at the regional level for regular players.
- RBNR Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national regular tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBNV: Regional Bridge National Vintage – A tournament held at the regional level for vintage players.
- RBNV Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national vintage tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBNW: Regional Bridge National Women – A tournament held at the regional level for women players.
- RBNW Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national women tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBNX: Regional Bridge National eXtended – A tournament held at the regional level for extended players.
- RBNX Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national extended tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- RBNY: Regional Bridge National Youth – A tournament held at the regional level for youth players.
- RBNY Points: Points earned by a player in a regional bridge national youth tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
S
- SBL: Senior Bridge League – A league that offers tournaments for senior players.
- SBL Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBN: Senior Bridge National – A tournament held at the national level for senior players.
- SBN Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBNL: Senior Bridge National Limited – A tournament held at the national level for senior players with limited experience.
- SBNL Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national limited tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBNM: Senior Bridge National Master – A tournament held at the national level for master-level senior players.
- SBNM Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national master tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBNR: Senior Bridge National Regular – A tournament held at the national level for regular senior players.
- SBNR Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national regular tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBNV: Senior Bridge National Vintage – A tournament held at the national level for vintage senior players.
- SBNV Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national vintage tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBNW: Senior Bridge National Women – A tournament held at the national level for senior women players.
- SBNW Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national women tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBNX: Senior Bridge National eXtended – A tournament held at the national level for extended senior players.
- SBNX Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national extended tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- SBNY: Senior Bridge National Youth – A tournament held at the national level for senior youth players.
- SBNY Points: Points earned by a player in a senior bridge national youth tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
T
- TBL: Tournament Bridge League – A league that offers tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- TBL Points: Points earned by a player in a tournament bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- TBLR: Tournament Bridge League Regular – A league that offers regular tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- TBLR Points: Points earned by a player in a tournament bridge league regular tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- TBLV: Tournament Bridge League Vintage – A league that offers vintage tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- TBLV Points: Points earned by a player in a tournament bridge league vintage tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- TBLW: Tournament Bridge League Women – A league that offers women’s tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- TBLW Points: Points earned by a player in a tournament bridge league women’s tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- TBLX: Tournament Bridge League eXtended – A league that offers extended tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- TBLX Points: Points earned by a player in a tournament bridge league extended tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
- TBLY: Tournament Bridge League Youth – A league that offers youth tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- TBLY Points: Points earned by a player in a tournament bridge league youth tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
U
- UNR: Unrated – A term used to describe a player who has not yet been assigned a rating or who has not played enough games to be rated.
- UNR Points: Points earned by an unrated player in a tournament, which are used to calculate their rating.
V
- VBL: Vintage Bridge League – A league that offers vintage tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- VBL Points: Points earned by a player in a vintage bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
W
- WBL: Women’s Bridge League – A league that offers women’s tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- WBL Points: Points earned by a player in a women’s bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
X
- XBL: eXtended Bridge League – A league that offers extended tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- XBL Points: Points earned by a player in an extended bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
Y
- YBL: Youth Bridge League – A league that offers youth tournaments for players of all skill levels.
- YBL Points: Points earned by a player in a youth bridge league tournament, which are used to calculate their ranking.
Understanding these abbreviations will help you navigate the world of bridge tournaments with confidence. Whether you’re participating in a local league or a national championship, being familiar with these terms will make your experience more enjoyable and rewarding. Happy bidding!