Ray's Bridge Game

Qualities Represented by Complex Phrases
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Many of the qualities pertinent to bidding a Bridge hand can be expressed with just a single word or a simple phrase. For example, the qualities shape and point count have a specific meaning when used to refer to a Bridge hand. But, there are other qualities of a hand that can not be expressed so simply.

For instance, consider testing someone's bid. First, the player making the bid must be identified. Next, what is the order of the bid? Finally, what is being tested about the bid, the level of the bid, the suit of the bid, or the type of the bid? There are too many combinations to enumerate every phrase necessary to query a bid. Instead, a format will be defined allowing complex phrases to be constructed to refer to a bid and its attributes.

The following charts list the qualities defined for this language which require a complex phrase to specify. The first chart lists the qualities that may be used in a "Bid" rule. The second chart lists the qualities that may be used in an "If" or "Set" rule.

The following chart lists the qualities that may be used on a "Bid" rule.

Reference

How Specified

Suit or NoTrump

level [of] suit

  Where
    level may be one of:
      1
      2
      3
      4
      5
      6
      7

    The word of is optional

    suit may be one of:
      NoTrump
      Spades
      Hearts
      Diamonds
      Clubs
      longest suit
      second longest suit
      third longest suit
      shortest suit
      longer major
      shorter major
      longer minor
      shorter minor
      best suit
      second suit
      third suit
      fourth suit

  Some examples:

    Bid 1 NoTrump
    Bid 1 of best suit
    Bid 2 Hearts
    Bid 2 of longest suit

Non-Suit

bid

  Where
    bid may be one of:
      Pass
      Double
      Redouble

  Some examples:

    Bid Pass
    Bid Double

Previous Bid

level of person order bid suit

  Where
    level may be one of:
      1
      2
      3
      4
      5
      6
      7

    The word of is required

    person may be one of:
      [my]
      [my] left opponent's
      [my] partner's
      [my] right opponent's

      The word my is optional

    order may be one of:
      first
      second
      third
      fourth
      fifth
      sixth
      seventh
      eighth
      ninth
      tenth
      eleventh
      twelfth

  Some examples:

    Bid 2 of my partner's first bid suit
    Bid 3 of my first bid suit

The following chart lists the qualities that may be used on an "If" or "Set" rule.

Reference	How Specified	Allowed Values
Length/Strength of Suit	measure of suit Where measure may be one of: length strength The word of is required suit may be one of: Spades Hearts Diamonds Clubs longest suit second longest suit third longest suit shortest suit longer major shorter major longer minor shorter minor best suit second suit third suit fourth suit trump suit suit led Some examples: If length of best suit >= 5 If length of Diamonds >= 4 If length of longest suit = 4 If strength of best suit >= 2 strong top cards The length of a suit is obviously the number of cards in the suit, from zero to thirteen. The strength of a suit is calculated in a very primitive manner. Each card is assigned a numeric value. The strength of a suit is the total of the cards values translated to a phrase. The values assigned to each card are: Ace = 14 King = 13 Queen = 12 Jack = 11 Ten = 10 Nine = 9 Eight = 1 Seven = 1 Six = 1 Five = 1 Four = 1 Three = 1 Two = 1 Add the cards in a suit using the above values and translate the total to a phrase using this table: 62 - 76 = 6 top cards 55 - 61 = 5 top cards 43 - 54 = 4 top cards 36 - 42 = 3 strong top cards 34 - 35 = 3 medium top cards 32 - 33 = 3 weak top cards 28 - 31 = 2 strong top cards 26 - 27 = 2 medium top cards 22 - 25 = 2 weak top cards 17 - 21 = 1 strong top card 13 - 16 = 1 weak top card 0 - 12 = 0 top cards These qualities may not be set by a rule.	For length: 0 - 13 For strength: 6 top cards 5 top cards 4 top cards 3 strong top cards 3 medium top cards 3 weak top cards 2 strong top cards 2 medium top cards 2 weak top cards 1 strong top card 1 weak top card 0 top cards
Length/Strength of a Bid Suit	measure of person order bid suit Where measure may be one of: length strength The word of is required person may be one of: [my] [my] left opponent's [my] partner's [my] right opponent's The word my is optional order may be one of: first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth The words bid suit are required Some examples: If length of my first bid suit = 5 If length of partner's first bid suit >= 3 If length of my partner's second bid suit >= 5 If strength of my first bid suit >= 3 strong top cards If strength of my partner's first bid suit >= 2 strong top cards Note that any reference to the length of a suit that has been bid by my partner refers to the length of the same suit in my hand, not the length of the suit in my partner's hand. Refer to previous definition for more information. These qualities may not be set by a rule.	For length: 0 - 13 For strength: 6 top cards 5 top cards 4 top cards 3 strong top cards 3 medium top cards 3 weak top cards 2 strong top cards 2 medium top cards 2 weak top cards 1 strong top card 1 weak top card 0 top cards
Support for a Bid Suit	support for person order bid suit Where The words support for are required person may be one of: [my] [my] left opponent's [my] partner's [my] right opponent's The word my is optional order may be one of: first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth The words bid suit are required Some examples: Set support for partner's first bid suit to exceptional Set support for my partner's first bid suit to good Set support for partner's second bid suit to no support Set support for my partner's second bid suit to strong If support for my partner's first bid suit = exceptional If support for my partner's first bid suit >= good These qualities must be set by a rule.	no support good strong exceptional
Type of Bid	person order bid Where person may be one of: [my] [my] left opponent's [my] partner's [my] right opponent's The word my is optional order may be one of: first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth The word bid is required Some examples: If my first bid is one in a suit If first bid is one in a suit If my partner's first bid is new suit at 1 level If partner's first bid is new suit at 1 level If my right opponent's first bid is double If right opponent's first bid is double Set my partner's first bid to single raise Set my partner's second bid to new suit at 1 level An important note to testing a bid quality is that the game sets the type of bid for the opener's first bid and responder's first bid fairly well. But, beyond that is suspect because some bids may be described with more than one term. This quality is primarily meant to be set by a rule. It is also important to note that when one player sets the meaning of a bid, that player is setting the meaning for both themselves and their partner. This is the only quality which is set in this manner. There are two reasons for setting the meaning of a bid in this way. First, it makes it simpler to have the meaning set in one place, rather than having to set it once for one player and again for the player's partner. Second this ensures that both partner's are thinking the same way about the same bid. When a player sets the meaning of a bid, this does not affect the meaning of the bid to their opponents.	one in a suit two in a suit three in a suit four in a suit five in a suit six in a suit seven in a suit one no trump two no trump three no trump four no trump five no trump six no trump seven no trump single raise double raise triple raise new suit at 1 level new suit at 2 level jump shift minimum in suit opened jump in suit opened minimum 2 no trump jump 2 no trump raise 1 NT to 2 NT raise 1 level to 2 raise 2 level to 3 raise 2 level to 4 raise 1 level to 4 new suit over 1 level new suit over 2 level reverse bid jump in new suit pass double redouble
Level/Suit of Bid	attribute of person order bid Where attribute may be one of: level suit The word of is required person may be one of: [my] [my] left opponent's [my] partner's [my] right opponent's The word my is optional order may be one of: first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth The word bid is required Some examples: If level of my partner's first bid = 1 If level of my partner's second bid = 1 If suit of my first bid is major suit If suit of my partner's first bid is Clubs If suit of my partner's first bid is any suit When a the suit of a bid is tested for being the value "any suit", it means the suit can not be pass, double, redouble, or no trump. These qualities may not be set by a rule.	For level: 1 - 7 For suit: Spades Hearts Diamonds Clubs longest suit second longest suit third longest suit shortest suit longer major shorter major longer minor shorter minor best suit second suit third suit fourth suit trump suit suit led major suit minor suit any suit