Deal as usual to four players, the hand opposite the dealer belonging to the dummy. Starting with the dealer the three players bid or pass (clockwise) but only once each. To "bid" means here to say a whole number greater than or equal to 2 or greater than the bid before (if any). You may always pass. The highest bidder becomes declarer but to avoid penalty points (see below) he has to raise his bid if it is lower than his number of tophonours i.e. A,K,Q (to be called "tops" in the sequel). Note that directly at the end of the bidding the opening leader must ask declarer if he needs to raise his bid.

Let us say South became declarer. East will then look at dummy's cards and tell which is dummy's longest suit and how long it is. In case of a tie this information is given only for the highest ranking suit. East also tells how many tops the dummy has. South now chooses a trumpsuit or NT.

Add the final bid to the number of tops in dummy. This gives the so called playnumber. The level of the contract is pn + 2 if in NT and pn + 3 otherwise. (If for instance the pn is 7 declarer has the choice between 3 NT and 4 of a suit.) Exceptions: 1) If the pn is 4 or less the hand is passed out (this rule makes it less attractive for players to pass with many tops). 2) In the (very rare) cases when the pn is more than 10 the resulting contract may be impossible (like 8 sp). These contracts are played but doubling is not allowed.

The player who has the lead (West in this case) may now pass or double and if he doubles declarer may either pass, redouble or change his contract (though the calculated level remains the same, 4 spades say can thus be changed to a 4-bid in another suit or to 3N). West may now pass or double the new contract. South then only has the choice between redouble and pass. The game continues as ordinary bridge but has a special way to score.

If declarer makes his contract he scores 4 points. If the contract is undoubled one down is zero points, two down is -2 and more than two down is -4. Overtricks are 1 each. If the contract is doubled (redoubled) and makes (fails) the doubler pays (receives) 3 (6) points to (from) declarer, while all the other scores remain the same. (See the examples below.)

PENALTY POINTS. If you become declarer and have bid lower than your number of tops you must (directly when asked) raise your bid at least to the same level as your number of tops. If you do not raise your bid when you need to, your score is always -6. If the wrong information about dummy is given, the informer is penalized by -2 and the hand is redealt by the same dealer.

You should play for a stake and a good way to do so is to play a "match" which consists of 6+6 hands (including the ones passed out but not the ones where the wrong information of dummy was given). The dealer in the first hand as well as the position of the players (let us call them A,B,C) is decided by drawing cards. The dealer (A say) in the first hand will take care of the score sheet in all 12 hands. After 6 hands B and C change places, A deals in the seventh hand and a new score sheet is made. On the scoresheet the players have in dealing order (clockwise) one column each. At the bottom, right under the dealer (and his scores), a note is (before the opening lead) made of the final bid, the number of tops in dummy and the contract.

The scores entered show how much each player should give to or receive from the other players. Some examples: 1) 4d by A undoubled making with one overtrick is scored as A:10 B:-5 C:-5. 2) Same contract and result but doubled by B gives A:10+3 B:-5-3 C:-5. 3) 4d-2 by A will score as A:-4 B:2 C:2. 4) 4d by A doubled by B and redoubled by A goes one down. This gives: A:-6 B:6 C:0.-Please do not change the rules! They are the result of many years of playing.