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MVP Bridge for Windows by Steve Estvanik Windows programming by Craig Kellog An MVP Software Production version 3.4 Copyright 1994-1999 Cascoloy Software Portions Copyright 1999 MVP Software, Inc. This game is shareware. You will have a trial period of 30 days or 20 uses, whichever comes later, to evaluate this program. During this evaluation period all of the program's features are available. After the evaluation period has elapsed, the software will no longer work. If you like this software or find it useful, then you must register with MVP Software. To "register" a shareware game means to purchase it directly from the developer. (Shareware games are evaluation versions only, which means you have the right to try them, but after trying them you must either register them with the author or delete them from your system.) When you register you will receive MVP Bridge Deluxe ver 3.4 for Windows, which includes all of the features found in the evaluation version, plus: * The full functioning software with no time limits * The latest version of the software (we update this program regularly) * Full-screen display at three different resolutions * Six background musical selections * Two different card face graphics * 20 different card back graphics * 27-page printed manual To order, call 800-968-9684 toll-free 24 hours a day. Please have your Master Card or Visa ready when you call. Or fill out the order form in this manual and fax it to: 616-831-7982. Make sure your credit card number and expiration date are legible. Or if you prefer mail the order form and your check to: MVP Software, 1035 Dallas SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507. The price is $39.95 plus shipping. How to Register Online and Receive MVP Bridge Deluxe for Windows Immediately! MVP is pleased that MVP Bridge Deluxe for Windows can now be registered online, with immediate download of the registered version. This service is available to anyone who has access to the World Wide Web and has a Master Card, Visa or American Express. To register MVP Bridge Deluxe online, set your web browser to: http://www.mvpsoft.com Once you are connected, go to the Station Exchange. There you may purchase MVP Bridge Deluxe for Windows and download it immediately. While you are there check out the monthly specials in the Station Exchange, as well as download any other MVP shareware game you want from our Web Page. _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER Steve Estvanik is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman at 70007,3536. -------------------------------------- MVP is on the Internet and the World Wide Web! You can get all of the latest MVP shareware releases, find out news of future activities, and give feedback to MVP on the Internet. To visit our new home page, just set your WWW browser to this URL: http://www.mvpsoft.com While there, you can see descriptions of all our releases, download the shareware versions with a click of your mouse button, and check out full color screen shots for all of our games. Be sure to leave feedback telling us how you like our page! If you prefer using direct ftp to get our files, you can find them at the following site: ftp.mvpsoft.com Ordering Information MVP Bridge ver 3.4 for Windows is available from the following authorized distributors: In the United States: -------------------- MVP Software 1035 Dallas SE Grand Rapids, MI 49507 phone: 800-968-9684 24-hour order line only. 616-831-7985 24-hour overseas order line only. 616-831-7981 information and techinical support. fax: (616) 831-7982 order price: $39.95 plus $4.00 shipping in the US, $5.00 shipping to Canada, $6.00 shipping everywhere else. Michigan residents please add appropriate sales tax. In the United Kingdom: --------------------- Atlantic Coast Plc. Station Rd. Colyton, Devon, EX13 6HA phone: 1297 552222 Fax: 1297 553366 order price: L34 (includes shipping and taxes) Dealers please enquire. In Denmark and all of Scandanavia: --------------------------------- Pro-Soft Benloese Skel 4 G DK 4100 Ringsted phone: 53 61 90 42 Fax: 53 61 93 91 order price: 295,00 kr. + VAT 25% + s/h 25,00 The Netherlands and Belgium --------------------------- CSD -- Computer Solutions Dorth Postbus 59 NL-7213 ZH Gorssel THE NETHERLANDS phone: (+31)0575.494.545 Fax: (+31)0575.491.222 order price: fl. 93,00 (includes VAT and shipping) MVP Bridge Deluxe ver 3.4 for Windows Order Form Name ___________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________ City _______________________________ State ______ ZIP __________ Country (if outside USA) _______________________________________ Price of MVP Bridge Deluxe for Windows $39.95 Shipping and Handling (US) 4.00 Shipping and Handling (Canada) 5.00 Shipping and Handling (all other countries) 6.00 Michigan residents add sales tax 2.64 ----- Make check payable to "MVP Software" Total enclosed: $ Master Card/Visa information (credit card orders only) Card number __________________________________________ Expiration date ______________________________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Where did you get the MVP Bridge for Windows evaluation version? Friend CompuServe AOL Exec-PC MVP's WWW Page ZDNet C-Net Shareware Distributor (name): __________________________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Send this order form and your check to: MVP Software, 1035 Dallas SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507 Checks must be in US funds and drawn on a US or Canadian bank. phone: 800-968-9684 24-hour order line only. 616-831-7985 24-hour overseas order line only. 616-831-7981 information and technical support. fax: (616) 831-7982 Installation ------------ To install MVP Bridge for Windows, run Setup from your Windows 3.1 file or program manager or Windows95 Start. Brief Summary of the Rules -------------------------- Bridge is played by 4 players. All cards are dealt so each player has 13 cards that are kept hidden from the other players. Bridge is played with 2 teams. NORTH and SOUTH form one team, while EAST and WEST form the other. In MVP Bridge for Windows, you will always play SOUTH. A hand of bridge is divided into 2 parts: bidding and play. During bidding you try to describe your hand to your partner and make a claim to the number of tricks you can take. During play you try to make the contract that you bid. Evaluation of the Hand ---------------------- To decide how strong your hand is, we assign points to certain cards. These are called high card points or 'HCP'. We rate an Ace (A) at 4 points, a King (K) at 3, a Queen (Q) at 2, and a Jack (J) at 1. Some examples: Kx 3 points AKx 7 points AQx 6 points KJXX 4 points In addition, add points for length when bidding a long suit. 1 point for the 5th card in a suit 1 additional point for 6th in a suit 2 additional points for 7th card in a suit. When raising partner's suit with 4 card support, add: 5 points for a void 3 points for a singleton 1 point for a doubleton With 3 card trump support, add: 3 points for a void 2 points for a singleton 1 point for a doubleton Hand value = high card points + distribution points When opening the bid add HCP and length points. For deciding whether your partnership has enough points for game, you can use total points as follows: Points required for game: 3NT or major suit 26 minor suit 29 small slam 33 grand slam 37 Bidding Primer ------------- Bidding start with the dealer and proceeds clockwise around the table. The suits are arranged in the following order: CLUBS, DIAMONDS, HEARTS, SPADES. Thus 1S can be bid over 1H, but over 1S, you must bid 2H. Bidding a suit usually says that you wish to use that suit as trump. Bidding normally starts at the lowest level possible, but there are also times when the bidder jumps the bidding (For example, an opening bid of 2H or 3H shows a very different hand from 1H.) Playing in a suit contract makes that suit the 'trump' suit. During play, you must follow the suit played. But if you lack any cards in the suit played (this called a 'void'), you may play a trump, and win the trick. You want to play in trump if you and your partner have at least 8 of the cards in a suit. You may also play without trump (NOTRUMP or NT). Bidding continues until everyone has had a chance to bid and there are 3 passes in a row. The person who first bid the suit of the final bid becomes 'declarer'. The person to the left of declarer is the leader for the first trick. The declarer's partner is dummy - her cards are turned over for everyone to see, after the opening lead. Your goal in rubber bridge is to win 2 games to make a rubber. A game is 100 points made by bidding. This can be the result of one or more hands. Scores vary by suit. CLUBS and DIAMONDS are the minor suits, and are worth only 20 points each. HEARTS and SPADES are the major suits and are worth 30 points each. Thus a contract of 4H would give you 120 points, which is a game, but a contract of 4D gives you only 80 points. No trump is a special case. The first NT level is worth 40 points, and successive levels are worth 30 each. Thus 2NT is worth 70 points, and 3NT is 100, a game. If your contract does not give you a game, it remains a partial score until one side makes game. If a contract is set, the defenders gain points. The following sections offer some simple advice for bidding. Opening Bids ------------ You have: HCP Distribution of hand Bid --------- ------------------------------------ ----------------- 12-20 5+ card suit 1 of the suit 16-18 flat (no singleton or void) 1 NT 20-21 flat (no singleton or void) 2 NT 13+ flat, but good 4 card major 1 of a major 13+ no previous bid possible 1 of better minor 5-9 7 card suit 3 of the long suit 5-9 8 card suit 4 of the long suit In actual practice, the tendency is not to bid 4 card majors, unless the suit is strong (eg, AKJx) and there is no alternative. This allows partner to assume that the opener has 5 in the major and to support with only 3. If the suit is good, a 4-3 fit is acceptable. Responses to partner's opening bid ---------------------------------- Partner bid one of a suit ------------------------- You have: HCP Distribution of hand Bid --------- ------------------------------------ ----------------- < 6 Pass 6-9 support for partner's suit* 2 of partner's suit 10-12 support for partner's suit* 3 of partner's suit 13-15 strong major suit trump support Bid a new suit, then game in partner's suit 13-15 balanced 2 NT 16-18 balanced 3 NT 6-18 4 card suit suit at 1 level 18+ 5 card suit Jump shift one level in long suit 10+ 5 card suit suit at 1 or 2 level 6-9 flat hand, no 1 level bid available 1 NT * Support is 3 cards for partner's major or 4 cards for partner's minor. ** Jump shift: a bid that skips a level of bidding. E.g., 1H -- 2S is a jump shift because you could have bid 1S. Partner bid 1NT --------------- You have: HCP Distribution of hand Bid --------- ------------------------------------ ----------------- 8-9 Balanced 2 NT 10-14 Balanced 3 NT < 8 5 or 6 card suit 2 of the suit < 8 Pass 10+ 5 of a major, 5 or 6 of a minor 3 of the suit (forcing) 7+ 6 card major 4 of the major 10+ no 5 card major 3 NT Note: Most players use the Stayman convention which allows the partnership to find a 4-4 major suit fit. Opener's rebids --------------- This next bid lets opener more completely describe her hand. Opener started with 1NT ------------------------ Partner Bid Opener's hand Bid ----------- ---------------------- ----------- 2 NT 17-18 3 NT 3 of major 3+ cards in partner's suit 4 of partner's suit 3 of major 2 cards in partner's suit 3 NT Opener started with a suit bid ------------------------------ Partner Bid Opener's hand Bid ----------- ---------------------- ----------- New suit: 1 level 12-15, no support for partner 1 NT 6 cards in original suit rebid original suit second suit of at least 4 show new suit 12-15, 4 card support raise of partner 15-17, 6+ card suit jump in original suit 16-18, 3+ support jump raise of partner 19-20, 4 card support 4 of partner's major 19-20 2 NT New suit: 2 level 15-18 2 NT (forcing) 12-15, usually 6 card suit rebid original < 16 show second suit < 16, support for parter single raise 17+ reverse* 17+ jump rebid of opener's 17+ 6 card suit jump to game in opener's 17+ 3+ support for partner jump raise in responder's 18+, second suit jump shift (forcing) 19-20 3 NT Bidding continues, with opener and responder describing their hands. Look to bid a game contract with about 25+ points between the 2 hands. This completes the overview of bidding. Once someone opens, the opponents can still compete, usually by bidding a new suit or making a takeout double. For more information on defensive bidding consult any of the many books available in stores and libraries. Conventions ----------- A convention is an artificial bid that does necessarily promise anything in the suit that has been bid. For example, when responding to 1NT, a response of 2C, Stayman, asks partner for a four card major and is a completely artificial bid. Responder may have a singleton club! Conventions are decided upon between the partners BEFORE play begins. All such agreements must be announced to the opponents. NO SECRETS. The following are very brief descriptions of the conventions available in MVP Bridge for Windows. THE TAKEOUT DOUBLE ------------------ The most common usage of this bid is by second hand after the bidding has been opened. The bid "double" announces opening bid values, with support for the unbid suits. The range in HCP for a takeout double is 11+. STAYMAN ------- A 2C response to an opening bid of 1NT or a 3C response to an opening bid of 2NT asking opener for a four card major. BLACKWOOD --------- After the partner has agreed upon a suit, a bid of 4NT by either player asks the other for the number of aces she has. The responses to Blackwood are: 5C 0 or 4 aces 5D 1 ace 5H 2 aces 5S 3 aces After aces have been shown, a rebid of 5NT by the 4NT bidder asks for kings. Responses are the same only one level higher. Note: As a practical matter the responder to Blackwood is not going to have 4 aces because the stronger hand usually does the asking. GERBER ------ A jump to 4C after partner has bid 1NT or 2NT asks partner for aces. Responses to a Gerber 4C leap are: 4D 0 or 4 aces 4H 1 ace 4S 2 aces 4NT 3 aces After aces have been shown, a rebid of 5C by the 4C bidder asks for kings. Responses to a 5C king ask are: 5D 0 or 4 kings 5H 1 king 5S 2 kings 5NT 3 kings WEAK 2 Bid ---------- An opening bid of 2D, 2H or 2S which describes a hand with a reasonable six card suit and 7-9 HCP. It is a preemptive or weak opening bid meant to obstruct the opponents. When playing Weak Two Bids, an opening bid of 2C is reserved for all very strong hands. A 2NT response asks partner to describe her hand. 3 of original suit shows minimum weak 2. 3NT shows suit headed by AKQ or AKJ. 3 of new suit shows a feature (A, K). STRONG 2 Bid ------------ An opening bid of 2C,2D,2H or 2S describes a hand with 21+ points and is forcing to game. NEGDBL ------ When a partner's opening bid is overcalled, a double by responder is similar to a takeout double. It shows at least 4 cards in the unbid major(s). Minimum 7 hcp. Card Play --------- The person who first bid the suit that becomes the final bid becomes the declarer. To make a contract, you must take 6 tricks, plus the number you bid. Thus a 3H contract requires you to take 9 of 13 tricks. The person to the declarer's left is the leader. The leader selects a card and places it so that everyone can see it. At this point, the partner of the declarer lays down his cards for everyone to see. Partner is now the 'dummy' and his cards are played by the declarer. In MVP Bridge for Windows, when North is declarer, you get to play as declarer, and your original hand becomes the dummy. Play proceeds in a clockwise fashion. You must follow suit. If you are void (have none of that suit), you can play any card. In a trump contract, the highest trump played on the trick wins. The winner of the trick leads to the following trick. Rubber Scoring -------------- A rubber is played until one side has scored 2 games. Each game requires 100 points below the line. If a side has won a game, they are then 'vulnerable'. (This increases the penalties if they are later set in a contract). Additional points are awarded for honors as follows: Either declarer or dummy holds: 4 of 5 top trump honor cards +100 5 top trump honor cards +150 all 4 aces, in No Trump +150 If a slam is bid and made, additional bonuses are awarded as follows. Not Vulnerable Vulnerable Small slam (12 tricks) 500 750 Grand slam (13 tricks) 1000 1500 You must win 2 games to end rubber. Additional bonus points are then scored: 700 additional points if your opponents won no games, otherwise 500. Undertrick Penalties -------------------- For each trick by which the declarer fails to make the contract, opponents score the following points (above the line): Not Vulnerable Undoubled Doubled Redoubled First undertrick 50 100 200 For each additional 50 200 400 Vulnerable Undoubled Doubled Redoubled First undertrick 100 200 400 For each additional 100 300 600 If declarer makes a doubled contract, he receives an extra 50 points, "for the insult". Playing a Rubber ---------------- Choosing rubber from the play menu begins a new game of bridge using Rubber scoring. For more information, see Rubber Scoring. Verbose ------- Verbose adds additional information (display with message boxes) to describe conventions being used. It's a good way to learn unfamiliar conventions but does slow down the game some. The menu item display a check mark next to it if verbose mode is on. Simply choose the menu item to toggle verbose on and off. Card Backs ---------- MVP Bridge for Windows provides many card backs from which to choose. Simply click on the card back that you would like used during play. Kibitz ------ Choose which hands to reveal. Note that this destroys basic elements of the game, so should only be used for learning or practice. To toggle kibitzing, click on the card next to the side you wish to change. The card back will be displayed if the hand is not to be revealed, and the Ace of Spades will be displayed if that side is to always be revealed. Background Music ---------------- The music played in the background can be disabled. Background music is the music you hear while bidding and playing a hand. To disable the background music, choose the Background Music menu item. A check mark appears next to the menu item when background music is enabled. Event Music ----------- The music played when a hand is completed can be disabled. To disable the event music, choose the Event Music menu item. A check mark appears next to the menu item when event music is enabled. Explain Hand ------------ Choosing explain from the Hand menu explains the current hand from the view of the current player. You are given bidding information, and the estimated HCP and distribution for each player. Hint ---- If you are bidding, it gives you the suggested bid that you should make. If you are playing, it gives you a suggested card to play. It also places the cursor over the suggested card for you. You can also obtain a hint by pressing the right mouse button. Glossary & Abbreviations ----------------------- Trick -- one complete play of 4 cards. Trump -- the suit of the contract. highest trump played on a trick always wins NT -- No trump HCP - high card points (A = 4, K = 3, Q= 2, J = 1) TCP - total card points (HCP plus distribution) Void -- no cards in a suit Singleton -- one card in a suit Stiff -- a singleton Honor -- ten, Jack, Queen, King or Ace Doubleton -- 2 cards in a suit Tripleton -- 3 cards in a suit Major suit -- hearts or spades Minor suit -- clubs or diamonds Declarer -- the person who plays the hand Dummy -- declarer's partner. After the opening lead, dummy's cards are revealed, and played by declarer. For more information on MVP Bridge for Windows, including audio and video troubleshooting, scoring, additional conventions and multiplayer network/modem play, see the online help.