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Bridge can be as bad as NASA for confusing acronyms and lingo! Welcome to the Jargon Jungle - a glossary of bridge terms designed to help you hack your way through to a better understanding of the game of bridge. Just click on the first letter of the word you wish to find!  Each letter of the alphabet reloads the page.

Also, if you would like to suggest a term not presently included on the list, or see a correction that needs to be made, please drop us a note.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Elimination: To play all the cards in a particular suit so that defenders can not play that suit - either because they no longer have any or because it will provide a sluff and ruff.

Endplay: A situation, often but not necessarily occurring toward the end of the play of a hand, where a player is on lead and for this reason any play gives up a trick. For example, having to lead from the last two cards of a hand when those cards are KJ of trumps and an opponent holds AQ.

Entry: A card which will take a trick even if the hand containing it is not leading to the trick; very important since it enables that hand to get the lead to take other winners, for finessing, etc. Whether a particular card is an entry generally depends on the holding in the other hands - i.e. the ace of a non-trump suit is a sure entry only if you know that your partner or an opponent will lead that suit and it won't be ruffed.

Establish: To eliminate all high cards held by the opponents in a suit, so that your small ones will take tricks (unless ruffed). One also speaks of establishing a some number of tricks; for example, if you hold KQJ opposite xx in a suit at no trump, and the opponents take the ace on the first round of the suit, when two tricks have been established for your side.
 

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