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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

Red vs. white / green / vulnerable vs. non-vulnerable: In rubber bridge, your side is vulnerable when you have won one game in a rubber; in duplicate, the vulnerability is assigned on each hand, and marked in red on the board (thus "red on white" means that you are vulnerable and the opponents are not). If you are vulnerable, you gain increased bonuses for game, but suffer increased penalties for undertricks. "Green" is slang in some places for "white on red."

Reverse: Bidding two suits in the reverse of natural order, forcing partner to take a preference at a higher level than would have been necessary. 1C-1H-1S is not a reverse, since partner can bid 2C; (1C-1S-2H) is, since partner must bid 3C if he prefers clubs. 1H-2D-2S is likewise a reverse, since partner must bid 3H. (1H-2D-3C) is sometimes called a high reverse, since opener went to the 3-level himself. Generally shows substantial extra strength. For additional information on reverses visit the Bridge Archive.

Roman KeyCard Blackwood (RKC): This convention treats the K of trump as if it were an ace, giving 5 aces -- and the responses are:
5C -- 0 or 3 Keycards
5D -- 1 or 4 Keycards
5H -- 2 Keycards without Q of trump
5S -- 2 Keycards and the Q of trump

Over a 5C/5D response, 5 of a non-agreed suit usually asks for the Q of trump. A rebid of the lowest possible level of trump denies it; a bid of 5NT promises the Q, but no (non- trump) kings; 6 of any non-trump suit shows trump Q and K of suit bid; 6NT promises the Q, and the next K up the line.

Round: A period of time during which the same players continue to sit at the same table and must play a certain number of boards.

Ruff: To play a trump when one is unable to follow suit.

Ruffing finesse: A finesse taken by leading the non-highest card when the partner's hand has none left in the suit but does have a trump.

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