Duplicate Contract Bridge is played with a pack of 52 cards, consisting
of 13 cards in each of four suits. The suits rank downward in the order
Spades (),
Hearts (
),
Diamonds (
),
Clubs (
).
The cards of each suit rank downward in the order Ace, King, Queen, Jack,
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,4, 3, 2.
A duplicate board containing a pack is provided for each deal to be played during a session. Each board is numbered and has four pockets to hold the four hands, designated North, East, South and West. The dealer and vulnerability are designated as follows:
North Dealer | Boards | 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
East Dealer | Boards | 2 | 6 | 10 | 14 |
South Dealer | Boards | 3 | 7 | 11 | 15 |
West Dealer | Boards | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
Neither Side Vulnerable | Boards | 1 | 8 | 11 | 14 |
North-South Vulnerable | Boards | 2 | 5 | 12 | 15 |
East-West Vulnerable | Boards | 3 | 6 | 9 | 16 |
Both Sides Vulnerable | Boards | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 |
The same sequence is repeated for Boards 17-32, and for each subsequent group of 16 boards.
No board that fails to conform to these conditions should be used. If such board is used, however, the conditions marked on it apply for that session.
Four players play at each table, and tables are numbered in a sequence established by the Director. He designates one direction as North; other compass directions assume the normal relationship to North.
The four players at each table constitute two partnerships or sides, North-South against East-West. In pair or team events, the contestants enter as pairs or teams and retain the same partnerships throughout a session (except in the case of substitutions authorised by the Director). In individual events each player enters separately, and partnerships change during a session.