Where to play

Just Play Bridge

Just Play Bridge is a solo format on Bridge Base Online (bridgebase.com): you play one seat and robots play the other three, with no account needed. This page explains how it works, what it is good for, and what it doesn't keep.

How it works

  1. You're dealt one hand and take the South seat.
  2. Robots bid and play the other three, including your partner's.
  3. You bid your hand normally. Dummy goes down after the opening lead, as in any deal.
  4. You play it out, and the next deal starts.

It's single dummy: you see 26 cards, your own and dummy's, the same as at a real table. That makes it practice for real bridge. See four-handed bridge for why this matters.

What it is good for

  • Starting instantly. You don't need an account or a fourth player. If you want to try bridge tonight, it's one of the quickest ways to start.
  • Playing without being watched. Nobody sees your mistakes, which helps if you're a nervous beginner.
  • Volume. You can play far more hands per hour than at a real table.

What it doesn't keep

Just Play Bridge deals aren't stored. They don't appear in My Hands, which is where BBO keeps the boards from its normal tables.

Much of what you can learn from a deal comes after it: seeing all four hands, working out whether the contract was reachable, and finding the trick you gave away at trick three.

A note on the scoring

Just Play Bridge scores in total points: the raw score for the contract, with no comparison against anyone else playing the same cards.

This changes what good play looks like. Total points rewards bidding and making contracts, and giving up an overtrick for a safer line costs you very little. At matchpoints that overtrick can matter a lot, so habits built at total points need adjusting before a duplicate session.

Playing the same format elsewhere

Several sites offer the same format of one seat, three robots and a full deal. They differ in what happens when the board ends.

A practice table on BridgeArena deals the same way, with you in the South seat. Each board is kept with its auction and all four hands, can be replayed trick by trick, and can be exported as PBN. Practice and casual play are free.

If Just Play Bridge is all you want, BBO does it well. If you want to look back at your boards later, look for a site that keeps them.

BridgeArena