Swiss Team Events

Pairs isn't the only way to play competitive bridge. One of the most popular events at tournaments is called Swiss Teams.

How Swiss Teams Works. Four or more players form a team and are assigned at random to play another team in a match of 7 boards. One half of your team plays one half of the other team at each of two tables, so your team plays both the N/S and E/W cards for every hand. The team scoring the best results in each match wins, and it is then assigned next to play another team which has won their match. Similarly, losers are assigned other losing teams for their next match.

Eight Matches - Two Sessions. This goes on for 8 matches during two sessions, for a total of 56 boards in a day's competition. Winners play teams that won -- losers play teams that lose. Thus, you eventually play teams at about your level of play on that day.

There are some fractional master points awarded for every match won, and major points are awarded the overall winners and 3 to 5 places below.

Usually, everyone playing Swiss wins some master points; that's why they're so popular.