Bid Whist scoring
Books above six
Bid Whist scoring is unusual in one way that decides everything: the defending side never gains a point. All they can do is stop the bidders and push them backwards.
What a contract actually promises
| Bid | Books needed |
|---|---|
| 3 | 9 of 13 |
| 4 | 10 of 13 |
| 5 | 11 of 13 |
| 6 | 12 of 13 |
| 7 | All 13 |
Remember that the bidder's six kitty discards already count as the partnership's first book, so a 7 contract is ambitious rather than impossible.
Sources: Pagat: Bid Whist.
Made, set, and the defenders
Bid 4, take 11
Eleven books is five above six, so the partnership scores 5, not the 4 it bid. Overperforming is rewarded in full.
Bid 5, take 9
Nine books is only three above six, short of the five promised. The partnership loses 5, the value of the bid, regardless of how far short it fell.
Stopping a contract
The defenders score nothing for the set. Their gain is that the bidders moved backwards, which is how a match is won from behind.
Sources: Pagat: Bid Whist.
No Trump doubles in both directions
A No Trump contract is worth twice as much and costs twice as much. A made 4 No Trump that brings in eleven books scores 10 instead of 5, and a set 4 No Trump costs 8 instead of 4.
With the Boston bonus switched on, taking all thirteen books makes the hand count four times. It does not compound with the No Trump double into eight. That non-compounding choice is this table's, not a universal rule: published sources describe a Boston bonus without settling how it interacts with No Trump.
Sources: Pagat: Bid Whist.
Winning the match
A partnership wins by reaching plus seven, or by driving its opponents to minus seven. Because only bidders score, a team that keeps getting set can lose without the other side ever taking a contract of its own. Big Mike also supports a longer plus or minus fourteen match.
Worked example
Losing without being outscored
A partnership that bids and is set on two consecutive hands, first at 3 and then at 4, finishes at minus seven and loses the match, even though the other side never successfully bid a single contract of its own.
Sources: Pagat: Bid Whist.
Quick answers
Bid Whist scoring FAQ
How do you score a made Bid Whist contract?
The bidding partnership scores every book it took above six, not merely the number it bid. Taking eleven books on a bid of 4 scores 5.
What happens when a Bid Whist contract is set?
The bidding partnership loses the value of its bid. A set 5 contract costs 5, however many books short it finished.
Do defenders score in Bid Whist?
No. Only the bidding partnership's score changes. Setting a contract is worth doing because it drives the opponents toward minus seven, not because it earns points.
What is a Boston in Bid Whist?
The word is used two ways. Pagat uses it for a bid of seven; many tables use it for taking all thirteen books however you bid. Big Mike Games uses the second sense, and its optional Boston bonus makes the whole hand count four times.
Skip the arithmetic
Use the free Bid Whist scorekeeper
Enter the contract and the books taken. The tool applies the double, the Boston bonus, and the match target.