no-trump
LowTechnical/Specialist (Card Games)
Definition
Meaning
A declaration in contract bridge or whist that a hand will be played without a suit as trumps (i.e., with no suit having special scoring or trick-taking power).
In a broader card-playing context, refers to a contract or hand played without a designated trump suit, where the highest card of the suit led wins the trick.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This term is a noun (the bid/contract) and can be used attributively (e.g., a no-trump hand). It is almost exclusively used in the context of trick-taking card games like bridge.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is identical. Pronunciation may have slight accent variations. The concept and rules are standardised internationally in bridge.
Connotations
None beyond the technical meaning.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, confined to card game contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Player] bid no-trump.The contract was [number] no-trump.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Balanced hand for a no-trump bid.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in mathematical game theory or analyses of bridge.
Everyday
Only among card game players.
Technical
Core term in contract bridge rules and strategy.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- Her one no-trump opening showed a balanced hand.
- The no-trump contract was difficult to make.
American English
- A weak no-trump bid can be very effective.
- He was in a risky three no-trump contract.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He said 'one no-trump'.
- The game was played with no trump suit.
- Experts often debate the best point range for opening a weak no-trump.
- Declarer made the no-trump contract with an elegant squeeze play.
- The precision of their bidding system allowed them to stop safely in two no-trump when their slam exploration faltered.
- A well-timed no-trump overcall can effectively disrupt the opponents' communication.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'NO special TRUMP card' has power; all suits are equal.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD (where no suit has an unfair advantage).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid a direct translation like 'нет козыря'. In Russian bridge terminology, it is 'бескозырка' or the calque 'ноу-трамп'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'He no-trumped') is incorrect. It's 'He bid no-trump'.
- Hyphenation is often omitted in writing ('notrump'), but the hyphenated form is standard in dictionaries.
Practice
Quiz
What does a player indicate by bidding 'no-trump'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes. It is a central concept in contract bridge and related games like whist. It is not used in other card games like poker.
No, it is a noun or attributive adjective. The verb is 'to bid no-trump' or 'to play in no-trump'.
The standard abbreviation in bridge scoring and notation is 'NT' (e.g., 3NT for three no-trump).
No meaningful difference. 'No-trump' is the hyphenated dictionary form, but 'notrump' is a common unhyphenated variant in card game literature.