overtrick
LowTechnical / Specialised
Definition
Meaning
In contract bridge and similar card games, a trick won by the declarer in excess of the number bid and required for contract fulfilment.
Any achievement or surplus beyond a minimum requirement, especially in competitive or strategic contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term's usage is almost exclusively limited to trick-taking card games, particularly contract bridge. Its metaphorical use is extremely rare and typically occurs in discussions of strategy or performance relative to a target.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is equally standard and specialist in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral within its domain. An overtrick can represent skillful play or an opponent's error.
Frequency
Identically low. It is only used by those familiar with contract bridge or similar games.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Declarer] scored/made an overtrick.The contract was [number] with [number] overtricks.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Play for overtricks (to aim for a score beyond the basic contract).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in academic papers on game theory or bridge strategy.
Everyday
Virtually never used outside of card game contexts.
Technical
The primary domain. Standard terminology in bridge literature, scoring, and commentary.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Not applicable - 'overtrick' is solely a noun.)
American English
- (Not applicable - 'overtrick' is solely a noun.)
adverb
British English
- (Not applicable - 'overtrick' is not an adverb.)
American English
- (Not applicable - 'overtrick' is not an adverb.)
adjective
British English
- (Not applicable as a standalone adjective. Can be used attributively as in 'overtrick score'.)
American English
- (Not applicable as a standalone adjective. Can be used attributively as in 'overtrick bonus'.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (A2 level is too low for this highly specialised term.)
- (B1 level is too low for this highly specialised term.)
- In bridge, an overtrick adds to your final score.
- We needed four tricks but won five, so we had one overtrick.
- The declarer's careful finesse yielded a valuable overtrick.
- Aggressive bidding often aims to secure contracts where overtricks are likely.
- Defenders must sometimes sacrifice an overtrick to protect against a more significant score for the opponents.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'over' as 'above the contract' and 'trick' as the unit of play. OVERTRICK = a trick OVER what you need.
Conceptual Metaphor
ACHIEVEMENT IS EXCESS (beyond the required minimum).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'перехитрить' (to outwit). 'Overtrick' is a noun, not a verb. The closest direct translation is 'лишняя взятка'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They overtricked').
- Applying it to non-card-game contexts without clear metaphorical setup.
- Confusing it with 'overturn' or 'override'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'overtrick' primarily used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost never. Its usage is 99% confined to trick-taking card games, especially contract bridge. Any other use is a deliberate, context-specific metaphor.
An 'undertrick'. This is when the declarer fails to make the number of tricks required by their contract, resulting in a penalty.
Not necessarily. While it can result from skillful play, it might also occur if the opponents make a defensive error or if the contract was bid too cautiously.
No, it is exclusively a noun. The corresponding action is expressed with verbs like 'make', 'score', or 'take' an overtrick.