Editing Contract bridge (section)

===Bidding boxes and screens===
[[File:bidding_box.png|thumb|upright|A [[bidding box]] containing all the possible calls a player can make in the auction]]
In tournaments, "[[bidding box]]es" are frequently used, as noted above. These avoid the possibility of players at other tables hearing any spoken bids.  The bidding cards are laid out in sequence as the auction progresses.  Although it is not a formal rule, many clubs adopt a protocol that the bidding cards stay revealed until the first playing card is tabled, after which point the bidding cards are put away. Bidding pads are an alternative to bidding boxes. A bidding pad is a block of 100mm square tear-off sheets. Players write their bids on the top sheet. When the first trick is complete the sheet is torn off and discarded.

In top national and international events, "[[screen (bridge)|bidding screens]]" are used. These are placed diagonally across the table, preventing partners from seeing each other during the game; often the screen is removed after the auction is complete.