Editing Contract bridge (section)

=== Setup and dealing ===
[[File:Bridge table.png|thumb|left|280px|{{center|Partners sit opposite each other.}}]]
The four players sit in two partnerships with players sitting opposite their partners. A [[cardinal direction]] is assigned to each seat, so that one partnership sits in North and South, while the other sits in West and East.{{Sfn|Gibson|1974|p=134}} The cards may be freshly dealt or, in duplicate bridge games, pre-dealt.<ref name="law8">[[#rubberlaws|Laws of Rubber Bridge]], Law 8, pp. 5&ndash;6.</ref><ref name="duplaw6">[[#duplicatelaws|Laws of Duplicate Bridge]], Law 6, pp. 9&ndash;10.</ref> All that is needed in basic games are the cards and a method of keeping score, but there is often other equipment on the table, such as a board containing the cards to be played (in duplicate bridge), [[bidding box]]es, or [[Screen (bridge)|screens]].<ref name="duplaw7">[[#duplicatelaws|Laws of Duplicate Bridge]], Law 7, p. 11.</ref><ref name="biddingbox">[[#duplicatelaws|Laws of Duplicate Bridge]], p. 136: "The ACBL Board of Directors authorizes tournament organizers in ACBL sanctioned events to use bidding boxes."</ref><ref name="duplaw80">[[#duplicatelaws|Laws of Duplicate Bridge]], Law 80, pp. 99&ndash;100.</ref>

[[File:Bridge boards box.jpg|thumb|220px|{{center|[[Board (bridge)|Duplicate Boards]] with cards}}]]
In rubber bridge each player draws a card at the start of the game; the player who draws the highest card deals first. The second highest card becomes the dealer's partner and takes the chair on the opposite side of the table. They play against the other two.<ref name="law3" /> The deck is shuffled and cut, usually by the player to the left of the dealer, before dealing. Players take turns to deal, in clockwise order. The dealer deals the cards clockwise, one card at a time.<ref name="law8" /><ref name="law4">[[#rubberlaws|Laws of Rubber Bridge]], Law 4, p. 4.</ref> Normally, rubber bridge is played with two packs of cards and whilst one pack is being dealt, the dealer's partner shuffles the other pack. After shuffling the pack is placed on the right ready for the next dealer. Before dealing, the next dealer passes the cards to the previous dealer who cuts them.

In duplicate bridge the cards are pre-dealt, either by hand or by a computerized dealing machine, in order to allow for competitive scoring. Once dealt, the cards are placed in a device called a [[Board (bridge)|"board"]], having slots designated for each player's cardinal direction seating position. After a deal has been played, players return their cards to the appropriate slot in the board, ready to be played by the next table.<ref name="duplaw6be">[[#duplicatelaws|Laws of Duplicate Bridge]], Law 6B & 6E, pp. 9&ndash;10.</ref><ref name="duplaw7bc">[[#duplicatelaws|Laws of Duplicate Bridge]], Law 7B & 7C, p. 11.</ref>