Definition

Noun: A version of the card game contract bridge in which, for a particular hand, no suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, or spades) is designated as the trump suit. This means all suits are of equal rank, and the highest card of the suit led wins the trick.

Usage

The term "no-trump" is used primarily in the context of contract bridge to describe a bid, a contract, or the state of play for a hand. * The declarer bid no-trump. * They played the hand in no-trump. * A no-trump contract requires different strategies than a suit contract.

Examples

• "Her favorite contract to play is three no-trump."
• "The success of the no-trump bid depended on establishing the long suit."
• "In no-trump, aces and kings are particularly valuable."

Advanced Usage

• "to bid no-trump": To make a bid specifying a no-trump contract (e.g., "one no-trump," "three no-trump").
• "no-trump hand": A hand considered suitable for playing in a no-trump contract, typically featuring balanced distribution and high-card strength in multiple suits.

Variants and Related Words

• No-trumps (noun, chiefly British): An alternative form with the same meaning (e.g., "a contract of three no-trumps").
• Notrump (noun): A common alternative spelling, often used as a single word.
• Trump (noun/verb): The suit designated to outrank all others, which is the contrasting state to "no-trump."

Synonyms

• NT (abbreviation): The standard abbreviation used in bridge notation and scoring.

Related Phrases

• "balanced for no-trump": A description of a hand with no long suit and no void, typically suitable for a no-trump bid.
• "no-trump opening": An initial bid of one no-trump, which conventionally shows a specific range of high-card points and a balanced hand.

Noun

1. a version of contract bridge in which no suit is designated as trump for the duration of the hand