Glossary of Contract Bridge Terms - E

E

Eastern Scientific

A bidding style that developed in the Eastern United States, particularly the New York region. It is characterized by five-card majors with a forcing one notrump response and limit raises, strong notrump with Jacoby transfers, and strong (but not game forcing) two-over-one responses.

EBL

European Bridge League, the official organising body of bridge in Europe.

EBU

English Bridge Union, the official organising body of bridge in England.

Echo

The play of first the higher, then the lower of two cards of the same suit on separate tricks to encourage or, by prior agreement, to discourage (see upside-down signals) partner's continuation of a suit; or to signal possession of (normally) an even number of cards in the suit at the time the higher card is played.

EHAA

Acronym for Every Hand An Adventure, a bidding style that emphasizes very weak notrump opening bids (often 10-12 HCP), four-card majors, and undisciplined weak-two bids.

Eight ever, nine never

A Bridge maxim that advises players when to finesse for a missing queen. With eight cards in the suit, always ("ever") finesse; but with nine cards, never finesse, rather play for the queen to drop under the play of the ace and king. Experienced players often ignore this advice in favor of considerations such as the danger hand, combination play, and the known or inferred distribution of other suits.

EKB

Acronym for Exclusion Keycard Blackwood, a variant of the Roman Keycard Blackwood, which shows a void in the bid suit and asks partner to exclude the named suit ace if held.

Elimination

The removal, by playing a suit or suits, of safe exit cards from defenders' hands, normally in preparation for an endplay. The classic (but not the only) example is to leave an endplayed defender with the choice of conceding a ruff and discard or giving declarer a free finesse.

Elope

To win a trick by ruffing with a trump lower in rank than an opponent's trump. The Coup en passant is an example of an elopement.

Encrypted

An agreement that the meaning of bids or card signals may change as more information about a deal becomes available. For example, when declarer shows out of a suit, the defenders can tell whether the rank of West's lowest remaining card in the suit is even or odd (and declarer probably does not have that information). The defenders might have agreed that if West's lowest remaining card is even, normal attitude signals will be in effect, but if it is odd, upside-down signals will be used. In such a case, the defenders' agreement is encrypted.

Ending

The layout of the cards when just a few tricks remain to be played. In a "four-card ending", each player has four cards left. Such positions can be of special interest because squeezes and other endplays tend to occur near the end of the play.

Endplay

A play which forces a particular opponent to win a trick, so that that opponent must then make a favorable lead. That player is said to be "endplayed". Normally, the player who is endplayed is a defender. Although the word implies that the play occurs toward the end of a hand, it often occurs earlier, and in exceptional cases the opening leader can be said to be "endplayed at Trick One."

Enter

1) To win a trick in the opposite hand, thereby giving it the right to lead to the next trick.

2) To make the first call for a partnership after the opponents have bid.

3) To join a bridge competition.

Entry

1) A card that allows a particular hand to win a trick that partner or an opponent has led to. Entries are vital to communication.

2) A seating assignment in a bridge competition. Entries designate the participants' initial table number, direction at that table, and (if applicable) section.

Entry-shifting squeeze

A squeeze in which the declarer decides whether to overtake the squeeze card or to let it hold the trick, depending on the play of the intervening opponent.

Entry squeeze

A squeeze that puts pressure on a holding that interferes with declarer's entries.

Equal level conversion

An agreement concerning rebids after take-out doubles. Traditionally, the bid of a new suit by the player who has made a take-out double is considered forcing. Under the equal level conversion agreement, the bid of a new suit by the doubler is not forcing if it is at the same level as advancer's bid. So, equal level conversion means that in the sequence 1♠ - (Dbl) - P - (2♦); P - (2♥), 2♥ is considered non-forcing.

Equals

Cards in one hand that are adjacent in rank and thus have equal trick-taking power.

Escape suit

A long suit to which a bidder can escape if necessary or desirable. The bidder of a comic notrump might run to his long suit if doubled.

Establish

To make winners of the remaining cards in a suit by playing or forcing out higher cards.

Even

1) A split with the same number of cards in each hand. A 2-2 split is an even split.

2) Of the number of cards in a suit found in a hand: two cards, four cards, and so on.

Event

A duplicate bridge contest.

Exclusion bid

A bid, such as 2♦ in the Roman Club system, that shows length in all suits except the one named.

Exclusion Blackwood

An agreement that responder to a Blackwood bid will show the number of aces held outside a particular suit.

Exit card

A card that is used to put a different hand on lead, normally to avoid making a self-destructive lead in another suit.

Expert

Someone who plays bridge better than others in their usual level of play.

Exposed card

A card whose suit and rank become known through an irregularity. An exposed card may be subject to penalty.

Extra values

Values (in the form of High card points, shortage or cover cards), which are in addition to the values that a player has promised so far in the bidding.