Wikipedia:WikiProject Contract bridge/Manual of Style/Appendix 2: Referenced Manuals of Style

This article is a reference document and provides a summary of bridge style recommendations put forth by various sources. The article does not try to make specific recommendations for adoption by WikiProject Contract bridge of any particular style features - that debate is left for the discussion pages of WikiProject Contract bridge/Manual of Style. Here we only summarize what others have put in their manuals of style. =Style recommended by Richard Pavlicek and the World Bridge magazine=

Context descriptions
The presentation of each auction, hand, deal or play is in a context of a competition of some sort and includes the following variables:
 * Event type
 * Form of scoring
 * Deal number
 * Dealer
 * Vulnerability
 * Contract
 * Declarer
 * Opening lead

How or where in the text, tables or diagrams this information is given may vary. The following are Pavlicek's recommendations.

General

 * Variables are typically arranged with the diagrams, e.g. use of the free corners in a deal diagram
 * The layout design should be attractive, simple and unclutterd using minimal text and symbols
 * Keep the same style throughout

Deal Number

 * State as simply as possible
 * Use a number and period only or a short label
 * Recommended examples:
 * 1.
 * Board 3
 * Deal 12

Form of scoring

 * May be obvious and may not need to be stated
 * Examples:
 * Matchpoints
 * IMPs
 * Rubber Bridge

Dealer

 * State in two words
 * Avoid excessive or cryptic wording, eg."Dlr: N" or "North is the Dealer"
 * Stating the dealer may be redundant if a bidding diagram has been used
 * Recommended examples:
 * North Deals
 * West Deals

Vulnerability

 * State in two words
 * "Vulnerable" is abbreviated "Vul" without a period
 * Avoid excessive wording
 * Recommended examples:
 * None Vul
 * N-S Vul
 * Both Vul

Contract and declarer

 * Avoid labels such as "Contract"
 * Use small "x" to denote a doubled contract (or "xx" for redoubled) separated from the bid by a space
 * Stating declarer is unnecessary if South always made declarer
 * Recommended examples:
 * 6
 * 4 x by East
 * 1 NT xx by West

Opening lead

 * Use simple short label
 * Recommended examples:
 * Lead: K
 * Lead: 10

Layout

 * The deal number, contract and declarer (if required) is placed in the upper left corner of the deal diagram
 * The opening lead is placed in the lower left corner of the deal diagram
 * The vulnerability is placed in the upper right hand corner of the deal diagram
 * Alternaively, some information may be presented in the text leading up to the deal diagram or in a bidding table if provided

Play diagram

 * Play diagrams should follow the exact order in which cards are played starting with the lead
 * Number the tricks
 * Showing direction of each leader is optional but preferred
 * Cards are shown by suit and rank with a space between except when following to the suit lead, only the rank is given
 * Do not show all 13 tricks; continue the play diagram only until the remainder becomes trivial and conclude with a summary statement such as "South wins the rest"
 * Recommended example:

Grammar, vocabulary and spelling

 * American or British English spelling and grammar
 * Use of spaces, hyphens and dashes
 * Common errors or deviations from best practices
 * notrump versus no trump or no-trump
 * deal or hand
 * big or small for high or low
 * lead versus play
 * weak versus preemptive
 * psych versus tactical call
 * sluff or slough
 * ruff or rough
 * Yarborough or yarborough
 * lead (first card to a trick) or led (past tense of the verb "to lead")


 * Capitalization
 * Numerals
 * Acronyms