Before proceeding to the Laws in detail, it should be premised that Bridge,
like ordinary Whist, is played by four persons, two against two, with the
full pack of fifty-two cards (two such packs being {224} used alternately).
The players cut for partners and for deal; the cards are shuffled, cut, and
dealt in the usual way, thirteen to each player; but no card is turned up,
the trump suit being named by the dealer, or by his partner, as hereafter
explained.
Before perusing the following general remarks, the reader should study the
Club code of Laws, which will be found at the end of this chapter, and
which contains full particulars as to naming the trump suit, doubling and
re-doubling, revoke penalty, mode of reckoning up points, &c.