Bridge Glossary

Wagner Two Diamonds

a two-diamond opening to show a weak two-bid in either spades or hearts.

Waiting

nondescriptive; (of a call) made because any other action would be misdescriptive.

Waive

not enforce (a penalty).

Wallet

type of board (2).

Walk

(verb) (slang) bid gradually or incrementally rather than all at once or with a jump.

Walsh

a bidding system based on Eastern Scientific (sometimes called Western Scientific) that includes many limited actions and special methods (in particular, in response to a one-club opening, bypasssing diamonds to bid a major with less than game-force strength).

Wash (or Washout)

(slang) in team-of-four play, a deal with no net score; push.

WBF

World Bridge Federation.

Weak

(1) lacking strength;

(2) preemptive.

Weak jump overcall

a jump overcall used as a preemptive bid.

Weak jump shift

a single jump response in a new suit used as a preemptive bid.

Weak notrump

a one-notrump opening to show a balanced hand with minimum-range opening strength.

Weak two-bid

an opening two-bid used to show a long suit and values below those for an opening one-bid.

Web

a pairs movement.

Weiss

a defense against preempts: double with at least two cards in opener's suit in a balanced or near-balanced hand, cheapest minor-suit bid for takeout.

West

one of the compass points; one of the four players (usually on declarer's left) in the standard diagram.

Western cue-bid

California cue-bid.

Western Scientific

See Walsh.

Whack

(slang) double (for penalties).

Whist

one of the forerunners of bridge.

White

See: Vulnerability conditions.

White against red

See: Vulnerability conditions.

White against white

See: Vulnerability conditions.

Wholesale

described through total number rather than specific identity. [Example: showing a total of two kings, rather than which ones they are, would be "showing kings wholesale."].

Wide open

(1) lacking a stopper;

(2) lacking a control.

Winkle

a squeeze or other endplay that takes advantage of the opponents' inability to overcome a blocked position.

Winner

high card; card that can or will take a trick.

Wire

(slang) illegal advance information about a deal.

Wolff signoff

after opener's jump to two notrump, a three-club rebid by responder asking opener to bid three diamonds (some allow support for responder's suit), after which a rebid of responder's original suit is weak.

Wonder bid

a bid that shows either length in the suit bid or shortness in the suit bid and length in the other three.

Work count

the 4-3-2-1 pointcount.

Working card

card of potental value to the partnership in its intended strain.

World Bridge Federation

the organizing body for international bridge.

Wriggle

attempt to find an alternative contract (often after having been doubled).

Wrong side

(noun) less favorable placement of declarer (compared to the opposite side of the table partner).

Wrongside

(verb) (slang) to place the declarer on the unfavorable side (usually because it places a particular opponent on lead).