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Wagner Two Diamonds - See Conventions

Bidding

Waiting - A non-descriptive call, anticipating further information from partner (or opponents) before proceeding with the auction.  For instance, many players use 2D as a waiting bid over opener's strong 2C bid.  See Systems
 

Laws

Waive - To dismiss a penalty by an opponent:

Acceptance of insufficient bid - See Law 27
Acceptance of lead out of turn - See Law 53
After call out of rotation - See Law 29
After irregularity - See Law 9  10  11
By dummy's infraction - See Law 43
Director's discretion - See Law 81
Inability of player to waive - See Law 72
Play before assessment of penalty for infraction - See Law 60
Retention of right to call - See Law 34

Wallet - A non-rigid board used by duplicate Bridge players. See Board

Walk - To make smaller incremental bids to fully describe partnership assets, such as a "slow-shows, fast denies" treatment.
 

Walk The Dog - See Walk

Walsh Diamond (Walsh Responses) - See Conventions

Walsh System - A collection of bidding agreements originally developed by Richard Walsh.  The system, earlier called Western Scientific, was adapted from the Roth-Stone system.  See Conventions
 

Laws

Warning Partner - In a few circumstances, Bridge Laws permit a player to caution their partner not to commit an irregularity during play.   For instance, the dummy is permitted to inquire if the declarer is void when not following to a trick and advise the declarer to lead from the correct hand. Should the declarer not play the suit lead, the dummy may also ask to ensure declarer is void in that suit.  Incidentally, these rights are lost for the hand when the dummy intentionally looks at the hand of an opponent or partner.  See Law 42  61
 

Wash - To complete a team event session with a neutral net score, also known as a "push".

WBF - World Bridge Federation

WBFLC - WBF Laws Committee

WBU - Welsh Bridge Union

Weak - A hand or bid beneath normal strength requirements.

Weak 2 Bid - See Details, Conventions, Feature, Ogust, Convention Card Instructions, and books on Preempts  For more on preemptive bids, please refer to our newsletters Part I, Part II, and Part III.
 

Weak Jump Overcall - A non-constructive skip bid over opponent's initial bid, with the intention to preempt opponents.  Example:

(1D) - 2S
 

Weak Jump Shift - After partner opens the bidding, the use of a jump bid in a new suit, with the intention to preempt opponents.  Example:

1C - (P) - 2S                  1D - (P) - 3C
 

Weak Notrump - Less than the common 1 Notrump opening range of 15-17 or 16-18 High Card Points used by many players.  See Conventions
 

Weak Suit - An inferior suit held by opponents, likely to be lead against by the other side hoping to establish tricks based on length.
 

Weak Suit Game Try - See Conventions

Weak 2 Bid - A 2 level opening bid (other than the strong 2C bid), intended to serve as a preemptive call typically with values beneath an opening hand.  For details, see Systems and Details.

Also see Books on Preempts
 

Weiss - See Conventions

West - In a standard Bridge Diagram, the player to the left side of the table (North at top).  See Example
 

Western Cuebid - See Conventions

Western Scientific - A collection of bidding agreements originally developed by Richard Walsh.  The system, also known as the Walsh System, was adapted from the Roth-Stone system.  See Conventions
 

Whack - To Double opponents' bid for penalty.

General

Wheel - Referring to a hand-drawn circular sketch divided into four quadrants, each representing an overhead assignment for each player.  The wheel is used to aid the scorer regarding the Vulnerability for each player when using Chicago scoring.  See Examples
 

Whist - The precursor card game to Bridge.

White - Referring to favorable Vulnerability. See Example

White Card - The colloquial term referring to an insignificant spot card (pip).  See Card Names
 

White Versus White- Referring to both sides having favorable Vulnerability (neutral).  See Example
 

White Versus Red - Referring to favorable Vulnerability. See Examples

Wholesale - A call showing gross rather than specific attributes.  For instance, after 5 Notrump regular Blackwood call the responder bids show the wholesale count of the number of Aces without inquiring about a specific Ace (as opposed to "Specific Kings", bid up the line).
 

Wide Open - Typically when playing a Notrump contract, a holding lacking a stopper or control in a specific suit.
 

Winkle Squeeze - A unique form of a Secondary Squeeze where opponent's are forced to choose between a throw-in, providing transportation to declarer, or an unblocking loss.  See Example
 

General

Winner -

Wire - From nefarious methods, to obtain advance information about bidding, play, player holdings, or final scoring before playing the actual hand.
 

Withdrawal Of Acquiescence In Claim - See Law 69

Wolff Signoff - See Conventions

Women's Pairs - A four-session women's pair game with two qualifiers and two finals.  The tournament is played at the North America Bridge Championship Spring tournament.
 

Wonder Bid - See Conventions
 

Woolsey over Opponents' Notrump - See Conventions
 

General

Work Point Count - Originally devised by Bryant McCampbell and later published by Milton Work, the best known High Card Point (HCP) hand evaluation method in use today. 

See Distribution Points
 

Working Cards - The term used to describe useful values in the establishment of tricks by the declarer, typically honors or a long running suit.  See Distribution Points
 

World Bridge Federation - The main organization responsible for coordinating and managing Bridge on a world-wide basis across all countries.  See WBF website
 

Duplicate

World Junior Team Championship - A four person team game for players under 26 years of age.  The event is held every other year;
in odd years the tourney is hosted by the WBF, in even years the ACBL becomes the host.  This is the most prestigious event for players under the age of 26.
 

World Wide Pairs - Previously known as the Epson Pairs Championship, an international competition hosted by local Clubs during June and scored using instant matchpoints.
 

Duplicate

Written Bidding - While seldom used with the inception of the bidding boxes, a method where each player writes down their bid on a common piece of paper (rotated clockwise to conform with natural bidding).  Like the bidding box, written bidding is designed to promote bidding without providing Unauthorized Information.
 

Wriggle - Typically after opponents initiate a penalty double, an attempt by the declaring side to slip into a more desirable contract - perhaps only a less disastrous one.  See Exodus, Moscow Escape, Pre-Escape
 

Written Explanation - See Law 20
 

Wrong Board - See Law  15  17  90
 

General

 

Wrong Side -

WTP - Abbreviation for What's The Problem?