Bridge Software & Tools: The Complete Guide (2026)

Mobile apps are great for playing bridge on the go, but if you’re running a club, analyzing hands seriously, or trying to improve your game beyond casual play, you need real software. We’re talking desktop programs that score tournaments, generate hand records, analyze double-dummy results, and help you prepare for serious competition.

The bridge software ecosystem can be confusing. Some programs cost hundreds of dollars and look like they were designed in 1995 (spoiler: many were). Others are free but require a PhD to configure. And unlike mobile apps, where you can just uninstall if something doesn’t work, bridge software often requires installation, licensing, and learning curves measured in hours, not minutes.

Here’s what you actually need to know: different bridge software serves completely different purposes. You don’t need all of it. A club director’s toolkit looks nothing like a tournament player’s setup, which looks nothing like what a bridge teacher needs.

This guide breaks down every major category of bridge software, what it actually does, and who should bother installing it.

Quick Reference: What Do You Need?

If you’re a club director:

Scoring software: ACBLscore (required for ACBL clubs) or EBUScore (UK)
Dealing software: Big Deal or Dealmaster Pro
Bridgemate system for electronic scoring (optional but worth it)

If you’re a serious player:

Playing/practice: Jack or Q-Plus Bridge
Hand analysis: Deep Finesse (free online) or BridgeSolver
One of the online platforms (BBO, Funbridge) for actual play

If you’re a teacher:

Dealing software for custom hands: Big Deal
Hand record generator: Deal Master
Playing program with replay features: Jack

Let’s break down each category.

Playing & Practice Programs

These are full bridge-playing programs where you sit at a table and play hands against AI opponents. Think of them as sophisticated solitaire, but for bridge.

Jack Bridge

Best for: Serious practice, tournament preparation, playing full sessions solo

Pricing: $99 one-time purchase

Jack has been the gold standard for bridge playing software for over 20 years. The AI is legitimately strong—good enough that national champions use it for practice. You won’t find the defensive errors or bidding quirks that plague cheaper programs.

Key Features:

World-class AI opponents (adjustable skill levels)
Plays Standard American, 2/1, Acol, and custom systems
Tournament-style duplicate scoring
Extensive hand libraries (thousands of curated deals)
Detailed analysis and hints
Practice specific conventions or card play techniques

Platform: Windows, Mac

The Honest Truth:

Jack is expensive but worth it if you’re serious. The AI actually makes sensible plays. It won’t revoke, lead from the wrong hand, or make bizarre bids. Compare that to free programs where the computer ruffs your winner because the algorithm got confused.

The interface looks dated, yes. But it’s functional, stable, and fast. You’re not buying this for aesthetics—you’re buying it because you want 300 practice hands this month without begging for partners.

Who Should Use Jack:

Tournament players preparing for events
Anyone wanting serious practice without scheduling partners
Players working on specific weaknesses (e.g., “I need to practice 50 slam hands”)
People who live in areas without regular games

Skip it if you’re a beginner or casual player. The $99 is better spent on lessons.

Q-Plus Bridge

Best for: Beginners and intermediate players who want guided practice

Pricing: $49 one-time purchase

Q-Plus is Jack’s friendlier, cheaper cousin. The AI is weaker but still competent for learning. What it lacks in strength, it makes up for in teaching features.

Key Features:

Gentler AI for beginners
Built-in tutorials and lessons
Hint system that explains plays
Create custom hands for practice
Multiple bidding systems supported
Replay and analysis tools

Platform: Windows only

This is great if you’re past the “what’s a trick?” stage but not ready for tournament competition. It’ll help you practice without embarrassing you.

Who Should Use Q-Plus:

Intermediate players improving their game
People who want practice but find Jack intimidating
Windows users on a budget
Anyone needing patient AI opponents

Bridge Baron

Best for: Casual players who want something simple

Pricing: $30 - $60 depending on version

Bridge Baron has been around forever. It’s not the strongest AI, not the best interface, but it’s cheap and does the basics. Think of it as the Honda Civic of bridge software—reliable transportation, nothing fancy.

The bidding has quirks. The defense occasionally does weird things. But for casual practice, it’s fine.

Who Should Use It: Skip this unless you’re on a tight budget and just want something basic. At this price point, you’re better off using free online options like BBO’s practice robots.

Hand Analysis Tools

These programs analyze bridge hands mathematically, showing the optimal line of play and all possible outcomes. They’re invaluable for improving your card play and settling debates about whether a contract was makeable.

Deep Finesse

Best for: Analyzing whether contracts were makeable, settling arguments, improving card play

Pricing: Free online tool; integrated into many other programs

Deep Finesse is the engine that powers analysis across the bridge world. It calculates the double-dummy solution to any hand—meaning it shows what happens with perfect play and perfect information.

Key Features:

Shows optimal play for any contract
Calculates all makeable contracts
Instant analysis (usually under 1 second)
Used by tournament directors to verify results
Free web interface available

Platform: Web-based (free), also licensed in many commercial programs

The Honest Truth:

Deep Finesse tells you what’s theoretically possible, not what’s practical at the table. Yes, 3NT makes with perfect play if you run the ♦9 through on the third round, guess the ♠Q location correctly, and end-play West. But nobody’s doing that in real time.

Use it to improve your card play, not to beat yourself up. “I could have made it” and “I should have made it” are different things.

Who Should Use Deep Finesse:

Everyone. It’s free. Use the web version.
Tournament players analyzing their results
Teachers demonstrating optimal lines of play
Anyone settling the “could we have made that?” debate

BridgeSolver

Best for: Deep analysis of specific hands, exploring multiple lines

Pricing: $69

BridgeSolver is like Deep Finesse’s more interactive sibling. Instead of just showing you the answer, it lets you explore different lines and see what happens. It’s a learning tool, not just a calculator.

Key Features:

Interactive hand exploration
Compare different lines of play
Probability calculations
Defensive analysis
Practice mode for specific positions

Platform: Windows

Who Should Use It:

Serious students of card play
Teachers preparing lessons
Players working on specific technical skills

Most people can get by with free Deep Finesse. BridgeSolver is for enthusiasts who want to dive deeper.

Scoring Software

If you run a bridge club or tournament, you need software that pairs players, scores results, calculates rankings, and generates reports. This is mission-critical stuff—if the scoring crashes, your game stops.

ACBLscore

Best for: ACBL-sanctioned clubs and tournaments (required for ACBL events)

Pricing: $295 for clubs; $495+ for tournaments

If you run an ACBL club, this isn’t optional—it’s required. ACBLscore handles all the math, movement types, and reporting formats that ACBL demands. It also looks like Windows XP threw up on your screen, but that’s beside the point.

Key Features:

All ACBL-approved movements (Mitchell, Howell, Swiss, etc.)
Automatic masterpoint calculations
Direct reporting to ACBL
Pair/player databases
Hand record integration
Stratification and bracketing

Platform: Windows only

The Honest Truth:

ACBLscore is mandatory for ACBL clubs, so there’s no point reviewing it like a normal product. You need it, you buy it, you learn it. The interface is terrible, the learning curve is steep, and you’ll spend your first three sessions panicking about whether you clicked the right buttons.

But it works. Thousands of clubs use it weekly without disaster. There are training materials, support forums, and usually someone at your local unit who can help.

Budget 10-20 hours to learn it properly. Do NOT try to wing it during your first real game.

Who Needs ACBLscore:

ACBL club directors (mandatory)
ACBL tournament directors (mandatory)
Anyone sanctioning games through ACBL

EBUScore

Best for: English Bridge Union clubs (UK)

Pricing: £150 - £250

EBUScore is the UK equivalent of ACBLscore—required for EBU clubs, similarly functional interface, similar learning curve. If you’re running a club in Britain, this is your tool.

Bridgemate Scoring System

Best for: Electronic scoring at clubs (works with ACBLscore/EBUScore)

Pricing: $1,500 - $3,000 for complete system (includes tablets)

Bridgemate isn’t scoring software—it’s a hardware/software system that puts tablets at each table. Players enter their own results, which sync automatically to the scoring computer. No more runners collecting paper scorecards.

Key Features:

Tablets at each table for result entry
Real-time scoring updates
Instant rankings displayed
Integrates with ACBLscore or EBUScore
Reduces director workload dramatically

The Honest Truth:

Bridgemate systems are expensive, but clubs love them. Players love seeing live rankings. Directors love not chasing down missing scorecards. Result entry errors drop to almost zero.

The upfront cost hurts. But if you run regular games, the time savings pay for themselves within a year. Plus, players genuinely appreciate the modern experience—it makes your club feel professional.

Who Should Invest in Bridgemate:

Established clubs with 10+ tables regularly
Directors tired of chasing scorecards
Clubs wanting to modernize their experience

Skip it if you’re running tiny games or just starting out. Get your scoring fundamentals down first.

BridgePad

Best for: Smaller clubs or casual games without ACBL/EBU requirements

Pricing: Free to $100 depending on features

BridgePad offers simple scoring without the complexity of ACBLscore. If you’re running friendly club games without sanctioning, this might be all you need.

Who Should Use It:

Casual club games
Home games wanting simple scoring
Practice sessions

Don’t use BridgePad for ACBL events—it doesn’t do the required reporting.

Dealing Software

Dealing software generates bridge hands—either randomly or with constraints. Need 20 hands with weak NT openings? A set of slam deals? Hands illustrating specific conventions? Dealing software does this.

Big Deal

Best for: Generating hand sets for club games, teaching materials

Pricing: Free

Big Deal is the standard for computer-dealt hands. It’s powerful, free, and has been around forever. The interface is pure 1990s, but it works perfectly.

Key Features:

Generate random boards
Constraint-based dealing (e.g., “both vulnerable, dealer has 15-17 HCP”)
Export to PBN format (readable by other programs)
Print hand records
Shuffle/deal for specific purposes

Platform: Windows

The Honest Truth:

Big Deal is ugly but indispensable. If you’re dealing hands for club games or teaching, this is your tool. It’s free, reliable, and does everything you need.

The constraint language takes practice. You’ll need to learn the syntax for complex conditions. But for basic random deals, it’s point-and-click simple.

Who Should Use Big Deal:

Club directors dealing computer-generated hands
Teachers creating practice sets
Anyone needing custom hand collections

Dealmaster Pro

Best for: Advanced dealing with complex constraints

Pricing: $89

Dealmaster Pro is Big Deal’s commercial cousin—more power, better interface, not free. You can generate incredibly specific hand collections with complex conditions.

Key Features:

Advanced constraint language
Statistical analysis of dealt hands
Better documentation than Big Deal
Commercial support
More output format options

The Honest Truth:

Most people should use free Big Deal. Dealmaster Pro is for serious users dealing hundreds of hands with complex requirements. Unless you’re a professional teacher or running multiple clubs, the free option is fine.

Who Should Use It:

Professional teachers dealing themed hand sets
Tournament directors needing specific board collections
Anyone frustrated by Big Deal’s limitations

Duplimate Machines

Not software, but relevant: Many clubs use Duplimate or similar physical dealing machines that shuffle and deal boards automatically. These cost $2,000+ but save hours of manual dealing and are more random than most software.

Convention Card Makers & Hand Records

Bridge Guys Convention Card Maker

Best for: Creating ACBL convention cards online

Pricing: Free

Web-based tool that helps you create properly formatted ACBL convention cards. Much easier than filling out PDFs or handwriting.

Platform: Web

Use this. It’s free and saves time.

Hand Record Generators

Most dealing software (Big Deal, Dealmaster) can generate hand records automatically. You can also export from scoring software after games.

Many clubs print hand records for players after games—helps people remember interesting hands and improves learning. If you’re using Bridgemate, hand records are automatically available for download.

Online Tools & Web-Based Alternatives

Not everything requires desktop software anymore. Several excellent bridge tools run entirely in your browser.

Deep Finesse (Web Version)

URL: www.deepfinesse.com

Free hand analyzer—paste in a hand, get instant double-dummy analysis. No installation required.

Bridge Composer

Best for: Creating hand diagrams for articles, teaching materials

Pricing: Free web version; desktop version available

Creates professional-looking hand diagrams. If you write bridge articles or teaching materials, this is essential.

Platform: Web, Windows

BBO’s Hand Record Tools

Bridge Base Online offers hand record generation, analysis, and sharing tools integrated into the platform. If you’re already using BBO for play, many of these utilities are built in.

For Club Directors & Owners

If you run a bridge club, here’s your actual toolkit:

Required:

Scoring software: ACBLscore ($295) if ACBL; EBUScore if UK
Dealing software: Big Deal (free) for computer-dealt hands
Computer: Decent Windows laptop (Mac works for some programs, but Windows is safer)

Strongly Recommended:

Bridgemate system ($1,500-3,000) once established—saves hours every session
Backup computer with scoring software installed—Murphy’s Law applies to tournaments
Training time: Budget 20+ hours to learn scoring software properly

Optional but Nice:

Dealmaster Pro if doing lots of themed sets
Hand record printer
Display screens for live rankings

Total startup cost: $300-500 minimum; $2,000-3,500 for a fully modern setup.

For Serious Players

If you’re trying to improve beyond casual play:

Most Important:

BBO account (free) for playing real opponents
Deep Finesse (free web version) for post-game analysis
Convention card maker (free) for organizing your system

Worth Considering:

Jack ($99) if you need regular practice without partners
Funbridge ($10/month) for structured improvement—see our bridge apps guide for details

Probably Skip:

BridgeSolver unless you’re obsessed with card play theory
Dealmaster Pro unless you’re a teacher
Most other commercial software

Reality check: Most improvement comes from playing more hands and analyzing them honestly, not from buying software. Get BBO and Deep Finesse (both free), play regularly, and review your mistakes. That’s 90% of improvement right there.

Integration with BBO & Tournaments

Modern bridge increasingly connects online and offline:

BBO Integration:

Many clubs run simultaneous games on BBO
ACBLscore can import BBO results for masterpoint reporting
Hand records from BBO games can be analyzed with Deep Finesse
Virtual club games during COVID proved this model works

Tournament Software:

Most tournament directors use ACBLscore alongside electronic Bridgemate systems
Hand records post automatically to club websites
Players can review hands the next day using Deep Finesse links

The Future: Expect more integration. The days of pure offline bridge are ending. Even face-to-face clubs now use electronic scoring, online result posting, and digital hand records.

Free vs. Commercial: What’s Worth Paying For?

Let’s be honest about when to spend money:

Excellent Free Options:

Deep Finesse (hand analysis)
Big Deal (dealing software)
BBO (playing platform)
Convention card makers

Worth Paying For:

ACBLscore/EBUScore (no choice if running sanctioned games)
Jack ($99) if you need serious practice without partners
Bridgemate system ($1,500+) if running regular club games

Probably Not Worth It:

Most beginner playing programs (free online robots are fine)
Expensive analysis software beyond Deep Finesse
Commercial dealing software (Big Deal does 95% of what Dealmaster does)

The Pattern: Pay for tools that save significant time (scoring software, Bridgemate) or provide serious value you can’t get free (Jack’s strong AI). Skip commercial versions of things that have good free alternatives.

Platform Compatibility: Windows Still Dominates

Harsh truth: bridge software is stuck in the Windows era.

Windows: Everything runs on Windows. ACBLscore, Jack, Big Deal, scoring systems—all designed for Windows.

Mac: Some programs (Jack, Q-Plus) have Mac versions. ACBLscore does not. Directors running Macs usually run Windows in a virtual machine (Parallels, VMware).

Linux: Very few native options. Run Windows in Wine or a VM.

Mobile: Not for serious software. Scoring, dealing, and analysis tools are desktop-only. (Playing programs exist for mobile—see our bridge apps guide.)

Bottom Line: If you’re serious about bridge software, own a Windows computer or be prepared to run Windows virtually.

Recommendations by Use Case

“I run a small ACBL club (8-12 tables)”

ACBLscore ($295) - required
Big Deal (free) - for dealing hands
Consider Bridgemate ($1,500-3,000) after first year if games are consistent
Total: $300 minimum; $2,000-3,500 for modern setup

“I’m a serious tournament player wanting to improve”

BBO (free) - play regularly
Deep Finesse (free) - analyze your hands
Jack ($99) - practice when partners unavailable
Funbridge ($10/month) - structured improvement
Total: $0-200 depending on how serious

“I teach bridge classes”

Big Deal (free) - create themed hand sets
Jack ($99) - demonstrate plays and defenses
Bridge Composer (free) - create hand diagrams for materials
Dealing machine ($2,000+) if teaching regularly in clubs
Total: $0-100 for casual teaching; $2,000+ for professional

“I play casually and want to practice at home”

BBO (free) - play against real people
Free online practice robots
Skip commercial software—not worth it at your level
Total: $0

“I want to analyze hands from my club games”

Deep Finesse (free) - that’s it, that’s all you need
Get hand records from your director
Total: $0

Final Recommendations

The bridge software world is fragmented, aging, and honestly overpriced in many areas. But the good news is that the most essential tools are free or cheap.

Start here (all free):

BBO account for playing
Deep Finesse for analysis
Big Deal if you need to deal hands
Convention card maker

Add these only if needed:

ACBLscore if directing ACBL clubs (required, $295)
Jack if you need serious solo practice ($99)
Bridgemate system if running established club ($1,500+)

Skip unless you’re an enthusiast:

Most commercial analysis software
Playing programs weaker than Jack
Expensive dealing software

The dirty secret of bridge software is that most improvement comes from playing more hands and thinking about them honestly, not from buying programs. Get the free essentials, play regularly, analyze your mistakes, and save your money for entry fees.

Getting Started

For New Directors:

Take an ACBL scoring class (offered at regionals)
Install ACBLscore and practice with dummy data
Shadow an experienced director for 3-5 sessions
Start with simple movements before attempting complex Swiss or stratified games
Keep the director’s hotline number handy

For Players:

Create BBO account (free)
Play at least 2-3 sessions per week
Save interesting hands and analyze them with Deep Finesse
Consider Jack or Funbridge if you want structured practice
Focus on playing more, not collecting software

For Teachers:

Learn Big Deal’s constraint language
Build a library of themed hand sets
Create clear hand diagrams with Bridge Composer
Consider Jack for live demonstrations
Use BBO for online student practice sessions

The bridge software ecosystem isn’t perfect—it’s aging, fragmented, and often overpriced. But the tools that matter most (analysis, playing, basic dealing) are either free or reasonably priced. Start with the free essentials, add commercial software only when you hit their limitations, and spend your money on actually playing bridge.

Because that’s the real secret: software helps, but tables time is what makes you better.