What counts as a bag?
Every trick above your partnership contract is one bag. If the team bids 5 and wins 7, it scores 52: fifty points for the made contract plus two points and two bags. The bag counter carries from round to round.
The ten-bag penalty
When the running total reaches ten, subtract 100 points. Any bags beyond ten remain. A team on nine bags that takes three overtricks receives the contract score, loses 100 and begins the next round with two bags.
| Before | Round | After |
|---|---|---|
| 3 bags | Bid 6, take 7 | +61 and 4 bags total |
| 8 bags | Bid 5, take 7 | +52, −100, 0 bags |
| 9 bags | Bid 4, take 7 | +43, −100, 2 bags |
Should you avoid an overtrick?
Only when the contract is already safe and losing the trick does not hand the opponents a more valuable outcome. Never risk getting set merely to avoid one bag. Near the penalty, compare the exact score after the hand rather than following a blanket rule.
Make your contract first. Stop an opponent's decisive contract second. Manage bags after those goals are secure.
Why bags improve the game
Without a penalty, players could bid conservatively and collect harmless extras. Bags reward accurate bidding, create defensive choices and make the score relevant before either team reaches 500.