¶ Hand Editor
The Hand Editor is where you build and edit a single deal. Place every card by hand, or set conditions (points, suit lengths) and let Bridge Champ deal a hand that matches. It is the tool for making hands that show exactly the point you want to teach.
📋 At a glance
What it is: A tool to build a deal by hand or generate one to a specification.
Who it is for: Teachers who want teaching hands that are not random.
You will need: A Bridge Champ account (open the editor from Deal Source).
¶ Overview
A random deal might not make your point; a built deal always will. Whether you need a 1NT opener with a five-card major, a tricky defence, or a textbook slam, the Hand Editor lets you set it up precisely.
¶ Why teachers use it
- Make a hand that proves your lesson point, not a random deal that might not.
- Set conditions once and generate many matching hands for a practice set.
- Check the hand with double-dummy analysis before you use it.
¶ How to use it
¶ Step 1 — Open a hand in the editor
In Deal Source, add an empty deal (or open an existing one). The editor shows the four hands, an All Cards panel, and a Constraint expression box.
¶ Step 2 — Place cards by hand
Click a hand to select it, then click cards in the All Cards panel to deal them to that hand. Each hand shows its high-card points and card count as you go.
¶ Step 3 — Or generate to a specification
Instead of placing every card, press Apply. With the constraint box empty, Apply deals a completely random hand. To generate a hand that meets conditions, type them in first (for example a North hand of 15–17 points, balanced), then press Apply.
The conditions use a short, readable form. For a North hand of 15–17 points that is balanced, you would type:
hcp(north) >= 15 and hcp(north) <= 17 and shape(north, any 4432 + any 4333 + any 5332)
In plain terms: North has 15 to 17 high-card points and one of the balanced shapes. You can set conditions for any player (north, east, south, west) using hcp(…) for points and spades(…), hearts(…), diamonds(…) and clubs(…) for suit lengths, joined with and or or.
¶ Step 4 — Tidy up and check the hand
- Rotate — turn the whole deal clockwise (the dealer and conditions rotate too).
- Clear — empty the deal and start again.
- Restore — return to the last saved version.
- Analyze — run a double-dummy check of how many tricks each contract makes.
¶ Step 5 — Save
When each hand has 13 cards, click Save. The hand is stored in your Deal Set, ready to print, play, or load onto a teaching table. Add a Note that prints with the hand.
💡 Tip: Use Save as template to store a set of conditions you use often. You can reuse the template later to generate matching hands again in one click.
¶ Related guides
- Deal Source — where your hands are stored
- Save Hands as PDF — print the hand you built
- Teaching Tables — teach the hand you built
- For Teachers — all teacher guides
Questions or ideas for your bridge classes? Write to us at info@bridgechamp.com.