<p>The dummy's hand is typically arranged flat on the table (a flat surface, or "board"), and it appears the terminology comes from this</p>

<p>For example, <a href="http://www.acbl.org/learn_page/bridge-terminology/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">from the ACBL's glossary</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>BOARD. (1) A duplicate board. (2) The table on which the cards are played. (3) The dummy’s hand, so called because it lies on the table.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-16T05:19:34.047Z
2017-05-16T05:19:34.047Z
aes
<p>The question is not quite clear, but you may also be asking <em>why</em> players say "On the board". It is not polite for opponents, and not permitted for dummy, to comment on the way a hand is being played, but one of the few exceptions is to point out when declarer is about to play a card from his hand rather than from dummy as he should do. "Excuse me, but I believe the lead is in dummy rather than in your hand" is somewhat cumbersome after the first few occasions, so just saying "On the table" (or presumably "on the board" in some circles) is the normal phrasing.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-18T10:17:42.590Z
2017-05-18T10:17:42.590Z
Tim Lymington
<p>In many card games, the "board" refers to exposed cards. The "dummy" plays this role in bridge. The declarer and both defenders can see it because the dummy's cards are placed face up on the table.</p>

<p>In Hold' em (poker), the "board" refers to the five exposed (common) cards that everyone can see and use. This is in contrast to the two private (hidden) cards in each person's hand.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-16T03:54:43.603Z
2017-05-20T15:40:32.227Z
2017-05-20T15:40:32.227Z
Tom Au
<p>It is customary when declarer is in the dummy to say "on the board"?  Where did this terminology come from?  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-07T03:54:38.693Z
Being declarer means they are not dummy. I've never heard "on the board" to mean anything except "has scored some points at all".
Nij
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-07T08:39:38.870Z
In Australian bridge, the board is all four hands. You refer board 1, 2... as the set of cards played.
user2617804
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-07T09:20:11.613Z
I've heard "on table", meaning the next card to be played (normally starting a trick) will be played by dummy. Is your "on the board" in this same sense? "On (the) table" is fairly clear as to where it came from: dummy's unplayed cards are *on the table*, everyone else's are in their hands.
AndyT
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-09T00:39:53.440Z
I've definitely heard this used, e.g. declarer asks "I forgot where I took that last trick: am I now _in the hand_ or _on the board_?"
Benjamin Cosman
<bridge><terminology>
Why is being in the dummy in bridge called "on the board"?
Jack Lacy
# Why is being in the dummy in bridge called "on the board"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-04-06)

It is customary when declarer is in the dummy to say "on the board"? Where did this terminology come from?

**Tags:** bridge, terminology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Being declarer means they are not dummy. I've never heard "on the board" to mean anything except "has scored some points at all".  
> **username_2**: In Australian bridge, the board is all four hands. You refer board 1, 2... as the set of cards played.  
> **username_3**: I've heard "on table", meaning the next card to be played (normally starting a trick) will be played by dummy. Is your "on the board" in this same sense? "On (the) table" is fairly clear as to where it came from: dummy's unplayed cards are *on the table*, everyone else's are in their hands.  
> **username_4**: I've definitely heard this used, e.g. declarer asks "I forgot where I took that last trick: am I now _in the hand_ or _on the board_?"  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-05-16. Score: 3

The dummy's hand is typically arranged flat on the table (a flat surface, or "board"), and it appears the terminology comes from this

For example, [from the ACBL's glossary](http://www.acbl.org/learn_page/bridge-terminology/):

> BOARD. (1) A duplicate board. (2) The table on which the cards are played. (3) The dummy’s hand, so called because it lies on the table.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2017-05-18. Score: 1

The question is not quite clear, but you may also be asking *why* players say "On the board". It is not polite for opponents, and not permitted for dummy, to comment on the way a hand is being played, but one of the few exceptions is to point out when declarer is about to play a card from his hand rather than from dummy as he should do. "Excuse me, but I believe the lead is in dummy rather than in your hand" is somewhat cumbersome after the first few occasions, so just saying "On the table" (or presumably "on the board" in some circles) is the normal phrasing.


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### Answer by username_7 on 2017-04-16. Score: 0

In many card games, the "board" refers to exposed cards. The "dummy" plays this role in bridge. The declarer and both defenders can see it because the dummy's cards are placed face up on the table.

In Hold' em (poker), the "board" refers to the five exposed (common) cards that everyone can see and use. This is in contrast to the two private (hidden) cards in each person's hand.


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