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INTERMEDIATE BRIDGE COURSE

PLAY OF THE HAND

 

LESSON 1‑B

 

MAKING A PLAN ‑   We previously discussed, although in general terms, that the objective for declarer play in a Suit Contract centered around focusing upon potential losing tricks and their elimination, and around potential winning tricks in a No Trump contract and their possible supplementation.   Before a declarer initiates his/her declarer play, however, it is essential to organize the play of the hand.  Four basic steps are indicated and necessary to accomplish these goals:

 

    Pause To Consider The Objectives ‑ What is the contract, who are my opponents, what card 

                                                                            was led and what is its significance to me and to my 

                                                                            opponents need I play conservatively or aggressively as

                                                                            a result of the lead. What is the number of acceptable 

                                                                            winners or losers in order to fulfill the contract.

            Look At The Projected Winners Or Losers ‑ Dependent upon either a No Trump or suit 

                                                                                             contract respectively.

                   (A)  In a No Trump Contract, playing techniques include:

                                   (1) Promotion of high cards (Developing a sure trick when holding a suited KQ)

          (2) Suit establishment (Developing tricks through length)

                                     (3) Finessing (Attempting to develop a second trick when holding a tenace

                    (B) In a Suit Contract all of the above apply plus:

                                   (1) Trumping Losers

                                   (2) Discarding losers on extra winners

      Analyze The Alternatives ‑ Need you play conservatively or aggressively based upon such

                                                              variables as; the skill of the opponents, the quality of your game 

                                                              so far that event, what you believe the rest of the field is likely to

                                                              have been faced as to their suspected contract and its probability      

                                                              of success.

   Now Put It All Together ‑ Using the above information along with factors such as being

                                                           aware of entries, avoiding the dangerous opponent, using the     

                                                           hold‑up‑play, inferences and probable placement of missing high 

                                                           cards, trump pieces and suit distribution all deduced from  

                                                           previous bidding or lack of same

 

Exercise 1:   Counting Objective of Winners/Losers

 

     3C (4 Losers)       6NT (12 Winners)        4S (3 Losers)       1NT (7 Winners)       2D (5 Losers)

 

 

Exercise 2:   Counting Sure Winners (Sure Tricks = ones capable of being taken without giving up the 

                    lead to the opponents.

 

  N   -     AKQ (3)     AK (2)     JX (5)         KQX (0)     AXXXX (5)     AKQ (3)     AXXX (2)

  S    -     XXX          QX          AKQ10X    JXX            KQXXX          XX             KXX

 

 

 

 

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Conclusion: Winners are counted by looking at the combined holding in each suit.  A winner is a card

                   that will take a trick without giving up the lead to the opponents.  The maximum number of

                   winners one can count is the number of cards in the longer hand.  If one have enough cards    

                   in the suit such that the opponents will have none left after your top cards are played, you    

                   do not need all the honors in order to run the suit.

 

 

Exercise 3: Counting Losers ‑ defined as the number of tricks the opponents are likely to take.

 

N (Dummy)    KQ                KQ             QJ10          XXXXX      AK                    XXX            KJ10

  S (Declarer)   AXX (2/0)     XX (2/1)    XX (2/2)     AK (O)       XXXXX (5/3)    AQJ (1/1)     XXX (3/2)

 

 

 

There are two basic typos of losers; quick losers,  and slow losers.   Quick losers are those that the opponents can take immediately if they have the lead.   Slow losers are those which the opponents can never take immediately because they must first give one the lead back first.

 

Exercise 4: Counting both quick and slow losers:

 

DUMMY         KQJX                   J1098                         XXXX                AX                             KXK                      QX

DECLARER      XX (1 Quick)      XXXX (3 Quick)       AX (1 Slow)       XXXX (3 Slow)        XX (2 Quick         XXX (lQ,lS)

 

 

 

If the cards in the dummy and declarer's hand are unevenly divided, the order in which the cards are played; the first trick(s) should be won by the high card(s) from the short side.

 

Exercise 5: Which high card would you win the first trick with in each following combination:

 

DUMMY             AQJ1OX         AX                  AJX                          QX                       KQX

            DECLARER        KX (King)      KQX (Ace)      KQXX (Ace/Jack)     AKJX (Queen)     AJX (Any)