high cards of your other suits for re-entry and try to establish the
small cards of your long suit.
Don't lead your aces and kings to take a look at dummy; later in the
hand you will need them to get the lead and bring in your established
suit.
The majority of "no-trump" makes are strong in three suits. Your long
suits may be the weak spot in the dealer's hand.
Try to infer, from the dummy hand and your own, the high cards the
dealer must hold to have declared "no-trump." You will be surprised to
find how many times an inference thus drawn will enable you to play your
hand to advantage.
Having started your long suit, usually the best play is to continue that
suit until it becomes established, especially if you hold one or two
re-entry cards.
Don't change suits unless your suit is hopelessly against you. When it
requires two leads to clear your suit, and you hold no cards of
re-entry, abandon it and play for your partner's suit--the suit that he
has shown by his discard, or the suit which must be his, judging from
your own and the dummy hand.
In leading to your partner's declared suit, always lead your highest
card; this will enable him to tell what high cards are held against his
suit and it will prevent your blocking his hand.
RETURN YOUR PARTNER'S LEAD
If your partner has had the original lead, RETURN HIS SUIT. There are
very few "no-trump" hands where it is possible to bring in more than
one suit, and if, instead of returning your partner's suit, you lead
your own, you are playing for one suit and your partner for another, and
as a result you will probably establish neither.
When it is evident that your suit is stronger than your partner's--i.e.,
if you have re-entry cards and can establish the suit in one lead--then,
by all means, play for your own suit; but don't be deterred from
returning your partner's lead simply because you see that the best card
of his suit is against him. That card will have to make anyway, and by
forcing it out of dummy at once you may enable partner to make the rest
of his suit.
In returning your partner's lead, return your highest card. The
importance of this is apparent: your partner can see the cards in his
own and in the dummy hand, and if you return your best card he also
knows what the dealer holds in that suit. It may prevent his leading up
to the dealer's tenace; it may show him that the suit should be
abandoned or that it should be again led from your hand. Returning the
highest card minimises the risk of blocking the suit. Very often, by not
getting rid of a 7, 8, 9, or 10 early in the hand, you make it
impossible for your partner to make his small cards.
Don't be deceived by the dealer's play. His object is to fool you; and
if he holds cards of equal value, he will probably take the trick with
the highest.
Notice carefully your partner's first discard. It shows you the suit to
lead and may also affect your own discard.
Don't, because the dealer leads the suit, refuse to take tricks with
your aces and kings. By taking the trick, you may make a card good in
your partner's hand. It is only the dealer who is in a position to know
when to refuse tricks; he sees the two hands.
When there is no chance that your partner can take a trick in the suit
led, it is sometimes wise to keep the commanding card until one hand
cannot put the other in the lead, especially when there is no re-entry
card in the hand with the long suit.
OPENING LEAD AT "NO-TRUMP"
Unless your partner has doubled (see Heart and Weak Suit Conventions)
lead from your longest suit. It is not advisable, especially when you
hold no cards of re-entry, to lead aces and kings, except when you hope
to catch all of the smaller cards. Two rounds may exhaust the suit in
your partner's hand; and if you have no re-entry card and he has none of
your suit to lead you, your long suit, even though established, is
absolutely worthless.
The lead of an ace, king, or queen indicates great strength, either
seven cards or three honours.
Holding two suits of equal length and strength, lead a red suit in
preference to a black, especially if the make has been passed,
Holding two suits of equal length, keep for re-entry the suit with the
higher cards, as,
{ A 8 6 3 2
holding { and if you open the Q suit
{ Q 9 8 6 3
and establish it, the ace is a sure re-entry card; if you open the ace
suit the queen is a very doubtful card of re-entry.
With a weak long suit and no re-entry card, many good bridge players
open the highest card of a short suit, preferably hearts or diamonds.
The theory is that, had the dealer been strong in the red suits, he
would have declared a red trump; and with a worthless hand, this short
suit lead may assist partner. While there is much to be said in favour
of this play, I would suggest that, unless your partner thoroughly
understands the game and your play, it is safer to open your long suit.
When you are opening a long, weak suit from a hand without re-entry
cards it is advisable that you convey this information to your partner.
This you can do by leading the top or an intermediate card of your long
suit; your partner, by applying the "Rule of Eleven," can see that you
are not leading the fourth best card, and unless it is for the best
interest of the two hands will not return the suit. For example:
From 10 8 7 6 3, lead the 8
From 9 8 5 3 2, lead the 9
From 8 7 5 3, lead the 8
THE ORIGINAL LEAD IN NO-TRUMPS
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
| LEAD | HOLDING |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
| | Ace, Queen, Jack, and others with a Re-entry card. |
| ACE | Ace, with 7 or more others. |
| | Ace, Queen, with 5 others. |
| | Ace, Jack, with 5 others. |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
| | Ace, King, Queen, and others. |
| | Ace, King, Jack, and others. |
| | Ace, King, ten, and 3 others, with a Re-entry card.|
| KING | Ace, King, and 5 or more others. |
| | King, Queen, Jack, and others. |
| | King, Queen, ten, and others. |
| | King, Queen, and 5 others. |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
| | Queen, Jack, ten, and others. |
| QUEEN | Queen, Jack, nine, and others. |
| | Ace, Queen, Jack, and others. No card of Re-entry. |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
| JACK | Jack, ten, nine, and others. |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
| TEN | King, Jack, ten, and others. |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 4TH BEST | From other combinations. |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------+
UNBLOCKING
Unblocking is getting rid of high cards so that your partner can make
smaller ones.
You seldom unblock except at "no-trump."
Study the "no-trump" leads, and on the lead of any high card prepare to
get out of your partner's way. It is rarely that you can lose more than
one trick by unblocking, and a failure to take advantage of the position
when it presents itself may result in the loss of three to six tricks.
With four cards of the suit of which your partner leads the A, K, or Q,
keep the lowest card until the final round.
+---------+----------------------+--------+
| HOLDING | ON PARTNER'S LEAD OF | PLAY |
+---------+----------------------+--------+
| K x | A | K |
| A x | K | A |
| K x | Q | K |
| Q x x | K and A | Q on A |
| K Q x | A | Q |
| Q J x | A | J |
| Q J x | K | J |
| K Q x | J | Q |
+---------+----------------------+--------+
THE DEALER'S PLAY OF A NO-TRUMP HAND
The dealer's play of a "no-trump" hand is both the most interesting and
the most intricate part of Bridge. Very often a single error will
result in the loss of three or more tricks; so that it behooves the
dealer--as he has no assistance from his partner--to make himself
thoroughly conversant with the strategy of the game.
The following rules cover all the important points in the dealer's play.
Keep the commanding card of your adversary's suit.
This the beginner invariably refuses to do; he is too anxious to take a
trick and does not realise that he will often gain several by passing.
Before playing the commanding card of your adversaries' suit, wait--if
you can--until the leader's partner has played his last card of that
suit; he is then unable to return the lead, and there may be no card of
re-entry in his partner's hand.
Rarely refuse to take tricks with your Kings and Queens.
When an entire suit is against you, it pays to take the lead; the
adversaries may change the suit.
When you see in your hands enough tricks to win the game, always take
the lead.
Always take the lead when doing so makes a card good in either of your
hands.
Play for the longest suit in the two hands.
After taking the lead, count the cards of each suit in the combined
hands and make it your object to play for the longest. It may sometimes
be necessary, in order to lead the suit to the best advantage, to wait
until it can be led from the other hand.
With two suits of equal length, play for the one in the hand that has
cards of re-entry.
With two suits of equal length, play for the one that is shown on the
table. Don't give your opponents unnecessary information of your
strength.
With two suits of equal length, play for the one which, when
established, will give you the greater number of tricks, as
7 cards in one hand and 1 in the other.
6 cards in one hand and 2 in the other.
5 cards in one hand and 3 in the other.
4 cards in one hand and 4 in the other.
Holding only seven cards of a suit, you will often find an adversary
with four cards of that suit.
Holding only six cards of a suit, remember that your adversaries have
seven and that leading the suit will establish it against you.
When the best card of your suit is against you, lead to get it out of
your way. It pays to establish one suit.
The beginner will usually play his high cards, and, after establishing
one or two tricks in that suit for his adversaries, proceed to do the
same with another suit and end by abusing his partner for making it
"no-trump" with so weak a hand.
Lead from the weak hand to the strong.
This is the secret of playing the two hands well. Play for the longest
suit in the two hands; but arrange the lead so that it comes from the
hand that has no high cards.
Lead from to
x x x K x x x
x x x A Q x x
x x x K Q x x
10 x x K J x 4
Holding a combination of Ace, Queen, Jack in the two hands, try to catch
the King by leading the highest card from the one hand up to the Ace in
the other.
This is really a continuation of the last rule, but its importance
demands a separate heading. The correct play of this combination will
win more tricks than any one other play in Bridge.
If the King is guarded, and you lead the Ace or from the Ace, the King
_must_ win; but if you lead from the other hand, there is an even
chance that you will find the King on the side you wish. If it is in the
other hand, it would probably make anyhow.
Avoid blocking your suit, by leading or playing the high cards from the
shorter of the two hands.
As with A K x in one hand and Q x x x x x in the other, play A K x.
As with A Q x in one hand and K x x x x x in the other, play A Q x.
Keep a re-entry card in the hand that has the long suit.
If you are able to take the trick in either hand, do not take it with
the hand that has the long suit, unless that suit is established. If you
cannot place the lead in the hand with the long suit, it is useless to
establish that suit. It is often advisable to refuse to part with the
highest card of a long suit, if that card is the only re-entry for the
suit.
FINESSING
At "no-trump" the dealer has many opportunities to win tricks with cards
that are not the best. In attempting this he should be guided by the
following principles.
It is better to finesse on the second round of the suit than on the
first.
By forcing discards, you can often tell which adversary is holding and
protecting an honour in the suit in question, and on which side the
finesse should be taken.
When there is a question on which side to take the finesse, be careful
to shut out the hand with the established suit.
Do not finesse with nine cards of a suit in the two hands, including
both the Ace and King. As there are but four more cards of the suit, the
Queen will probably fall on one of the two leads.
Holding ten cards of one suit, including the Ace, Queen, Jack
combination, lead the Queen toward the Ace; but if the Queen is not
covered by the King, play the Ace on it.
"BRIDGE DON'TS"
Don't form the habit of playing slowly.
Don't expect your partner to play well when you criticise him. A little
encouragement will win you rubbers and will add to your popularity.
Don't forget that it requires more skill to play a poor hand than it
does to play a good one.
Don't miss an opportunity to win the game or to save it.
Don't complain if you hold poor cards and don't exult over good ones.
Don't criticise at all; but, if you must, wait until the hand is
finished.
Don't hurry when exacting a penalty.
Don't think entirely of your own hand.
Don't take advantage of your partner's breach of etiquette.
Don't think that bad play won't sometimes win tricks.
Don't forget the score for an instant.
Don't ignore the value of small cards.
Don't fail to see your partner's first discard.
Don't be deceived by the dealer's play.
RULES
It is impossible to suggest rules that will cover the play of every
hand. Rules are formulated after the analysis of a great many hands, and
are therefore made to meet the _usual_ distribution of the cards. When
the fall of the cards reveals an unusual situation, unusual means must
be adopted to meet it; and here your reason and common sense must come
to your aid.
The best Bridge players have the greatest regard for the rules; but the
strong player recognises a situation for which a rule is not provided,
and he allows his reason to dictate to him the times to follow and the
times to violate them.
MANNERISMS
There is nobody who cares to be told that he plays cards unfairly; but,
if you permit your manner to give your partner or the opponents the
slightest intimation of the cards you hold, you lay yourself open to
such criticism. Cards do not carry with them a license to be unfair or
rude, yet, at the Bridge table, many socially correct people are both.
Try always to pause the same length of time before making the trump or
passing. Do not allow your manner to express approval or disapproval of
your partner's make or of the cards he plays, and select each of your
own cards with equal deliberation. When you hold good cards be content
to win tricks with them, without manifesting glee at your adversaries'
defeat. When your cards are poor, do not complain of them; you imply
that the opponents profit by your weak hands and not by their own skill,
and, as a rule, the more you rail at your luck the worse it becomes. Be
generous with your praise of a well-played hand, and be sure your
partner will play a better game if he does not fear your adverse
criticism. Do not permit yourself to take advantage of, or be deceived
by, any mannerisms of your partner or of the opponents, and let your own
manner be uniformly such that nobody can tell from it whether you are
winning or losing.
MEMORY
It is not necessary to have a fine memory in order to play Bridge well;
but it _does_ require the ability to count thirteen. If you know _how
many_ cards of a suit have been played, you soon will be able to tell
_what_ cards have been played.
Begin with one suit, preferably your own, and count each card of that
suit as it is played; you will be surprised to find that you will soon
notice not only where the cards of that suit are, but just what cards
have been played. A little practice will enable you to do the same with
all of the suits.
No matter what may be your position at the table, you may cultivate your
memory by observing carefully the cards laid down by the dummy. The
number of cards remaining in a suit at any stage of the play will assist
you in recalling how many rounds of that suit have been played, and this
will help you in recollecting what high cards were played in those
rounds.
When you are dummy, and have nothing to do with the play, occupy your
time and attention with a determined effort to remember each card played
by your partner, the dealer. At the end of the hand see if you can
recall how many of each suit he held. With a little practice you will be
able to recall what his high cards were as well as the number in each
suit. Memory is simply a matter of observation and practice.
INFERENCES
The play of each card conveys some information; and the secret of
playing Bridge well lies in being able to draw inferences rapidly and
correctly and in utilising the knowledge thus gained. If you simply
look, in a mechanical way, at the cards as they fall without inferring
what was meant by the play, you are apt to find yourself in the lead and
at a complete loss as to what to do next.
THE FOLLOWING ARE SUGGESTIONS FOR INFERENCES TO BE DRAWN BY THE DEALER.
What will the make probably be if you pass? Your partner is apt to make
it the suit in which you are weakest.
Does the opening lead show a long or a short suit? If short, be on the
alert to get the lead and exhaust trumps. If long, how many cards does
the leader hold, and what high cards does his lead show?
Ask yourself why does the adversary discard one suit and save another?
This will aid in locating honours and in making successful finesses.
If the left-hand adversary leads through the Ace Queen suit in dummy, he
probably does not hold the King and is tempting you to finesse. If he
refuses to lead through the Ace Queen suit he is very likely waiting for
you to up to his King.
If the make has been doubled try to infer what trump honours are in the
doubling hand; this will enable you to judge as to the advisability of
the trump lead.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NON-DEALER
From what combination of cards is your partner leading? Remember the
high cards that he holds.
The lead of a King, for instance, shows you that partner has the Ace,
the Queen, or both.
The lead of a Jack indicates the top of a suit.
The lead of a seven, eight, or nine probably means the highest card of a
short suit.
Don't draw rigid inferences from the dealer's play; he will endeavour to
deceive you by playing false cards.
If it is an original make, your own and the dummy hand will help you to
infer what trumps or high cards the dealer holds.
If the dealer seems backward in leading trump he is probably aiming to
ruff with the weak hand and a trump lead from you may prevent this.
Endeavour to understand your partner's discards. You can then protect
the suit in which he is weak, and, if necessary, unguard honours in the
suit in which he has shown strength.
When partner returns your lead in No-trump, notice carefully the card
that he plays. It will help you to place the suit and prevent your
leading to a possible tenace in the dealer's hand.
COMBINING THE HANDS OF DEALER AND DUMMY
The following table gives the different combinations of cards and shows
how they should be played to get the best results when the dealer holds
one combination and the dummy holds the other. An "x" means one or more
small cards.
The following combinations may be led from either hand:
+----------------+-----------------+
| _In One Hand._ | _In the Other._ |
+----------------+-----------------+
| A K x | Q x x |
| A Q x | K x x |
| K Q x | J x x |
| K J x | Q x x |
| K x x | Q J x |
| Q J x | 10 x x |
| Q 10 x | J x x |
| Q x x | J 10 x |
+----------------+-----------------+
If forced to lead from any of the following combinations, lead from the
weaker of the two hands. In these, lead the highest card of the three
in the weak hand:
+---------+---------+
| _In One | _In the |
| Hand._ | Other._ |
+---------+---------+
| x x x | K Q x | First trick, play queen.
| x x x | K J x | First trick, play jack.
| x x x | K x x | First trick, play king.
| J x x | K x x | First trick, play low.
+---------+---------+
In the following, lead from the weaker hand, but begin by playing the
lowest card:
+---------+---------+
| _In One | _In the |
| Hand._ | Other._ |
+---------+---------+
| Q x x | A x x | First trick, play ace.
| J x x | A x x | First trick, play ace.
| Q x x | K x x | First trick, play king.
| J x x | Q x x | First trick, play queen.
+---------+---------+
These rules are based on the supposition that the second hand has not
played a higher card than any in the hand to which you lead.
There is a difference of one or two tricks in all these combinations,
depending on whether you or your adversaries open the suit. Try to get
the adversaries to open such suits for you, as you do so yourself to a
disadvantage. Throw the lead into their hands and make them lead to you.
FINESSING
COMBINING THE HANDS OF DEALER AND DUMMY.
With any of the following combinations divided between the two hands,
the lead should always be from the weaker hand, in the left-hand column,
and the _highest_ card should be led, always playing the _smallest_ card
from the stronger combination. For instance, in the first one given, you
should lead the jack from J 10 x and play the small card from A K x. An
"x" means any small card, or more than one small.
+----------------+-----------------+
| _In One Hand._ | _In the Other._ |
+----------------+-----------------+
| J 10 x | A K x |
| x x x | A K J |
| x x x | A Q J |
| J x x | A Q x |
| Q x x | A J x |
| Q J x | A x x |
| x x x | K J 10 |
| 10 x x | K J x |
| J x x | K 10 x |
| J x x | K x x |
| x x x | Q 10 x |
| 10 x x | Q x x |
+----------------+-----------------+
In the following combinations, the lead should be the best card in the
weaker hand, and the smallest card in the stronger hand should be played
to the first round, allowing the adversary to win the first trick. The
weak hand must then get into the lead again, so as to take the second
finesse, hoping both honours are not on the wrong side:
+----------------+-----------------+
| _In One Hand._ | _In the Other._ |
+----------------+-----------------+
| x x x | A J 10 |
| 10 x x | A J x |
| x x x | A J x |
| J x x | A 10 x |
| J 10 x | A x x |
| x x x | A J 9 |
+----------------+-----------------+
SECOND-HAND PLAYS
Showing all of the different combinations between dealer and dummy and
their play. The second hand is the hand that is led through, it being
supposed that a small card is led.
+------------+-------------+--------------------+
| _2d Hand._ | _4th Hand._ | _Play._ |
+------------+-------------+--------------------+
| A K x | J x x | K, _or_ Low |
| A K x | 10 x x | King (T) Low (N T) |
| A Q x | J x x | Low |
| A Q x | 10 x x | Low |
| A Q x | x x x | Queen |
| A J x | Q x x | Low |
| A 10 x | J x x | Low |
| A x x | Q x x | Low |
| K Q x | x x x | Queen |
| K J x | x x x | Low |
| K J | x x x | Jack (T) K (N T) |
| K J | A x x | Jack |
| K J x | 10 x x | Low |
| K 10 x | J x x | Low |
| K x x | Q x | Low |
| K x | x x | Low (T) K (N T) |
| K x | J x x | Low |
| K x | Q x x | Low (T) K (N T) |
| K x | Q 10 x | Low |
| K x | A 10 x | Low |
| K x | A J x | Low |
| Q J x | x x x | Jack |
| Q J x | A x x | Jack |
| Q 10 x | A x x | Low |
| Q x x | K x x | Low |
| Q x x | x x x | Low |
| Q x | A x x | Queen |
| Q x | A 10 x | Low |
| Q x | A J x | Low |
| Q x | K x x | Low (T) Q (N T) |
| Q x | J x x | Low |
| Q x | x x x | Queen |
| J 10 x | A K x | Ten |
| J 10 x | A x x | Ten |
| J 10 x | K x x | Ten |
| J x | K 10 x | Low |
| J x | K x x | Jack |
| J x | Q x x | Low |
| J x | A K x | Jack |
| J x | A Q x | Low |
| 10 x | A K x | Ten |
| 10 x | A Q x | Ten |
| 10 x | A J x | Low |
+------------+-------------+--------------------+
(T) means with a declared trump.
(N T) means with no trumps.
[Illustration: ILLUSTRATIVE HANDS]
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 1
TRICK 1.--The dealer refuses to give up the A of spades, as he wishes to
exhaust the spades in one hand before he attempts to clear his club
suit.
TRICK 4.--B, hoping to take the last club from the dealer's hand,
refuses to part with the A of clubs.
TRICK 6.--B tries to put his partner in the lead so that he may make the
spades.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 1
_Keeping the Command of the Adversaries' Suit._
The score is love-all, rubber game. The dealer, Z, makes it no-trump. A
leads for the first trick. The underlined card wins the trick and the
card under it is the one led for the next trick.
[S] 9
[C] K Q J 5 4 2
[D] Q 6 5
[H] 7 6 3
+---------+
[S] K Q J 8 6 2 | Y | [S] 10 7 5
[C] 9 8 | | [C] A 7
[D] 9 4 |A B| [D] J 10 8 7
[H] 10 8 2 | | [H] A J 9 5
| Z |
+---------+
[S] A 4 3
[C] 10 6 3
[D] A K 3 2
[H] K Q 4