THE SCORE 27
Declaring to the score 27
Playing to the score 28
The non-dealer’s play to the score 29
THE DECLARATION 31
“No-Trump” declaration by the dealer 32
Rules for “No-Trump” declaration by the dealer 32
“No-Trump” with three aces 35
“No-Trump” with two aces and one other guarded suit 35
“No-Trump” with two aces 36
“No-Trump” with one ace 37
“No-Trump” without an ace 37
Examples of “No-Trump” makes 38
Hearts 38
Rules for the heart make 40
Five hearts including three honours 40
Five hearts including two honours 41
Five hearts with one honour 41
Four hearts with three honours 41
Examples of hands that should not be passed 42
Hearts in preference to “No-Trump” 42
Hearts, not “No-Trump” 43
Diamonds 43
Clubs 46
Spades 47
Passed makes 47
Abandoning spade hands 49
DOUBLING 51
Redoubling 54
Estimating the value of a hand 54
The lead when partner has doubled 55
The heart convention 57
The weak suit convention 57
THE NON-DEALER’S PLAY AGAINST A DECLARED TRUMP 59
The opening lead 60
Examples of opening leads 63
Inferences from high card leads 64
Inferences from low card leads 67
Examples of inference from opening leads 68
Original trump openings 70
Original trump openings from strength 72
The trump lead against a spade make 72
How to play to partner’s trump opening 73
Leading trumps to prevent a ruff in the weak trump hand 74
Short suit openings 74
Leading through strength 77
When to lead through strength 78
Choice of suits to lead through 79
Suggestions for third hand play 80
Inferences from third hand play 82
Leading up to dummy 87
The Echo 88
Forcing 89
Returning partner’s lead 91
Second hand play 91
When you play before the dummy 92
When you play before the dealer 94
INFERENCES 95
The value of information 96
How to draw inferences 97
Inferences regarding the make 98
General inferences 99
THE NON-DEALER’S PLAY OF A “NO-TRUMP” HAND 102
The original lead 103
The original lead at “No-Trump” 106
Opening a short suit against a “No-Trump” declaration 107
Unblocking 108
Returning partner’s lead 109
Holding up by the non-dealers 111
Examples of holding up 112
Taking out re-entry cards 115
THE DISCARD 116
The discard against a declared trump 117
The discard at “No-Trump” 118
Hints on discarding 121
The reverse discard 122
Discarding by the dealer 122
THE DEALER’S PLAY 124
Combining the hands of dealer and dummy 125
Ace, Queen, Jack Combination 125
Ace, king, jack combination 127
Ace, jack, ten combination 129
King, jack, ten combination 129
Miscellaneous combinations 130
Arranging the lead 131
Finessing 132
The finesse obligatory 134
Watching the discards in order to locate finesses 135
Second hand plays 136
MANAGEMENT OF TRUMPS BY THE DEALER 139
When to lead trumps 139
When not to lead trumps 141
Unblocking the trump suit 142
Not forcing your strong trump hand 142
Leading trumps to prevent a ruff 143
When to draw the remaining trumps 144
Discontinuing the lead of trumps 144
When to trump 146
Overtrumping 147
Re-entry cards 148
Forcing discards 148
Throwing the lead 150
THE DEALER’S PLAY OF A “NO-TRUMP” DECLARATION 151
Choice of suits 152
Keeping the commanding card of the adversaries’ suit 154
Re-entry cards 158
Unblocking 162
Overtaking 164
“Ducking” 167
“Overtaking and unblocking” 171
“Overtaking and ducking” 172
The defence against overtaking and “ducking” 173