When players have largely grasped the fundamentals of bridge they are
frequently filled with complaisance and self-satisfaction that is
gratifyingly reassuring to them, but that does not tend to improve
their game.
Each hand played, wherein they feel that they have committed no
blunders, brings a sense of contentment; but, unfortunately, they
overlook the tricks which they may have lost by the lack of a little
card strategy.
These are the tricks, which won, decide rubbers. There is always
trouble for the player who is looking only for “what he deserves,”
and complacently assists the strategy of his opponents by not meeting
it with an equal display of skill in attack, or shrewdness in defense.
Good players are frequently likely to be deceived by holding up small
cards, though as a matter of fact novices never appear to be fooled
by such tactics; play a high card like a King or a Queen, however,
and the poor player is decidedly apt to be frightened away from the
play of his own suit.
To whomsoever it falls to play the dummy hand there is abundant
opportunity to baffle, mislead and confuse the opponents, and still
be playing strictly within the etiquette and the admitted
possibilities of bridge. In fact it is only just to one’s partner to
exercise one’s best endeavor and employ one’s brightest wits to bring
about a brilliant finish.
A little of the combative disposition is a valuable adjunct to good
bridge play. Combine that with clever strategy and a most commendable
desire to send your adversaries on innumerable wild-goose chases, and
there will be no further playing merely for “what the hand deserves.”
Pitfalls in the form of false leads, false carding and clever
underplay should be dug for your adversaries at every opportunity.
Whenever they can do the same thing, the adversaries will not scruple
to place them for you.
There are hands in bridge which may be said to play themselves. One
holding all the winning cards could scarcely be expected to lose.
That, however, is purely primary. As the player himself recognizes,
it is something that could scarcely have been avoided. On the other
hand, when some well-planned ruse has found the opposition with no
sentries posted, and their camp is thrown into confusion by the
clever capture of a trick or two which they never had dreamed it
possible to lose, you may feel the elation that is a part of bridge
when the game is played to the full measure of its theory.
Frequently a hand is picked up at the bridge table which on its face
may be read as hopeless, unless, by some means, the adversaries can be
induced to blunder. Never exercise charity in a case of that kind.
Make it a point to tempt them not only to blunder once, but again and
yet again. It is surely far more strategic for a weak hand to take a
strong hand prisoner than it is for the strong hand to capture the
weak hand.
Subjoined are a few “ifs” that are well to be remembered, for all too
frequently the situation arises where one of them may become most
effective if you have retained its significance in your memory.
If you find that in some suit a certain number of tricks will
go to your adversaries, and that to lead from your best suit is
disadvantageous, throw the lead and see what will happen.
If you wish to make four tricks in a suit with but three in sight,
give the adversaries a chance to discard a card or two before you
show your strength.
If you are anxious to know which of your adversaries holds the Queen
of the suit in which you hold the Ace, King, Jack, force a discard
and see how kind they will be to you. If no discard can be forced,
then give the adversaries the lead and let the suit come up to you.
If you are reasonably certain of winning all the tricks but one, lead
out your remaining trumps. You cannot lose and, if your adversaries
are uncertain about their discard, the extra trick may be gained.
If you hold the Queen and two small cards of a suit, with small cards
of the same suit in dummy and the adversary opens with the King,
keep your lowest card. The leader may be tempted to believe that his
partner is echoing, and he will establish your Queen by leading the
Ace. Do not attempt this play however if you hold length in the suit.
If the King is led and you have length as well as strength in the
suit, play your highest card on the King, for if the adversary
continues with the Ace, the younger hand will probably ruff the third
round and you should therefore endeavor to frighten your opponents
from the suit.
If a suit is led and the card played by the younger hand is not
higher than the ten, do not win the first trick with the Ace holding
Ace, King, Queen. The elder hand cannot have King, Queen, Jack, and
taking the first trick with the Ace would clearly show the situation.
If you hold a singleton King lead the suit from dummy at the first
opportunity, being careful to select as a card to lead a ten or a
nine. This gives the impression that you intend to finesse. You may
tempt the adversary, with the Ace second in hand, to pass the trick,
whereas were a small card led he would probably make no such mistake.
If you hold a small card as a singleton with King and Jack, or King
and others in dummy, do not wait until your adversary can count your
hand, but lead your singleton early in the hand and do not finesse.
If you want high cards to fall, lead high cards. It is astounding how
difficult one finds it not to cover an honor led. With this in mind,
with a singleton Ace in your hand, and a sequence in dummy from the
Queen to the nine, the adversaries will make no mistake if a low card
is led, while the Queen is a temptress that few can resist.
If you hold ten cards of suit in your hand and that of the dummy with
the Ace and King both against you, no doubt you will lose two tricks
in the suit; but when you do lead it lead your highest card. You may
tempt your second hand adversary to cover and the other honor may
fall.
If you have nine or more cards in your hand and that of the dummy
headed by Ace and King, it is usually unwise to finesse; but it
is always good play to lead the Jack towards the high card in the
opposite hand as it may tempt your adversary to cover.
If the adversary, after seeing dummy, lead through a King Jack suit
he probably has no high cards in the suit. To play the King can do
but little harm, and, if he has the Ace, you may shut it out.
If you have Queen, ten and one small in dummy, and Ace, nine, small
in your own hand, lead the small card. If the King is not put up
second in hand, play the ten; if the Jack wins the trick the King
is probably in the same player’s hand, and you must get the lead in
dummy to come through this hand. Without the ten in either hand pass
the first trick and make no effort to win with your Queen. This may
be your only hope to get two tricks in the suit.
If you have the Ace, King, small in your hand and Jack and two small
in dummy, the discard may show that your left hand adversary holds
the Queen protected. To steal a trick here, you must play the Ace and
underplay with the hope that this player will mark the King in his
partner’s hand and not play high.
If at “No Trump” a high card is led against you originally, and
you have length in that suit, hold up the lowest card to make the
adversary think his partner is unblocking.
If at a loss what suit to play for at “No-Trump” choose the one that
is shown in dummy, so that the adversaries may not discover the
weakness or strength of your own hand.
If at “No-Trump” you are playing a poor hand with little or no hope
of winning, or even perhaps of saving the game, try leading the suit
that is all against you. Often the adversaries will hold imaginary
tenace over your cards and come “banging up” to your strong suit. The
collision will be more disastrous to them than you.
If you must lose the lead at “No-Trump,” conceal the strength in your
own hand and do not jump around and show strength in three suits, for
then when you do lose the lead the adversaries cannot make a mistake
as to their own strong suit.
If your adversary’s lead at “No-Trump” is a Jack and you have Ace,
King, Queen in your hand, take the first trick with the Queen. Never
win with the King. Many players lead the Jack from King, Jack, ten or
Ace, Jack, ten.
If a Queen is led at “No-Trump” and you hold both the Ace and King,
do not win the first trick with the Ace. The Queen lead sometimes
indicates the Ace and Jack, and you may mislead an adversary by
playing the King, whereas the Ace would clearly show the situation.
If you are playing “No-Trump” do not blank the Ace in dummy unless
you want this suit led to you. Keeping a small card with the Ace may
lead the adversaries to believe that you have a high card in your own
hand and they may hesitate to lead the suit.
Another point that it is well to emphasize is in regard to being
forced to lead disadvantageously from a suit. Be very careful in a
case of that kind not to break a possible tenace by leading a high
card. For instance with Ace, ten and two small in your hand and Jack
and two small in dummy, you are forced to lead the suit from your
own hand. Play the small card. Often the adversary makes the mistake
of playing a high card second in hand, giving you, perhaps, a tenace
over your right hand opponent.
Too much haste in showing ability to ruff by your weak hand
frequently brings disaster. In fact a trump lead from you will
discourage the trump attack by the adversaries, and they are only too
likely to give you the ruff without defining your purpose.
Inference frequently will come to you from the cards held in
the combined hands as to what suit will probably be led by the
adversaries, but do not expose your weakness by discarding from this
suit.
Last, but one of the most important facts of all, decide which of
your cards you mean to play before fingering them. Indecision may
tell your adversaries exactly what they are most eager to know.
Bear in mind that these suggestions are advanced to try to impress
all players with the fact that there may be much more in the hand
than it seems to deserve, and that “much more” is the real test
of skillful bridge. It is a far greater source of enjoyment than
lackadaisically wading through deal after deal, stirring only the
surface of the shallow water and not venturing into those more
fascinating depths where the secrets of bridge await those who will
try for them.