[mike777]

Feel free to add play tips for us newer players. Simple and basic. I keep finding myself going down on the easiest of hands.

We all know about counting the hands but easy to forget in the heat of battle.

1) Try and remember trick one.
2) Run your long suit
3) Finesse is not a dirty word.

[awm]

Think before playing to the first trick -- a lot of mistakes are made at trick one.

Come up with a plan at the beginning of a hand, but be willing to reconsider if something unusual happens later in the play.

Sometimes thinking about the opening lead can be a key to the hand, for example: if opponents bid a suit and then didn't lead it, often opening leader has lead a singleton, or holds the ace of their bid suit. A trump lead often signals strength in a side suit shown by declarer. A non-trump lead against a slam (especially if the actual lead seems random) often indicates a trump honor.

[Elianna]

Jlall, on Nov 11 2005, 10:46 AM, said:

set up the side suit first...I see people pulling trumps before doing this ALL the time.

Or they set up a high cross ruff, but don't cash their side suit tricks first (thus opps can pitch that suit and ruff winners).

[keylime]

My one tip relates to both declaring and defending:

Lead trumps more often.

I find that leading trumps really throws a lot of declarers for a loop. It's unexpected.

[mikeh]

keylime, on Nov 11 2005, 04:16 PM, said:

My one tip relates to both declaring and defending:

Lead trumps more often.

I find that leading trumps really throws a lot of declarers for a loop. It's unexpected.

I strongly disagree.

A trump lead, unless for a specific purpose, almost always costs a tempo and often a trick.

Trump leads are indicated when:

The opps are saving and their only real source of tricks rates to be a cross-ruff

or

We are sitting behind declarer with length and strength in his main suit

or

The auction screams misfit for them: (we silent) 1♥ 1♠ 2♣ p p or the like.

[kgr]

- Count the number of cards outstanding for a suit, rather then the number of cards already played.
- At start of the defence estimate the average number of points your partner can have. Eg. opps bid 1NT (15-17) - 3NT, dummy has 9 pts and you have 6. Then your partner will have 9 pts (+- 1pt). Subtract the number of points as your partner shows honours.

[cherdano]

At trick 10, you always know who has which outstanding cards. You just have to work it out!

(Ok, not always true, but almost.)

Arend

[Flame]

Dummies long suit is yours too, use it.
Its strange but lot of player wont set dummies long suit, they will go for ruffs or use their suits' if they had player the hand from other side they would have played it diffrently.

[badderzboy]

1)Listen to the bidding - does it tell u anything about points and shape.

As declarer you can see two hands and if the opps have bid what can you tell about outstanding HCP or shape?

As defender what did the opposition not bid and if declarers hand is limited how many points has partner got


2) Sometimes think about what opposition didn't bid it can help too...

3) Think about the lead what does it tell u (sometimes in conjuction with (1).

4) As declarer or defender - think and plan ahead at trick 1 - even if u have nothing to think as a defender give time for partner to consider dummy and plan some defence.

Steve

[Winstonm]

The first word for the day is: Focus.

What spot card led?

The second is a phrase: idle fifth.

The first discard from an opponent is likely to be from a 5 card suit, as the fifth card is not needed for protection - it is an idle card.

The third is play high from 10x:

At nt, you hold Kxx opposite 10x and LHO leads the 3. Play the 10. LHO just may have led from QJxxx and the 10 will force out the Ace, allowing you now to make a hold up play and disrupt communications.

The fourth is win high:

For the most part, as declarer always win a trick with the higher of touching honors. This makes it harder on the defenders to place the remaining cards.

Winston

[paulg]

Think BEFORE you play from dummy.

Try to count the number of tricks you are likely to make:
- if this is enough, consider what may go wrong
- if you need more, consider where you can develop tricks

Keep concentrating ... do not slip into "autopilot".

Paul

[luke warm]

i don't think you should think too long, which means your count won't be very good, but what the hell at least you'll keep your opps (especially your cho) happy... it's important not to make anyone angry enough to send ........... or !!!!!!!!!!!! to the room, or PLEASE PLAY!!!

or course if you just *have* to think, well go ahead

[Echognome]

Paint a picture of the unknown hands. Intially this is done from the bidding (or lack thereof).

For example, if both opps pass throughout and you end up in a low-level contract with a fit, then side suits are going to be splitting.

Although practicing suit combinations is a useful tool (as it will lesson the burden on your other thought processes), you can usually work it out at the table. What honours are missing and what are the possible holdings. Learn the odds for the common suitbreaks. (e.g. 4-2 vs 3-3 or 3-2 vs 4-1).

Concentrate on the current hand. Put everything else out of your mind. Think back to the bidding and also of any AI from the opps.* If the contract looks easy, make sure you play for it carefully and anticipate any problems. If the contract looks tough, imagine how the cards must be placed to make it. If it is possible from the bidding, play for it. If it is highly unlikely, do as much damage control as you can.

*AI = Authorised Information. That is any mannerisms or reactions or hesitations during the bidding. It is unauthorised for their partners to use it, but perfectly legal for you to use it, albeit at your own risk. The converse to this is don't give away anything to your opponents in the bidding. Keep a poker face.

[Free]

Don't count '2 tricks were played, I still have 3 cards in the suit, so there are 2 cards outstanding'. Think in distributions: 'both opps had at least 2 cards in the suit, so it splits either 4-2, 3-3 or 2-4'. This also helps you paint the picture.

Listen to the bidding, look at the play, and see what didn't happen (especially what you'd expect) as well. Figure out WHY it didn't happen! Also think about why people are thinking, it helps you spot honour cards.

Don't miscount trumps.

[mike777]

Free, on Nov 13 2005, 02:22 AM, said:

Don't count '2 tricks were played, I still have 3 cards in the suit, so there are 2 cards outstanding'.  Think in distributions: 'both opps had at least 2 cards in the suit, so it splits either 4-2, 3-3 or 2-4'.  This also helps you paint the picture.

Listen to the bidding, look at the play, and see what didn't happen (especially what you'd expect) as well.  Figure out WHY it didn't happen!  Also think about why people are thinking, it helps you spot honour cards. 

Don't miscount trumps. 

oops yep miscounted trumps, rats. Is 3 am a good excuse?

These play tips can be really simple for us to improve, like count trumps?

[Double !]

Free, on Nov 13 2005, 02:22 AM, said:

Listen to the bidding, look at the play, and see what didn't happen (especially what you'd expect) as well. Figure out WHY it didn't happen! Also think about why people are thinking, it helps you spot honour cards.

Don't miscount trumps.

Excellent tip, Free
I believe that this is an important tip!
Inferences taken based upon "the dog that didn't bark".

[Chamaco]

Mirrored distributions + many trumps = think of elimination and endplay.

[mila85]

You can play contracts that can't be made!!!