[Elianna]

Just curious. I NEVER sort my hand by rank (so ♥5T6 stays that way).

[pclayton]

I sort by SHCD but usually not by rank. I never keep honors on my far right.

I tried SCDH for awhile (black with black, red with red) but I couldnt get used to it.

By the way, a common trait of people that sort SHCD is that they put the diamonds down first if they are right handed.

[Blofeld]

By suit and rank; suits alternate red/black but otherwise go wherever happens to be convenient when I'm sorting.

[rogerclee]

Suit and rank.

For a little while I would shuffle my hand during the play and found it to sort of stimulate thinking about certain plays that I may not have made otherwise. Chances of a revoke when you're tired go up by a lot though.

I also open in first seat often without sorting my hand.

[Cascade]

I sort as follows:

I move the top card and any adjacent card(s) of the same suit to the bottom.

I then move the next card of a different colour (and adjacent card(s) ) below that.

I then move cards of these suits to the two groups at the bottom.

I then sort the two suits in the top half making sure to continue the red/black or black/red alternation.

There are occasional minor variations.

During the play I rearrange individual cards to near the right hand end in anticipation of what might be played. From the bottom left I might have spades/diamonds/clubs/hearts/C4/DK/S8

These cards are chosen in thinking about what I will play if declarer or a defender if I am declaring leads various suits.

Sometimes I will move these cards on the right back and forth depending on how the play develops.

I usually keep my hand relatively closed in my fist and can just thumb off these top cards.

[pclayton]

Cascade, on Feb 2 2008, 07:33 PM, said:

During the play I rearrange individual cards to near the right hand end in anticipation of what might be played. From the bottom left I might have spades/diamonds/clubs/hearts/C4/DK/S8

These cards are chosen in thinking about what I will play if declarer or a defender if I am declaring leads various suits.

Sometimes I will move these cards on the right back and forth depending on how the play develops.

I usually keep my hand relatively closed in my fist and can just thumb off these top cards.

I do this too and it really helps to play in tempo.

Nothing worse than detaching cards from a tightly held fan.

[finally17]

Suit and rank, alternating colors. Beyond alternation, suit order is determined merely by which high card I grab first.

[skjaeran]

Suit and rank. SHCD, unless I've got a singleton S/D.
I often move cards I expect to be playing next, and often have 2-3 cards ready.
I'm keeping my hand close to the chest or below the table.

[Roupoil]

Suit and rank, alterning colors. Not very original

[helene_t]

Suit only. Sorting by rank has no benefit for me, I think. Not that I really believe in slotting but the mere possibility that someone would slot me sometimes makes me nervous. The worst that could happen would be that partner slotted me by accident and felt ethical pressure.

When I just learned bridge (I was nine years old) I used to rearrange my cards whenever I voided a suit so that the color alternation was broken. I was soon told te de-learn that habbit

[kenrexford]

My wife sorts the hand in the usual manner but holds the cards upside-down. Very strange, and difficult to read. A few others aparently do this.

I occasionally have sorted my hand with a critical suit all the way to the left when tactical. For example, I might move the Q from Q10 tight all the way to the right. leaving the stiff 10 all the way to the left. It is amazing how often that maneuver gets back-of-card readers to go wrong or to hesitate longer than usual. Serves them right.

[Cascade]

I also sometimes sort significant short holding differently e.g. place a singleton honour among the cards of the same colour.

[Cascade]

kenrexford, on Feb 4 2008, 07:25 AM, said:

My wife sorts the hand in the usual manner but holds the cards upside-down. Very strange, and difficult to read. A few others aparently do this.

Is she left handed?

[barmar]

I'm a SHCD fuddy-duddy. If I'm dealt a void I may modify it to alternate colors, but I won't rearrange in the middle of a hand when a suit is voided.

I remember once reading that not sorting your cards should help by forcing you to picture the hand in your mind. I tried this a few times and found the extra mental burden too troublesome. I think of bridge hands in terms of patterns, but I need to SEE the pattern first. Like if someone is describing a bridge hand, I'll never be able to picture it if they say "You have ♣J, ♠3, ♣9, ♥8, ..."; but if they say "♠ AK-fifth, ♥ Kxx, ..." it's no problem.

[kfay]

rogerclee, on Feb 2 2008, 09:55 PM, said:

Suit and rank.

For a little while I would shuffle my hand during the play and found it to sort of stimulate thinking about certain plays that I may not have made otherwise. Chances of a revoke when you're tired go up by a lot though.

I also open in first seat often without sorting my hand.

I tried this for the first time about two weeks ago and promptly revoked when I held 5 cards in the suit led. It was the last board of the night and moved us from 1st to 2nd.

[kenrexford]

Cascade, on Feb 3 2008, 01:47 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Feb 4 2008, 07:25 AM, said:

My wife sorts the hand in the usual manner but holds the cards upside-down.  Very strange, and difficult to read.  A few others aparently do this.

Is she left handed?

Yes. as a matter of fact.

[Halo]

Suit, rank and colour.

If I feel paranoid about the oppos, then suit and colour.

[Cascade]

kenrexford, on Feb 5 2008, 10:11 AM, said:

Cascade, on Feb 3 2008, 01:47 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Feb 4 2008, 07:25 AM, said:

My wife sorts the hand in the usual manner but holds the cards upside-down.  Very strange, and difficult to read.  A few others aparently do this.

Is she left handed?

Yes. as a matter of fact.

I have seen a number of lefthanded players holding their cards like that.

[han]

Yeah I do and prefer it over serious 3NT.