Bridge; its Principles and Rules of Play Part 9

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 establis.h.i.+ng 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 a.n.a.lysis 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