• Winning tricks by Force

• Establishing a Suit

• The Finesse

• Playing in NT

• Using Trumps

• Counting Losers

Name ……………………….…………………………………………….………………………………..

Date Started……………..………………………………………………………………………………

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 1

 Winning tricks by Force

It’s easy to win tricks with Aces – the skill in bridge is developing extra tricks
There are four main ways to do this:

1) By force
2) Establishing a long suit
3) The finesse
4) Using trumps

This section focuses on winning tricks by force

Sequences

A sequence of cards is a run in one suit like ♥KQJ, or even just ♥KQ
These cards all have the same value to the person who has them

With a sequence like ♥KQJ you can play the ♥K to deliberately lose a trick
Now your ♥Q and ♥J are masters (highest left in that suit) and can win the next two rounds

Use partner

The two defenders can combine to make a trick, or declarer and dummy can

With ♠Kx in one hand and ♠Qx in the other you can make one trick
With ♠Qxx in one hand and ♠JTx in the other you can eventually make one trick

Dummy: ♠KQ ♥Kxx ♦QJx ♣KQJxx

Your hand: ♠xx ♥QJx ♦Txx ♣Txxxx

In the example above, you have no Aces

But by force, you can win one Spade, two Hearts, one Diamond and four Clubs

Cashing winners Dummy: ♠AQ ♥K2 ♦KQJT ♣65432

Your hand: ♠K2 ♥AQ32 ♦A ♣KQJT98

Once you have developed tricks, you can cash them (win them)
You must be careful to cash them in the correct order

In the Spade suit above although you have ♠AKQ you can win only two tricks

In the Heart suit you can win three tricks, but you must start with the ♥K
In general, you should start with the short hand (fewer cards), else the suit gets blocked
(What happens if you win the first trick with the ♥A? or ♥Q?)

Diamonds has four winners, but you must unblock the ♦A first, then get to dummy in another suit

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 2

 Quiz

1. How many tricks can you cash in each suit?

♥A3 ♥A54 ♥AK4 ♥A543

♥K2 ♥K32 ♥QJ3 ♥KQJ2

(a) ______ (b) ______ (c) ______ (d) ______

2. How many tricks can you develop in each suit?

♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9
♥xxx ♥xxx ♥xxx ♥xxx
♥K3 ♥J54 ♥QJT9 ♥KJ53
♥54
♥Q2 ♥54
♥KQ2 ♥54
♥53 ♥54
♥QT2
(a) ______ (b) ______ (c) ______ (d) ______
You You You You
win win win win
♥JT9
five 3NT:
3. You declare ♥JT9
five ♥JT9
five ♣AT6 ♥JT9
five
♥xxx Dummy:
♥xxx ♠732 ♥KQ2 ♦9832
♥xxx ♥xxx
tricks tricks tricks
Your hand: ♠A54 ♥J43 ♦AK ♣KQJ42 tricks

♥54 ♥54 ♥54 ♥54

(a) How many points do you have in each hand and in total? _______ ________ _______
♥AKQ3
You ♥AKQ3
You ♥AKQ3
You ♥AKQ3
You
2
win 2
win 2
win 2
win
(b) How
five many tricks do you need
five in total for 3NT? _______________________
five five
♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9
tricks
♥xxx tricks
♥xxx tricks
♥xxx tricks
♥xxx
(c) How many tricks can you cash in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______

♥54 ♥54 ♥54 ♥54

♥AKQ3
(d) What ♥AKQ3
suit can you develop ♥AKQ3_______________________
tricks in, and how many? ♥AKQ3
You
2 You
2 You
2 You
2
win win win win
♥JT9
(e) How ♥JT9
five many tricks can you ♥JT9
get in total? _______________________
five five ♥JT9
five
♥xxx
tricks ♥xxx
tricks ♥xxx
tricks ♥xxx
tricks
4. You are defending 1NT, and have ♠J52 in Spades
How ♥54 ♥54 win in Spades if partner
many tricks can your team ♥54 has: ♥54

You You You You

(a) ♠QT3
win ________ (b) ♠KQ4
win ________ (c) ♠A
win ________ (d) ♠AKQ43
win ________
five five five five
5. The following suits are all ready to cash, but need careful management tricks
tricks tricks tricks
In each case, what card should you start with?
♥AK3 ♥A2 ♥AKQ2 ♥AQ

♥Q2 ♥KQJ6 ♥J3 ♥KJT2

(a) ______ (b) ______ (c) ______ (d) ______

Score
♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9
♥xxx ♥xxx ♥xxx ♥xxx
/25

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 3

♥54 ♥54 ♥54 ♥54
/153
You You You You
 Establishing a Suit

A suit is established when no one else has any left

Then you can win tricks with the last remaining cards
This works especially well in No Trumps

The key thing to remember is that there are 13 cards in every suit

Long suit

A long suit is five or more of that suit in one hand

To establish this long suit may involve deliberately losing tricks, to get tricks later
This is a hard lesson to learn – beginners hate deliberately losing tricks!

Example

You have ♥AKQ32 in your hand and ♥54 in dummy

You have seven Hearts in total the defence has exactly six ♥54
In this first example the missing 6 Hearts are divided 3-3 (♥JT9) (♥876)
After three rounds no one has any left, so your ♥3 and ♥2 are now winners
You win five tricks in total ♥AKQ32

In this second example the missing 6 Hearts are divided 4-2

♥54
After three rounds you deliberately lose a trick. Your ♥2 is now a winner
♥JT9 ♥xxx
You win four tricks in total (♥JT98) (♥76)
♥54
♥AKQ32
You win five tricks
Use your partner
♥JT9 ♥xxx
♥AKQ32
Any suit where you and partner have seven or more cards (the majority) has potential for extra tricks
♥JT9♥54♥xxx
♠Axxx ♦Kx
You win♥54
five tricks
♠Kxxx ♦Axxxxx
You win five tricks
You have eight Spades, missing five You have eight Diamonds, missing five ♥AKQ32
If they divide 3-2 the fourth Spade is a winner If they divide 3-2 you get five tricks
♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥xxx ♥JT9 ♥xxx
♥xxx
♥Kxx ♣xxx
♥54 ♥54
♥Axxx ♣AKxxxx
You win You win five tricks
♥54
You have seven Hearts, missing six fivehave
You tricksnine Clubs, missing four
You divide 3-3 your fourth Heart is a winner
If they If they divide 2-2 you get six tricks
♥JT9
win If♥JT9
they divide 3-1 you still get five tricks
♥AKQ32
♥xxx
five ♥xxx
tricks ♥JT9 ♥xxx
♥54
♥54 ♥54
You win
You five
You tricks
win
♥AKQ3 Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 4
win five tricks
2
five
♥JT9
tricks
 Quiz

1. How many tricks do you get?

Assume that the opposition cards split evenly
(so if you are missing four cards they split 2-2, five cards split 3-2, six cards split 3-3)

♠AK843 ♠AKQ4 ♠AK42 ♠AK543

♠7652 ♠7652 ♠Q53 ♠872

(a) ______ (b) ______ (c) ______ (d) ______

2. How many tricks do you get?

♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9
Assume that the opposition cards split badly
♥xxx ♥xxx ♥xxx ♥xxx
(so if you are missing four cards they split 3-1, five cards split 4-1, six cards split 4-2)
♥54
♥AK843 ♥54
♥AKQ4 ♥54
♥AK42 ♥54
♥AK543
You win
♥7652
five ♥7652
You ♥Q53
You You♥872
win
(a) tricks ______ (b) win ______ (c) win ______ (d) five ______
five five tricks
3. You are playing 1NT. If you are lucky how many tricks
tricks could you get in each suit?
tricks
♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9 ♥JT9
♥xxx Dummy:♥xxx ♠AKxxxx ♥Kxx ♦Axx
♥xxx ♣ x ♥xxx
♥AKQ32
Your hand: ♠xx ♥Axxxxx ♦Kxxx ♣x
♥54 ♥AKQ32
♥JT9 ♥AKQ3 ♥AKQ3
♥54 ♥54 ♥54
♥xxx
Spades____________
You win Hearts ____________ Diamonds ____________ Clubs♥JT9 __________
2 2
five ♥54 You You ♥xxx
You win
tricks ♥JT9
win ♥JT9
win five
4. How many tricks can you get?♥xxx ♥xxx
You win five five tricks
♥54
Assume that you the opposition cards split evenly
five tricks tricks
tricks ♥54 ♥54 You win
♥AKQ32
♦KQJ ♦9753 ♦ ♦K85432
five
You You ♥AKQ32
tricks
♥JT9
♦8762 ♦8642 ♦AK5432 ♦Q7
(a) ♥xxx ______ (b) ♥AKQ3
win ______ (c) ♥AKQ3
win ______ (d) ♥JT9 ______
2
five 2
five ♥xxx
♥54 tricks tricks
♥JT9 ♥JT9
♥JT9 Dummy:♥JT9 ♠32 ♥AK7653♥JT9 ♦753 ♣65 ♥JT9
♥xxx
Youplaying
5. You are win 3NT Your hand: ♥xxx
♥xxx ♠AK654 ♥82 ♦AK2 ♥xxx
♥xxx ♣AK3 ♥xxx
♥54
five
♥54
tricks♥54 ♥54 ♥54 You♥54win
♥54 five
(a) How
You many
win tricks can you cash in each suit? ______You win______ ______ You win ______
five You
You You
five tricks
five tricks
(b) How win in Hearts to make
tricksmany tricks do you win
need win
your contract? ___________________
tricks
five
five five
tricks
(c) How should you play thetricksHeart suit (be careful)?tricks
________________________________
♥AKQ32
♥AKQ32 ♥AKQ32
(d) How many tricks can you win in total? _______________________ ♥JT9
♥JT9 ♥xxxScore
♥JT9 ♥AKQ3
(e) What
♥xxx other suit could give your ninth trick? ________________
♥xxx
2 ♥54
/25
♥54 ♥54
♥JT9 You win
Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 5
You win ♥xxx You win five tricks
/153
five five
tricks tricks
 The Finesse

A finesse is when you try and win a trick with a card that is not the highest card left in that suit
This will sometimes lose, but normally leads to more tricks in total

Finessing with Ace-Queen

♥AQ
If your only high cards are the Ace and Queen, you are guaranteed one trick
Your best chance for a second trick is to lead low towards the ♥Q (♥K?) (♥?)
If West has the ♥K you will get two tricks
♥xx
Note that if East was dealt the ♥K you only get one trick (but it’s still worth a try)

Finessing the King ♥JT9 ♥xxx

♥54 ♠Kx
In this example your only high card is the King
If you lead a low card towards the King you will make a trick whenever West has theYou
Acewin five tricks (♠?)
(♠A?)
(if you start from the North hand you will never make a trick) ♠xx
♥AKQ32
Other finesses
♥JT9 ♥xxx ♥AKJ
♥JT9 ♥xxx
The general principle is to lead towards your high cards ♥54(♥Q?) (♥?)
♥54
You win five tricks
♥xxx
• Here if West has the Queen, starting from South hand you make three tricks You win five tricks

• Here if West has the King, starting from the South hand you make three tricks ♦Axx
You have enough high cards to start with the ♦Q (and repeat with ♦J if it works) ♥AKQ32
♥JT9 ♥xxx
(♦K?) (♦?)
♥JT9♥54
♥xxx
Two way-finesse ♦QJT
♥54
You win five tricks
♥AJx ♥JT9 ♥xxx
If you think West has the Queen, lead low to the Jack You win five tricks
If you think East has the Queen, lead low to the Ten (♥?) (♥?) ♥54
♥AKQ32
♥KTx You win five tricks
♥JT9 ♥xxx
Playing for the drop
♥JT9 ♥xxx ♥54
If you have enough cards in the suit it’s best not to finesse ♥AKQ32
♥54 You win five tricks
Instead you cash your high cards and hope the missing high card drops
♥JT9 ♥xxx
You win five tricks
Missing the King Missing the Queen ♥54
With 10 or fewer cards finesse With 8 or fewer cards finesse
With 11 or more play for the drop ♥AKQ32
With 9 or more play for the drop
You win five tricks

♥JT9 ♥xxx
♣AQJ943 ♣AQJ943 ♥AJ962 ♥AJ962
♣8765 ♣87652 ♥K85 ♥54♥K854

Finesse ♣Q Play ♣A Finesse You

J♥ winPlay ♥A ♥K
five tricks
Finesse ♣Q

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 6

 Quiz
1.
Which key honour Who do you How will you play How many tricks
is missing? hope has it? the first trick could you win?
♠AQ
King West Low to the Queen 2
♠xx
♥Kx
♥xx
♣AKJT
♣xx
♦KQx
♦xx
♠AJx
♠Kxx
♥AJxx
♥Kxx

2. You are declarer. How many tricks could you win in each suit?

Dummy: ♠KQT ♥Qxx ♦Axxxxx ♣x

Your hand: ♠Axx ♥xxx ♦QJxxx ♣Qx

Spades: Max tricks ___________________ How to play it ___________________

Hearts: Max tricks ___________________ How to play It ___________________

Diamonds: Max tricks ___________________ How to play it ___________________

Clubs: Max tricks ___________________ How to play it ___________________

3. Consider the following suit combinations:

♥AJT
On the first trick you play low to the ♥T, which loses to the ♥Q
(a) ♥xxx How should you play Trick 2? ______________________________________

How many tricks could you win in total? ___________________

♥AK On the first trick you play low to the ♥9, which loses to the ♥K
♥AJ9
Q32 How should you play Trick 2? ______________________________________
(b) ♥xxx
♥JT9
♥xxx How many tricks could you win in total? ___________________

4. ♥AJxx (a) You are missing the ♥Q. Should you finesse or play for the drop? __________
♥AK
♥54
♥Kxx
Q32
You (b) How about if East opened the bidding with 1♥? ___________________
♥JT9
win Score
. ♥xxx
five
♥AKQ3
trick /25
2 s
♥54 Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 7
♥JT9 /153
You
♥xxx
win
 Playing in NT

In a NT contract the first thing to do when you see dummy is count your sure winners
Then find a work suit to develop extra winners in

Sure winners

Sure winners are tricks ready to cash

Dummy: ♠AKQ ♥xxx ♦KQJx ♣xxx

Your hand: ♠xxx ♥AKQ ♦Txxx ♣Axx

You have only seven sure winners (3♠ + 3♥ + 0♦ + 1♣)

To make 3NT you need at least two extra tricks

Choose your work suit

Have a look at each suit, and see how many extra tricks you can get out of it

You can extra tricks by force, by establishing a long suit, or finessing

Whichever suit has most potential is your work suit

In the example above the suit to play for extra tricks is Diamonds

Avoid the danger suit

In the deal above the danger suit is Clubs, as you only have the Ace
If you cash the ♣A, once you lose the ♦A you could lose lots of Club tricks
You should just concentrate on your work suit – don’t be tempted to cash any other winners!

Another 3NT
Dummy: ♠AKJ ♥AJ ♦AQxxx ♣QJx
Your hand: ♠xxx ♥xxx ♦xxxx ♣Axx

You have only five sure winners (2♠ + 1♥ + 1♦ + 1♣)

You can get one extra trick in Spades or Clubs, but potentially four extra in Diamonds
Make Diamonds your work suit – starting with a finesse of the ♦Q

Race against time

In No Trumps the defence will also be trying to establish their long suit (which is your short suit)
The defence have the opening lead, so can beat declarer if they can find their best suit quickly

In the example above Hearts is the danger suit

If the defence keep playing Hearts they can get five tricks in total before declarer gets his nine tricks

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 8

 Quiz

1. You are playing 1NT Dummy: ♠Qx ♥Axxx ♦xxx ♣Kxxx

Your hand: ♠KJxxxx ♥Kxx ♦x ♣Axx

(a) How many sure winners do you have? ___________________

(b) How many tricks could you win in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______

(c) Which is your work suit and how should you play it?

________________________________________________________________

(d) What’s the danger suit? ___________________________

(e) How many tricks do you expect to lose in the danger suit? ___________________

2. You are playing 3NT Dummy: ♠AQxxx ♥Kx ♦Axx ♣AJx

Your hand: ♠xxx ♥AQx ♦xxx ♣Kxxx

(a) How many sure winners do you have? ___________________

(b) How many tricks could you win in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______

(c) Which is your work suit and how should you play it?

________________________________________________________________

(d) Which is the danger suit, and how many tricks could you lose in it? _____________________

3. You are playing 6NT Dummy: ♠AJx ♥Kx ♦Axxxxx ♣Kx

Your hand: ♠KTx ♥AQx ♦Kx ♣AJxx

(a) How many sure winners do you have? _________________________

(b) How many tricks could you win in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______

(c) Which is your work suit and how should you play it?

___________________________________________________________
Score

/25

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 9

/153
 Using Trumps

Drawing trumps

Drawing trumps is when declarer plays trumps until the defence have none left
He can then win his tricks in other suits
♥5432
In this example you have eight trumps, so the defence have exactly five
If they are divided 3-2, as shown, you can draw them in three rounds (♥JT9) (♥87)

♥ AKQ6
Only draw trumps until the opposition have run out, then stop
This means you have to watch what cards they play and count the trumps

Not Drawing Trumps

Sometimes you want to delay drawing trumps so you can ruff some losers and get extra tricks
In the example below you are declarer in 7♠ (you need all the tricks)

Dummy: ♠876 ♥2 ♦6543 ♣65432

Your hand: ♠AKQJT9 ♥A53 ♦AKQJ ♣

You have nine trumps in total, so are missing four. But this time, don’t draw trumps!

You need the ♠876 in dummy to ruff Hearts

Once you’ve got those ruffs, then you can draw trumps
You make 13 tricks – 6 spades (your ♠AKQJT9), 3 Hearts (♥A and two ruffs), 4 Diamonds and 0 Clubs

Note, ruffing a Club in your hand gains you nothing, as it just takes away from your 6 spade tricks
In general, you don’t gain a trick from ruffing in your hand

Advantage of having a trump suit

With a trump suit you can make extra tricks

You also have control, and can stop the opponents winning tricks in your weak suit

Dummy: ♠T9xx ♥xxx ♦x ♣Axxxx

Your hand: ♠AKQJxx ♥x ♦Axxxx ♣x

Imagine playing this hand in 3NT

You have eight winners (6♠, 1♦, 1♣) and not much hope of a ninth
Another way of looking at it – the defence get at least five Heart tricks, so you are doomed

Now imagine playing the hand in 4♠

Now you can get up to four extra tricks from Spades, by ruffing Diamonds in dummy
And with Spades as trumps, you will lose only one Heart trick instead of five in NT

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 10

 Quiz
1.
How many trumps How many Minimum rounds to Way to play
you have missing draw trumps first trick
♠A6
9 4 2 (they split 2-2) Low to Ace
♠KQJT432
♥Q4
♥AKJ653
♣AQ62
♣7543
♦AJT6
♦5432
♠AKJ62
♠75

2. You are declarer in 4♥ Dummy: ♠Axx ♥JTx ♦KQxxx ♣xx

Your hand: ♠KQx ♥KQxxx ♦AJx ♣xx

(a) If the missing trumps split 3-2, how many rounds do you need to draw? _________________

(b) How many Diamond tricks can you win? ___________________

(c) What could go wrong if you play Diamonds before drawing trumps? ___________________

(d) Assuming you get a Spade lead, how should you play the hand?

___________________________________________________________________________

3. You are declarer in 4♠ Dummy: ♠Kxx ♥Kxxxx ♦ ♣Jxxxx

Your hand: ♠AQxxx ♥Ax ♦xxx ♣KQx

(a) If the missing trumps split 3-2, how many rounds do you need to draw? _________________

(b) If you draw trumps, how many tricks do you lose in Diamonds?__________In total? _______

(c) Assuming you get a Heart lead, how should you play the hand?

___________________________________________________________________________

4. You are declarer in 2♦ Dummy: ♠ ♥xxxx ♦QJxx ♣xxxxx

Your hand: ♠xxxxx ♥xxxx ♦AKxx ♣

Assume trumps split 4-1. How many tricks can you win if you:
(a) Draw trumps? (b) Draw no trumps? (c) Get a trump opening lead?

__________ ____________ ________________ Score

/25

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 11

/153
 Counting Losers

In a NT contract you should count winners

In a suit contract you should count winners, and also count losers

Just like counting winners, go suit by suit

Look at your own hand and then also look at dummy
Remember with a suit contract you can ruff

Dummy: ♠Kx ♥QJT ♦Qxxx ♣Kxxx

Your hand: ♠Axx ♥Kxx ♦AKx ♣Axxx

- Spades: 0 losers (you win the ♠A and ♠K then can ruff the last Spade in dummy)
- Hearts: 1 loser (you must lose the ♥A, but nothing after that)
- Diamonds: 0 losers (you have the ♦AKQ and can ruff the fourth round)
- Clubs: 1 loser (after ♣AK you lose one trick, but expect to win the fourth round)

You need to have plenty of trumps to be able to count losers like this, as you are assuming that you
have enough spare trumps to ruff any losers
You want at least eight trumps between the two hands

How many losers?

. a b c d . e f . g h . i j . k l m
Dummy ♥xxx ♥Axx ♥Axx ♥AKx ♥x ♥Axx ♥Axxxx ♥Axxx ♥AQ ♥AQx ♥Kx ♥Axxx ♥KQJ
You ♥xxx ♥xxx ♥Kxx ♥Qxx ♥xxx ♥x ♥Kxxxx ♥xxxx ♥xx ♥xxx ♥Qx ♥Kx ♥xxx
Losers 3 2 1 0 1 0 0 2 ½ 1½ 1 0 1

a/b/c/d – With three cards in your hand and in dummy you need all of the ♥AKQ to have no losers
e/f – With only one card in a hand you only need the ♥A – any extra rounds can be ruffed
g/h – With lots of cards you expect your small cards to win tricks once the defenders are out
i/j – With a finesse position you have ½ losers, as there are tricks you expect to lose half the time

Getting rid of losers

In a trump contract, when you see dummy the first thing to do is to count your losers
Here the contract is 5♣ – so you can only afford two losers

Dummy: ♠x ♥AQxx ♦xxx ♣QJxxx

Your hand: ♠Axx ♥Kx ♦xxx ♣AKxxx

You have three losers in Diamonds, so if the defence start with Diamonds you’ll fail

If the defence don’t play Diamonds, you should draw trumps

Then you can use your extra Heart winner in dummy to discard a losing Diamond in your hand
You will have only two Diamond losers and can make the contract

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 12

 Quiz

1. How many losers are there in each combination?

♥Kx ♥Kx ♥A ♥AKx ♥QJxx ♥AQJxx ♥Axxx ♥Kx
♥Axxx ♥Qxx ♥Kxx ♥xxx ♥Kxxx ♥xxx ♥QJxx ♥xx

2. You are declarer in 4♠

Dummy: ♠A43 ♥32 ♦QJ9 ♣J9432

Your hand: ♠KQJ52 ♥A54 ♦KJT2 ♣5

(a) How many losers in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______ Total __________

(b) How many winners in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______ Total ________

(c) Assume you get a trump lead. How should you play the hand?

________________________________________________________________________

3. You are declarer in 4♥

Dummy: ♠A32 ♥KQ6 ♦QJT ♣A532

Your hand: ♠K54 ♥JT543 ♦K2 ♣K64

(a) How many losers in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______ Total __________

(b) How many winners in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______ Total ________

(c) Assume you get a Spade lead. How should you play the hand?

________________________________________________________________________

4. You are declarer in 5♦

Dummy: ♠ ♥643 ♦QJT2 ♣AQJT32

Your hand: ♠9752 ♥A7 ♦AK543 ♣76

(a) How many losers in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______ Total __________

(b) How many winners in each suit? ______ ______ ______ ______ Total ________

(c) Assume you get a Heart lead. How should you play the hand?
Score
_______________________________________________________
/25

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 13

/153
 Glossary

Blocked – a suit where it’s impossible to cash all the winners, such as ♦Q32 opposite ♦AK

Cash – win your top tricks, for example taking the Ace and King from ♠AK2 for two tricks

Established – a suit is established if you are the last one with any left

Finesse – an attempt to win a trick with a lower card, for example the ♥Q from ♥AQ2

Losers – tricks you expect to lose, for example in ♠A32 opposite ♠K54 you have one loser

Playing for the drop – for example cashing Ace and King from ♣AKJ2 and hoping the ♣Q drops

Sure winner – certain winners, for example ♠AK52 ♥A7 ♦KQ54 ♣KJT has 2+1+0+0 = 3 sure winners

Unblock – cash winners in one hand to free up the other, for example cashing ♥A opposite ♥KQ2

Work suit – your chosen suit to play on, where you hope to develop extra tricks

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 14

 Notes

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 15

Declarer Play – DKH 2017 – Page 16