Third Hand Play
Lunchtime Bridge Tutorial
8th March 2010
Venue: Museum of Bath at Work
Please reserve a place by email
The cost is £5 including handouts and tea/coffee
Please bring a sandwich lunch if you wish to play in the afternoon duplicate session when many of the hands will be slamish. Hand records with commentary will be available via the web site.
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When Partner Leads, Which Card Should I Play?
When you are defending the only (legitimate) way of communicating with your partner is by the choice of the card that you play. And since you spend more time defending than declaring this is an important aspect of bridge. Beginners and improving players are always told how important it is to choose the right card when leading to a new trick. But how careful are you to use the opportunity to send a message back to partner?
When partner leads to a new suit you are the third hand to play. Depending on various factors the card you choose can:
- Show or deny strength in the suit
- Request partner to lead a different suit/continue
- Describe your suit length as odd/even
- Help partner to work out what cards declarer holds.
But how can you do all of these things when the best you can usually do is choose between playing 2 or 7? The answer is that you have to agree on a list of recognisable situations and what should be signaled. The most common sort situations that lead to a special signal are:
- When partner leads a new suit for the first time
- When declarer leads to a new suit for the first time
- When partner leads a little card and you are trying to win the trick
- When dummy plays a card that you cannot overtake
- When you cannot follow suit, for the first time
For a very expert partnership the list goes on and on. But this tutorial is limited to making a modest improvement in using this important opportunity to communicate with your partner. And equally importantly, making you more aware of how to use the information that a good partner will make available.
As usual some of the hands played in the duplicate session that follows will give you an opportunity to practice your new found skills
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January 6, 2010
