For years whist authorities have agreed that with trump strength declared against you the first discard should be from strength. Why, then, when strength in all of the suits has been declared, should not the strength discard be the best defensive discard for the majority of bridge hands? In order not to lose an opportunity of making all of the long suit, players will continually unguard cards in the weak suits which, if properly protected, would win tricks; and when using the weak suit discard these cards must be unguarded in order to show partner your suit.
There may be an occasional trick lost by discarding from strength at "no-trump," but there are so many tricks thrown away by unguarding honours in weak suits, and so many games and rubbers lost by guessing the wrong suit, that Bridge Players will find the strength discard will save more and lose less than any other discard. You do not expect to win on your adversaries' make; you hope to prevent their winning a large score.
If you have once led, you have shown your strength, and may then discard from any suit you wish.
Discard only once from your strength, and then as the situation and the hand warrant.
THE REVERSE DISCARD
In discarding, the play of a high and then a lower card reverses the original meaning of the discard. If you adopt the strength discard, and wish to throw away your weak suit at "no-trump," do so by discarding first a high and then a lower card. If you use the weak discard and wish to throw away your strong suit, discard first a high and then a lower card.
The reverse discard should be used only when it is clearly shown that two discards can be made.
HINTS ON DISCARDING
Watch the dealer's discards and protect the suit that he is saving.
After you have led or shown your suit, the discard of a high and then a lower card in another suit shows command of the second suit.
The discard of an Ace shows great strength in the suit.
If a spade declaration has been doubled by you or your partner-and especially when either of you has indicated strength by leading trumps-the first discard should be from weakness.
In discarding at "no-trump," don't throw away all the cards of one suit: it exposes your partner's hand, and makes it easy for the dealer to tell how that suit is placed. Besides, you may need one card of that suit to put your partner in the lead.
Save at least one card of your partner's long suit, unless you are forced to give it up in order to protect your hand.
After you have led or shown your suit your discard should be from weakness.
If your partner is discarding from weakness, protect the suit that he is throwing away, if you can.
If forced to protect honours in other suits, don't be afraid to unguard honours in the suit in which partner is strong.
NON-DEALER'S PLAY
Second Hand
In determining the card to play second in hand, you will find it a great assistance to ask yourself why the dealer is leading that suit. You can usually infer from the dummy's cards and your own hand what the dealer must hold to have led the suit.
Cover an honour with an honour. This should always be done holding a perfect or an imperfect fourchette (a card higher and a card lower than the one led). An honour should be covered when by so doing you hope to make a card good in your partner's hand. Don't cover holding a K, Q, or J three times guarded, unless your next best card is a nine or better.
Don't hesitate. By hesitation a player often shows the dealer how to play his cards. Play quickly, and if there is any doubt as to your play, play the lowest card you hold.
If the dummy has a tenace over your cards or can take any card you hold, play low; let the dealer do the guessing.
Holding any two or more honours in sequence, play the lowest honour of the sequence.
A K K Q Q J J 10
Beat the dummy. When the dealer leads, it is usually advisable to play a card higher than the best in the dummy.
If you hold ace and others of the suit which the dummy leads, and the trumps are all against you, play your ace second in hand. If you wait, your ace may be trumped.
Third Hand
In this position your play should be guided by a knowledge of the leads, an application of the "Rule of Eleven," and a close observance of the dummy hand.
Unless you hold two or more honours in sequence, play your highest card. The object of doing this is either to win the trick, or, by forcing a still higher card from your adversary, to make a card good in your partner's hand.
Do not deceive your partner by playing an unnecessarily high card. Holding any two honours in sequence, play the lower.
Finessing on Partner's Lead
When the dummy holds no honour, it is not good play to "finesse against your partner." If you hold K J or A Q, by playing any card but the best you not only give the dealer an opportunity to make a trick, but you run the risk of losing your own high cards in that suit. If, however, the dummy holds an honour, K or Q, and you hold A and J of the suit, you are justified in finessing the J, hoping your partner holds the missing honour. At "no-trump"-when the dummy holds an honour-it is customary to finesse much deeper, hoping to catch the honour exposed on the table and so establish partner's suit.
THE ECHO
Some players use the echo only when they can trump the third round of a suit.
The echo is a signal used by Bridge players to show ability to win the third round of the suit either with a trump or a high card.
If your partner leads the K and then the A when you hold only two cards of that suit, show you can trump the third round by playing first the higher and then the lower.
If you hold the Q and your partner leads the K and A, show in the same manner that you can win the third round of the suit.
Don't echo with an honour; it may deceive your partner.
At "no-trump" the echo is used to encourage partner to continue that suit.
On a doubled spade, if your partner leads a high trump, echo with three by playing the intermediate trump to the first round.
THE DEALER'S PLAY WITH A DECLARED TRUMP
In playing the two hands, the dealer must take advantage of any information he can gain from the leads and plays of the adversaries; and, in return, try to convey a false impression of his own hand. Above all, the dealer should know the score and estimate the number of tricks he must take to win the game; always bearing in mind that if he cannot win the game, he should try to prevent the adversaries from so doing.
LEADING TRUMPS
One of the worst faults of the beginner is refusing to lead trumps. When you hold seven or more trumps in the two hands, usually lead them. If you hold commanding suit cards, the trump lead will prevent their being ruffed. When you have no suit to make the lead will establish your trump suit. If you hold high cards that should be led up to, lead trumps to throw the lead and to compel the adversaries to lead to you.
Arrange to lead your trumps advantageously-from the weak hand to the strong.
After trumps are exhausted, try to clearer establish the longest suit in the two hands.
It is usually good play to draw two trumps for one; but when the best trump is against you, do not waste two of yours to get it out.
Lead the losing trump only when you have an established suit and a sure re-entry.
When you hold one or more trumps and a losing card, always lead the trumps. This will force the adversaries to discard and they may not save the right suit.
Aim to discard your losing cards from the one hand, on the commanding cards in the other.
With a weak hand you are more likely to make your high cards if you put your adversaries in the lead.
Not Leading Trumps
The exception to the trump lead is when the weaker of the two trump hands contains a short suit and can ruff; then, before leading trumps, allow the weak hand to trump your losing cards.
Unless a cross ruff can be established, it is usually bad play to weaken your strong trump hand by forcing it to ruff. If you do this, you will find it difficult to exhaust trumps from the adversaries' hands and to make any commanding suit cards you may hold.
If your adversary has doubled, be cautious about leading trumps. It is good play to lead through the doubling hand; but bad play to lead up to it.
THE NON-DEALER'S PLAY OF A "NO-TRUMP" HAND
With a declared trump you aim to make your high cards; but at no-trump the high cards take care of themselves and you must try to establish your small cards.
If you are the leader at "no-trump," open your longest suit. Save the high cards of your other suits for re-entry and try to establish the small cards of your long suit.
Don't lead your aces and kings to take a look at dummy; later in the hand you will need them to get the lead and bring in your established suit. The majority of "no-trump" makes are strong in three suits. Your long suits may be the weak spot in the dealer's hand.
Try to infer, from the dummy hand and your own, the high cards the dealer must hold to have declared "no-trump." You will be surprised to find how many times an inference thus drawn will enable you to play your hand to advantage.
Having started your long suit, usually the best play is to continue that suit until it becomes established, especially if you hold one or two re-entry cards.
Don't change suits...
