This Week in Bridge
(611) Playing to a Trick – Seat-Based Thinking as Declarer
© AiB Robert S. Todd
Level: 3 of 10 robert@advinbridge.com
General
When it’s our turn to play a card to a trick, a key thing to consider is which player we are at the table. Are we playing to the trick first, second, third, or last? When we play to a trick affects our strategy for how we use our cards. There are some guidelines for when to play “second hand low, third hand high.” Let’s look at the pros and cons of playing to a trick in each of the positions and see why these are suggestions for us.
1st Seat – Leading to a Trick
When we are the first player to play to a trick we are “on lead”. The defenders get this advantage
on opening lead (playing first to trick 1); we get this advantage when we win a trick.
Pro – When we are the first to play to a trick, we get to decide which suit is lead. This allows us to control which suit is lead and can allow us to draw trump (when we are playing in a suit contract).
Con – When we lead a card first to a trick, both opponents have a chance to capture any honor that we play. In addition, if we lead away from an honor, then this can give the fourth player a chance to win the trick with a card that we could have covered if we had not led this suit. Leading away from an honor can be dangerous.
2nd Seat – First Time We Play
When we are the second player to play to a trick, we have to approach our play very differently than if we are third or fourth to play. As Declarer, then we still get to play from our other hand (dummy or our hand). Let’s see how this works.
Pro – When the opponents lead a suit, then as Declarer we get to play second and fourth. That means that we cannot “waste” our high cards in the second hand. We can wait to win the trick with the cards that we are playing fourth.
Con – The con to playing second to the trick is that we don’t get to decide on the lead. In addition, sometimes we have to make a choice of playing “second hand low” (the normal thing to do) or if we should risk putting up our honor and trying to win the trick in this hand. When we do so in the dummy, then the opponents cannot see what we have in the fourth hand to try to win the trick.
3rd Seat – Last Line of Defense
When we lead a card from one of the hands we control, then we play third to the trick (by playing from the other hand). Let’s see how this makes the play go.
Pro – The Pro of playing third to a trick, in our hand, is that the opponents cannot see what our options are for what we choose to play. When we are playing third to a trick in the dummy, the opponents know more.
Con – The problem with playing third to a trick is that one of the opponents gets to play after us, and can capture our honor. We are often forced to play third hand high to prevent losing the trick cheaply.
4th Seat – Last is Often Best
Let’s look at what it is like to play last to a trick.
Pro – The advantage to playing last to a trick is that we get to capture an honor with an honor. This is especially true when we are playing last in our hand – in this case, the opponents must play a high card and give us a chance to capture their honor while we are winning the trick.
Con – When we are playing last to the trick, we did not get to choose which suit was led. When our last play is in the dummy, the opponents can see what we have and can make a better decision on how to defend.
Conclusion
When we are Declarer, it is advantageous to have the opponents lead the suit we want them to lead, because we get to play second and last to the trick. When we play first to a trick, we generally have a disadvantage that each opponent gets to play after us, but we do get to choose which suit we are going to lead. In either case, it is best if our hand (the hidden hand) is playing later – third or fourth to the trick. Make sure that you consider whether partner is going to get to play to the trick after you do.