When we play our hand in a suit contract, we analyze our hand in terms of losers.  First, we identify the losers that we have little to no chance of getting rid of. Next, we try to find the potential losers that we may be able to avoid losing. Once we have identified these potential losers, then we need to make a plan for how not to lose these tricks. Often, there is only one way to dispose of this loser.  But sometimes we will have options for how we may dispose of losers. Options mean choices. And choices can lead to difficult decisions.  Let’s look at some of the options that we may have for disposing of our losers and try to figure out how to make good choices.

When we play a hand in a suit contract, then we tend to focus on our numbers of losers. We usually count (or approximate) these losers from the long trump side and use the other hand as an asset for helping us dispose of these losers. But not all losers are equally difficult to get rid of. Here, we look at the different types of losers we may have and which we are most likely to lose, and which we may have a chance of escaping.