How To Win Tricks

There are only three ways of winning a trick:

1. playing a high card
2. leading a “skater”
3. trumping (also called ruffing)

There are also plays that don’t win tricks immediately, but that do increase your chances of winning future tricks.

The techniques for winning tricks are basic to all aspects of playing bridge. You must get more than “pretty good” at them. You must achieve total mastery. And that comes from guided practice. So…

Let’s get started.

I recommend doing these in order:

♣	Leading Master Cards
♦	Play the Honor From the Short Hand First
♥	Blocked Suits
♠	Quiz 1
♣	Establish Your Honors
♣	Lead Toward Losing Honors (finessing)
♦	The Squishing Finesse
♥	Drop Their Honor
♠	Cash Skaters
♣	Establish Skaters
♦	Trumping
♥	The Advantage of Playing Last
♠	Are your Honors Well Placed?

Lessons in this chapter, in suggested order:

1. Lesson 1: Leading Master Cards
2. Lesson 2: Play the Honor From the Short Hand First
3. Lesson 3: Blocked Suits
4. Lesson 4: How to Win Tricks Quiz #1
5. Lesson 5: Establish Your Honors
6. Lesson 6: Lead Toward Losing Honors (Finessing)
7. Lesson 7: The Squishing Finesse
8. Lesson 8: Drop Their Honor
9. Lesson 9: Cash Skaters
10. Lesson 10: Establish Skaters
11. Lesson 11: Trumping
12. Lesson 12: The Advantage of Playing Last
13. Lesson 13: Are Your Honors Well Placed?

Lessons in this chapter, in suggested order:

1. Lesson 1: Leading Master Cards
2. Lesson 2: Play the Honor From the Short Hand First
3. Lesson 3: Blocked Suits
4. Lesson 4: How to Win Tricks Quiz #1
5. Lesson 5: Establish Your Honors
6. Lesson 6: Lead Toward Losing Honors (Finessing)
7. Lesson 7: The Squishing Finesse
8. Lesson 8: Drop Their Honor
9. Lesson 9: Cash Skaters
10. Lesson 10: Establish Skaters
11. Lesson 11: Trumping
12. Lesson 12: The Advantage of Playing Last
13. Lesson 13: Are Your Honors Well Placed?