Lesson 1A13 Main
Get Out the Cards!
by Richard PavlicekLesson 1A13 Main |
| by Richard Pavlicek |
Declarer and DummyThe bidding determines who will be the declarer, which suit (if any) will be trumps, and the number of tricks declarer must win. (For now, take my word for it. You will learn about bidding in other lessons.)
Beginners often confuse the terms, dealer and declarer. The dealer is the
one who deals the cards. Any of the players may become the declarer.
The player to the left of declarer makes the first lead, which is called the opening lead. The hand held by declarer’s partner is then displayed face up for all to see. This is called the dummy, and the player who held it does not participate in the play. Declarer must play both the dummy and his own hand, although each in proper turn.
After the opening lead, the hand that wins each trick must lead to the next trick.
Partner, I believe you’re the dummy.
Oh, yeah? You’re not so smart either, moron!
This concept of exposing one of the hands for all to see is the hallmark of bridge. It adds an element of skill that would never be possible with all four hands hidden, yet there is more than enough mystery about the unseen hands to make the play challenging.
The dummy should be arranged neatly, separated into suits. The cards in each suit
should be in order of rank and overlapped, with the rank of each card clearly visible.
If there is a trump suit, it is placed on dummy’s right (left as viewed by declarer).
| Lesson 1A13 Main |  | Top Get Out the Cards! |
Let’s Play Bridge!Lay out a deck of cards to match the diagram below, and play it card by card as shown. You are South and declarer. There are no trumps, and your goal is to win 9 tricks.
1.  |  3 2 | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
 5 4 3 | 1. W | Q | 2 | 4 | K | ||
 A 4 3 2 | 2. S |  4 | 2 | J | A | ||
| K Q J 7 | 3. E | 5 | A | 8 | 3 | ||
| Q J 10 9 8 |  | 7 6 5 4 | 4. S | 5 | 10 | Q | 3 |
| J 7 6 | 10 9 8 | 5. N | K | 8 | 6 | 9
| |
| K J 9 | Q 10 | 6. N | 3 | 8 | Q | 6 | |
| 10 2 | A 9 8 3 | 7. S | K | 7 | 4 | 9 | |
| A K | 8. S | A | J | 5 | 10 | ||
| A K Q 2 | 9. S | 2 | 9 | 2 | 6
| ||
| 8 7 6 5 | 10. S | 5 | J | A | 10 | ||
| NT win 9 | 6 5 4 | Lose the rest | |||||
West leads a spade because it is usually best to lead a long suit when there are no trumps, and you win the king. You next lead a club and play dummy’s jack, which East wins with the ace. East wisely leads another spade and you win the ace.
You now lead a club and win dummy’s queen, and next win the club king. West has no more clubs and discards a diamond. Note that the club seven is not good (East still holds the club nine).
Next you lead a heart to your queen, and continue with the heart king and ace. When all follow suit to your top hearts, you lead your last heart which is good! Note that the lowly two wins the trick because no one else has a heart.
Finally, lead a diamond and win the ace in dummy. Rather than play out the last three tricks, all your cards are losers so you concede the rest to save time.
Now let’s have some fun with a trump suit. On the next deal hearts will be trumps and your goal is to win 10 tricks. As you play it, note the great power of the trump suit in winning tricks by trumping a high card played by an opponent.
| 2. | 10 7 4 | Trick | Lead | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
| J 10 8 6 | 1. W | K | 4 | 2 | J | ||
| 5 2 | 2. W | A | 7 | 3 | 5
| ||
| A 6 3 2 | 3. S | K | 2 | 6 | 4 | ||
| A K Q 9 6 | | 8 5 3 2 | 4. S | A | 3 | 8 | 7 |
| 3 2 | 7 4 | 5. S | K | 7 | 2 | 3 | |
| Q J 7 | 10 9 8 3 | 6. S | A | J | 5 | 8 | |
| Q 10 8 | K J 5 | 7. S | 4 | Q | 10 | 9 | |
| J | 8. N | 10 | 5 | 9 | 6 | ||
| A K Q 9 5 | 9. S | 6 | 9 | J | 10 | ||
| A K 6 4 | 10. N | A | 5 | 4 | 8 | ||
| win 10 | 9 7 4 | Lose 2 more tricks | |||||
West leads the spade king which wins, then the spade ace hoping to win that as well. But you trump it with the heart five. The five of hearts beats the ace of spades. Wow! Then you lead the heart king and ace, which removes all of the trumps held by the opponents. This process of drawing trumps eliminates any chance of an opponent winning a trump trick.
Next you win the diamond king and ace. If there were no trump suit, you could not win another diamond trick; but dummy’s trumps are a beautiful sight. Lead the diamond four and trump it with the heart 10. Now lead a spade and trump it in your hand then lead your last diamond and trump it with the heart jack. Isn’t this fun!
Finally, you win the club ace and may as well just concede two club tricks to save time. Note that your last trump is sure to win a trick at the end.
| Lesson 1A13 Main | | Top Get Out the Cards! |
© 1999 Richard Pavlicek