| Tips and Strategies Ideally, play in the first 13 tricks has as a target one of three goals:- 1. Only 1 value-trick advantage to the opposition with the edge gained by the option to nominate the trump suit in the end-game to be valued higher than the cost of the 1 trick. 2. Play for a tie in value-tricks and play out in no-trumps. This strategy suits hands which look to be strong in honour cards or have a long suit that may be run through without ruffs by the opponent. 3. Maximise the value-tricks taken in play. A handicap of 2 or 3 may be enough to undermine the edge granted to the opponent in his / her option to nominate the trump suit in the end-game. An attacking campaign with a long suit ( 5+ cards ) will most likely force the opponent to take a value trick, by virtue of the fact that there are 13 cards in a suit and nearly half are in the hand already. If on the receiving end of this campaign by the opponent, remember that length in one suit implies a shortage in another so that the opponent may be vulnerable also to a contra campaign in another suit. This may be sufficient to set back the value-trick count. The display card is extremely important. It governs whether or not to capture the trick on the table. The display card may be a valuable addition to the hand to either enhance the strength and the quality of the hand for the end-game or to replenquish shortages in suits that may be a threat to the player. Conversley, the display card may be beneficial to place in the opposition's showcase, expanding the scope of their showcase and further restricting the opponent to follow suit, not by choice. It may be a weak card so that giving it to the opponent costs nothing especially as the trick surrendoured counts for nothing. When indifferent or negative about the display card, remember that the gifting to the opponent of the trick costs nothing, that they get a useless card and that the gain of the topmost card of the stockpile is concealed to the opponent and is likely to be more useful that what is on display Another consideration that may be taken into account when determining whether or not to take the trick (in the first part of the game) is that the lead has to come from the closed hand. If the opponent is allowed to take the trick he / she must lead from the concealed hand which contains supposedly a concentration of valuable (high ranking) cards. Making the opponent use these cards in the first part in valueless tricks rather than later (in the endgame) on tricks that count is a strategic consideration. It may be worthwhile to allow the opponent's trick to hold in the last few tricks even when the display card is a high ranking card. |
| page last updated 13rd Mar 2003 |